# In case anyone is still afraid of hitchhiking:



## Shwillam




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## Notmyname

I've been telling lots of peeps who are scared, if you get hurt hitching it'll be from a car accident. And I've never met anyone that's gotten hurt like that on the road. Always some drunken shit.

Edit. Fucking bullshit wifi didn't load the linked sources fast enough. Is all there. Sorry I'm super high and changed the context a bit. It's Safe as fuck. Don't worry haha


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## maddeningcrowds

Just always take a pic of your ride's license plate and send it to a friend. That way if anything happens they'll be able to track you down.

And it's definitely true that there's a bigger danger with getting in a car accident than the driver raping you or something. But shit happens sometime, best just to be prepared and know what to do.


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## Shwillam

maddeningcrowds said:


> Just always take a pic of your ride's license plate and send it to a friend. That way if anything happens they'll be able to track you down.
> 
> And it's definitely true that there's a bigger danger with getting in a car accident than the driver raping you or something. But shit happens sometime, best just to be prepared and know what to do.



I think it's funny when I get in the car and who would of thunk they forgot to call their husband/brother/ect today and they should give em a call. Once they're on the phone they proceed with the "oh and you won't believe it! I picked up a hitchhiker, his name is, oh what did you say your name was again?" And then try to slyly give them details about me. I prefer the people that just straight up ask if they can take a picture of me and send it to a relative so if they go missing people know who to look for.


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## EphemeralStick

How in the blazes did anyone survey this? Like, how did they come up with those percentages without having a means to talk to everyone who hitches? I'm perplexed. 

Unless they're only comparing the recorded deaths of hitching to all other ways to die in which case the percentage they come up with wouldn't be a good comparison in that it doesn't show the ratio between safe rides / harmful rides. 

Hmmm, things to ponder.


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## Shwillam

It's the later. They took all American deaths, then narrowed it down to interstate or highway related violent criminal deaths and rapes, then took the number of the people who were hitchhiking to come up with that number.

Like most statistics it's going to likely be statistically way off but it gives you an idea. It's certainly a safer activity than the actual act of driving


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## Shwhiskey Gumimaci

Maybe being killed is an accurate percentage but I can absolutely guarantee the rape numbers are off. Most rapes are never reported. Also most hitch hikers are male and that significantly reduces your likelihood of being raped. There's a lot of new female users who have never traveled on this website. You shouldn't give them the idea that they're perfectly safe with nothing to worry about. Also hitching has other dangers than being raped or killed which are a lot more likely. Like getting stranded in the middle of nowhere with your gear stolen and no water. I almost had my cat stolen from me one time. I've had people try to hit me with their cars. There's always shit to keep in mind.


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## Shwillam

I'm not saying hitching is 100% safe, or that young female travelers shouldn't keep their wits about them. I also completely agree the rape numbers are off. The point however is though that you have more of a chance dying via exposure, getting lost, hiking accidents, wild animals ect than the actual act of hitchhiking.


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## Beegod Santana

While I definitely tend to agree that hitching is safer than a lot of activities, at the same time I've gotten many shady rides over the years and have had to fight off various attempted sexual assaults, and I'm a bearded dude with a gut for fucks sake. There's also been a few instances where things got pretty weird and in retrospect I think the person had much more sinister intentions, but decided I was gonna be more trouble than it was worth. Also, I don't know a single female traveler who hasn't had to fight off rapists while hitching, beware of truckers is all I've gotta say. Do I know anyone who's gotten killed hitching? Fuck no, but then again, I've met a lotta people over the years, half of em are dead from heroin now and the other third or so I have no fucking clue where they are so.... Ya, kinda seems like it'd be pretty impossible to get solid numbers on something like this.


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## Hillbilly Castro

maddeningcrowds said:


> Just always take a pic of your ride's license plate and send it to a friend. That way if anything happens they'll be able to track you down.



Have you actually done this? I would never do it by myself, I feel pretty solid in my capacity to handle problems, but now that I am traveling with an unthinkably gorgeous woman who could be a target, I may start doing this. It would certainly make her feel more comfortable, but I wonder what it'd be like logistically; sometimes a car pulls over in traffic with not so much of a shoulder and you just gotta sprint and get in! Would be mighty tough to get a photo while you are running. Maybe just get good at remembering plate numbers and read them back to your ride to confirm - and let them know that I have some recourse if they do something fucked up or stupid.


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## LeeenPocket

Hillbilly Castro said:


> Have you actually done this? I would never do it by myself, I feel pretty solid in my capacity to handle problems, but now that I am traveling with an unthinkably gorgeous woman who could be a target, I may start doing this. It would certainly make her feel more comfortable, but I wonder what it'd be like logistically; sometimes a car pulls over in traffic with not so much of a shoulder and you just gotta sprint and get in! Would be mighty tough to get a photo while you are running. Maybe just get good at remembering plate numbers and read them back to your ride to confirm - and let them know that I have some recourse if they do something fucked up or stupid.



Unless they have a vanity plate, most drivers don't memorize their license plates. It could make for a super awkward ride, especially if they were already skeptical about your own trustworthiness, as some drivers are when picking up hitchhikers. Instead of taking a picture and sending it you could just memorize it and text it.


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## FrumpyWatkins

I would be more worried about getting in a car with shady people and getting pulled over by the po-lice and being blamed for something.


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## Shwillam

FrumpyWatkins said:


> I would be more worried about getting in a car with shady people and getting pulled over by the po-lice and being blamed for something.



I've had 2 different times when I got pulled over in a ride and the peeps had something or another they shouldn't have. I got lucky both times and the cops actually listened when I told them that I was just a hitchhiker blah blah, took one look at me and believed me and let me go.


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## maddeningcrowds

Hillbilly Castro said:


> Have you actually done this? I would never do it by myself, I feel pretty solid in my capacity to handle problems, but now that I am traveling with an unthinkably gorgeous woman who could be a target, I may start doing this. It would certainly make her feel more comfortable, but I wonder what it'd be like logistically; sometimes a car pulls over in traffic with not so much of a shoulder and you just gotta sprint and get in! Would be mighty tough to get a photo while you are running. Maybe just get good at remembering plate numbers and read them back to your ride to confirm - and let them know that I have some recourse if they do something fucked up or stupid.


I wouldn't worry at all since there's two of you, if it's just you two and the driver then there's nothing to worry about. Memorizing it is also a good idea.


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## Jsh

I always find this video funny. When I meet someone that asks how dangerous hitchhiking is I usually show it to them as a joke.


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## Shwillam

^that made my day


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## VikingAdventurer

This is my new favorite short film.


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## Lilac

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