Hitching issues in the states

[fudge2582]

Hey guys, first post here. I have tried searching and can't find anything that gives me what I'm looking for.

So I crossed the border in to Blaine on Friday and began making the journey to NYC. I've only had 4 days of hitching (stopped for 2 days in missoula) and 6 rides. But, it's not been a great start. I had to bail on one of the rides as the guy was only just recently clean of heroin and started to get super paranoid. I've also had a whole day of waiting in North Bend.

I think I understand the nature of rhe beast but this has been a lot tougher than expected. I have also had 2 days massively effected by the police - 1 was in idaho, granted but all the same it's kinda sketchy.

The police is my one real worry as I don't wanna be getting myself a criminal record.

So I have a few questions.

1) should I be using gas stations more?
2) if so should I just stop worrying about approaching people ane hit up everybody who comes through that station?
3) do I need to be discreet?
4) is it actually possible to still catch rides with truckers? I've heard lots of things about insurance forbidding it etc. It would be good to know if anyone has done this recently.

If anyone has any tips or advice I'd be really interested.

Leaving missoula, MY tomorrow morning and carrying on the i90 east to Chicago then NYC.

Thanks in advance

 

[iamwhatiam]

You might have better luck not wearing that dress while hitching....or i dunno, maybe you would get more rides with the truckers, wearing it.

I haven't hitched in a while, but when I did, I would use both on ramps and gas stations/truck stops. I've had varying luck with both, but the reason I liked gas stations/truck stops is I could (when they'd allow it) sit outside with a cardboard sign requesting a ride and my destination, and play guitar while I waited. This served 2 purposes. For one, people could have more time to scope me out and get a feel for me....they'd be able to strike up a conversation with me and see that I'm not some axe wielding psychopath waiting to murder them at the first chance. And two, I could make a few bucks or get some kickdowns until I found a ride.

Don't worry about the police. As long as you have no warrants and are not doing/carrying anything illegal, you have nothing to be concerned about. At worst, they will just run your name and tell you to move along. At best, they may give you a ride to the next county. Yes, it's happened to me before. Just make sure you stay behind the signs on the on ramp that say "No Pedestrians past this point".

You are correct about truckers not accepting passengers because of insurance reasons. I've caught a few rides with truckers before, but those were with ones that owned their own truck. If you make friends with a trucker at a truck stop, you can always ask if they can put a word out on their CB radio to other truckers in the area or ones coming through if they can take a passenger.

You can always try the Rideshare section of Craigslist for rides as well.

 

[Adam Wynona May]

Hey guys, first post here. I have tried searching and can't find anything that gives me what I'm looking for.

So I crossed the border in to Blaine on Friday and began making the journey to NYC. I've only had 4 days of hitching (stopped for 2 days in missoula) and 6 rides. But, it's not been a great start. I had to bail on one of the rides as the guy was only just recently clean of heroin and started to get super paranoid. I've also had a whole day of waiting in North Bend.

I think I understand the nature of rhe beast but this has been a lot tougher than expected. I have also had 2 days massively effected by the police - 1 was in idaho, granted but all the same it's kinda sketchy.

The police is my one real worry as I don't wanna be getting myself a criminal record.

So I have a few questions.

1) should I be using gas stations more?
2) if so should I just stop worrying about approaching people ane hit up everybody who comes through that station?
3) do I need to be discreet?
4) is it actually possible to still catch rides with truckers? I've heard lots of things about insurance forbidding it etc. It would be good to know if anyone has done this recently.

If anyone has any tips or advice I'd be really interested.

Leaving missoula, MY tomorrow morning and carrying on the i90 east to Chicago then NYC.

Thanks in advance

Truckers will give people with boobs rides And their companions, breaking the rules their companies set. If youre trying to ride w a trucker sit outside a truck stop by the drivers enterance flying a sign for where you're going. You'll get hella kickdowns too.

 

[Ezra Fyre]

Montana and Idaho, notoriously inhospitable to hitchers. Be glad you weren't doing it July/August - super hot.

#1 - takes PATIENCE! ... Signs help, but it can be 2-3 days waiting for the next ride.
#2 - approaching everyone is a bad idea & could be why/where cops are bugging you. SIGNs! Let the sign initiate conversation - A thumb! A sign! Sitting on your pack by the entrance/exit - or the ramp! All of these are nonverbal communication and say, HEY! Can I get a Ride? & NONE of them involve you walking up on strangers trying to talk to/at - pick pocket/rob/carjack/panhandle/get a ride from.... The nonverbal let's the offers come to you! .... Less likely to creep potential rides out, or give them reasons to lodge complaints about you.
#3 Don't look like an ax murderer! .... If that means you gotta dress diff, or put on/off your hat, shave, shower, not hold the machete with the hand not holding the sign - whatever needs be - if you want rides, DON'T LOOK CREEPY... Sorry if that's offensive to anyone, but You the one bumming rides... Want principles about your appearance, walk, be More patient, or quit trying to thumb it.
#4 - be as contained/compact as possible... Look/be ready to go. Don't have a crapload of belongings scattered hill to valley. Don't have so much with you, you're inadvertently causing rejection because people would have to rearrange everything in their vehicle to fit you/your stuff in. I don't want to spend 40 mins rearranging a car just to put your pack in... So, try to make stuff/luggage look small.


Immediately that's it for suggestions.

Good Luck!!

 

[BlueGirl]

Hey guys, first post here. I have tried searching and can't find anything that gives me what I'm looking for.

So I crossed the border in to Blaine on Friday and began making the journey to NYC. I've only had 4 days of hitching (stopped for 2 days in missoula) and 6 rides. But, it's not been a great start. I had to bail on one of the rides as the guy was only just recently clean of heroin and started to get super paranoid. I've also had a whole day of waiting in North Bend.

I think I understand the nature of rhe beast but this has been a lot tougher than expected. I have also had 2 days massively effected by the police - 1 was in idaho, granted but all the same it's kinda sketchy.

The police is my one real worry as I don't wanna be getting myself a criminal record.

So I have a few questions.

1) should I be using gas stations more?
2) if so should I just stop worrying about approaching people ane hit up everybody who comes through that station?
3) do I need to be discreet?
4) is it actually possible to still catch rides with truckers? I've heard lots of things about insurance forbidding it etc. It would be good to know if anyone has done this recently.

If anyone has any tips or advice I'd be really interested.

Leaving missoula, MY tomorrow morning and carrying on the i90 east to Chicago then NYC.

Thanks in advance

Guys have so much harder of a time! Took me 9 days Montana to new York. Just came back new York to Washington. My advice I do better walking and hitching then gas stations, but I am shy! If at stations, ya ask every single person you see! Especially every truck driver you see! I look at every person I don't ask as probably the person who would have given me the ride! Also how I try and look at every car that drives by when I dont have my thumb up. Kind of pushes me along!! Tho I swear some of my best rides have come along when I've given up and literally laid down on the side of the road haha! Oh your in for a hell of a hitchhike is all I gotta say!! It's a long trip! So yes you can catch rides with truckers, generally owner operators but they will hide you if they feel like it and they go long distances! I always pass out and sleep the minute I'm in a truck lol!! I'd suggest avoid Chicago! It's too huge to hitchhike thru! At least avoid i90 there!! In fact my cities to avoid are Lincoln, nebraska, Chicago, and buffalo, new York, as well as Spokane Washington. However this only applies to hitchhiking of course, mostly on i90 this good luck any other highway I learned the hard way, and Spokane is ok the cops will give you rides in Washington! Hitchhiking is legal here off the freeway! Totally illegal in nee York FYI especially dicks in buffalo!! Syracuse is a great city in New York FYI they really help travelers n homeless there!! Lots of churches lots of help I love Syracuse!! I've found as far as travel, bumming, etc the west is far superior to east however!! But I haven't been discreet anywhere. The only place I had any cop problems myself was Birmingham!! So I did your track one way then back a month later, if you have any questions I can attempt to help. Took me 9 days east, 12 west!! South Dakota sucks!! It took 5 days there alone. Tho probably easier than North Dakota! Hit or miss, good luck on that choice!! Any other city than the few I mentioned stay on i90!! 4 lane interstate in Spokane and buffalo. Entire rest of USA it'd the way to go!! Ttyl Blue