Lone Female Hitchhikers

[WanderLost Radical]

I've already stated this in other similar threads, but just brandishing a knife will make any attacker reconsider their options, since nobody likes getting stabbed.

Id like to say that this is 100% true for creepy drivers, however, if you're being confronted by someone you suspect has experience with knife fights, don't flail it around. Take it out to use it. Right away. (To maim enough to guarantee your safety, you dont want cops looking for you for murder) You dont want you knife wrestled from you hand and used against you

 

[andi]

Hahaha yeah exactly...

 

[andi]

I'm still questioning the knife for self defense. i may just pick up some pepper gel if worse comes to worse

 

[landpirate]

I'm still questioning the knife for self defense. i may just pick up some pepper gel if worse comes to worse

I'd be worried about my weapon being turned on me. I live in the UK and mace and pepper spray and in fact most knives are illegal to carry so when a man once tried to attack me (not in a hitchhiking situation) I went straight for his eyes and poked them really hard and then kicked him in the balls and ran. Maybe not totally practical in a car but maybe think about what you can do without a weapon.

 

[Daman45]

I've turned down more rides than I've taken. If they creep you out don't accept the ride.

You'll get picked up much quicker on your own.

I take a photo of their number plate and my location and planned destination place and time and message it to a friend that way if they don't hear from me at the alotted time they know I'm in trouble and have some clue where I might be. This might be over cautious but I don't care. You can also tell the person giving you a lift that you've messaged someone. If they're legit they shouldn't mind. It's good for them to know that you'll be missed if they mess with you.

But you'll be fine. Start out doing practice hitch hike missions round where you live and see how you get on. That way if it's awful and you hate it you haven't got too far to get home.

Hi, I know I am a man. However, is it that easy to hitch hike across the world?

 

[Matt Derrick]

You dont want you knife wrestled from you hand and used against you

not to get all agro here, but i'm getting really sick of hearing people say this. the odds of this happening to you are about as good as winning the lottery and getting struck by lightning at the same time. i don't know who started this rumor/saying but it really needs to stop.

i am not aware of a single documented instance of this ever happening, so please, just stop saying it.

the only purpose it serves is to keep people from properly protecting themselves. knives are so cheap you can ditch them if going through an airport, any length under 4 inches is legal just about anywhere, and if you get in a confrontation, about 95% of the time you don't even have to use it, just show you're willing to use it and 99% of people will back off.

there's really no reason not to have a knife when traveling.

 

[fruit is bad for you]

I think it comes from, if carrying a knife, are you really prepared to stab someone or are you bluffing? If someone call's that bluff are you in more danger from your own weapon? There's a lot of ingrained human programming to overcome to actually stab someone. Also you've got proportional response, so if it was me or him going to die, I'd have no problem overcoming that and stabbing. If someone was being a bit creepy they probably deserve a smack, but not to get stabbed.

Maybe it's a cultural thing, I'd be more happy with a blunt weapon or pepper spray

 

[spectacular]

@mattderrick, as an inexperienced knife fighter I've had it happen twice... once in a play knife fight with sharpies instead of knives where the guy had me in a chokehold with the sharpie at my throat and another time in another play fight where this guy had me completely incapacitated. Both were def faster than me, I was taking it seriously, I just didn't have the moves

 

[WanderLost Radical]

I'm still questioning the knife for self defense. i may just pick up some pepper gel if worse comes to worse

Never had to use mace, but my friend's a park ranger trained to use bear mace, and he told me about how great mace really isn't... Can't use it when its windy, cant use it in close environments or at near range... idk. Mace doesnt sound that great when hitchhiking because you can't use it in a vehicule without macing yourself as well. And if your creepy driver is smart, he'll know that.

 

[ev wood]

I've turned down more rides than I've taken. If they creep you out don't accept the ride.

You'll get picked up much quicker on your own.

I take a photo of their number plate and my location and planned destination place and time and message it to a friend that way if they don't hear from me at the alotted time they know I'm in trouble and have some clue where I might be. This might be over cautious but I don't care. You can also tell the person giving you a lift that you've messaged someone. If they're legit they shouldn't mind. It's good for them to know that you'll be missed if they mess with you.

But you'll be fine. Start out doing practice hitch hike missions round where you live and see how you get on. That way if it's awful and you hate it you haven't got too far to get home.

^^^^ this is what I came here to say, down to the practice hitches just to get comfortable (also a great free way to visit friends and have someone waiting for you). Also don't get dropped off in dark / uninhabited places, make sure your phone is charged, and don't be afraid to refuse rides ever. Unfortunately I've had more bad experience with male travelers trying to come along to "keep me safe" than I have with bad rides. That's not to say they're all shady, I met my partner hitch-hiking and we've crossed the country five or six times together now, but don't be quick to trust anyone who comes on too strong. The other thing is that a lot of drivers want to ask you questions about your life, I usually stress having a good relationship with my parents and wanting to see the country as a way to appreciate its bounty (cheesy yes, but I've had some people that seemed creepy treat me as more of a human after this.) I've also called my mom on her "birthday" in the car with someone I was uncomfortable with, told her they were about to drop me of at X truckstop thats coming up in a few minutes and I'd call her back from there so we could talk longer.

 

[ev wood]

Oh also you'll want a knife as a tool, not just a weapon. Luckily I've only ever had to use mine as a tool and honestly I'd be lost without it. I prefer well made fixed blades because you can use the bottom of the handle as a hammering tool to drive stakes into the ground as well as the blade for cutting vegetables / packaging / picking my teeth / so many things. Definitely get a knife, and if someone refers to it as your weapon correct them that it is a tool.

 

[WieselFlink]

Once a perv truckdriver thought one of my best friends would pay for a ride with her body. So let'd just say force him to stop (anti-bear spray or o as if you'd consider to do him this "favor") and flee the car when he stopps. If he looks the doors :/ bad. But still pepper gel or something like that should give you enough time to flee the car if used after he stopped

 

[rocket potato]

having hitched 1000+ miles as a 22 year old chick: get their license plate, text it to a friend, including vehicle and driver description. i usually don't do this... but maybe i should haha.

***even better advice: once in the car, smile, give a "hey! you just made my day!" and, making sure the driver hears you, phone a friend: "hey sarah, just got a ride from a kind couple/trucker/family, i'll be in town in 4 hours, see you then!" regardless of whether that friend will be in said town. you wanna make sure the driver is aware that someone knows your whereabouts and is expecting you.

also, you could ask what route they're taking; be familiar with routes you should be taking, so you'll know when you're heading to sketch backroads [[my girl-friend once had a dude drive her past a requested gas station onto backroads only to ask, 'well, uh, can i at least see your tits before you get out?' she vehemently said, 'no, get me the fuck back to the station.' which, luckily, he did.]]

weapons... aren't so effective if you're cruising at 70 mph, but perhaps if the driver pulls over! i carry a knife always for my peanut butter and apples! hopefully never for someone's jugular!

that said... people are actually super awesome!!!

 

[GhostRiderEvergladePanthr]

Edit edit

 

[Matt Derrick]

Please ignore the above advice. Hitchhiking with a gun is a ridiculously bad idea and would only be suggested by someone that has no idea what they are talking about.

Sent from my LG-H815 using the Squat the Planet mobile app!

 

[Kal]

Haha exactly. Well i probably could stab someone, but i wouldn't want to fuck anyone up too badly. Mannnn i need to toughen up lol. thanks Matt

If someome messes with you fuck them up. I am a lover not a fighter but if someone fucks with me I fuck back.

 

[Mankini]

Hahaha yeah exactly...

Knife; Schnife. First, you have to pull it out yer pocket (deploy it) then you gotta figure slash or thrust. then pick a target ...then yeah, hope the person doesnt careen off the road into a tree or abutment...Rather than worry about edged weapons, pay strict attention to your finely tuned 6th sense. its there fora reason. people lost it because we put too much stock in 21st century tech and ''civilization''. practice using your gut instinct to :A Navigate in the dark B: Find missing items C: Figure out who's going to call or text you next. It sounds crazy but it can, and will, do these things and more. Start with a mindful breathing session, then close your eyes and sense. Dont think or feel: sense is much more primitive.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...nct-better-detecting-lies-conscious-mind.html



https://books.google.com/books?id=P...etecting threats through gut instinct&f=false

 

[Wawa]

Pretty much what others have been saying; go do what you want and dont worry too much.

Out of probably hundreds of rides I've had two blowjob requests, three drunks, and one creep who seemed like a definate stalker type, and a lot of bad conversationalists... but no one who actually made me feel physically threatened. Some of these situations have in the long run made me more confident, showing me that just because someone is creepy doesnt mean they are dangerous. Both the blowjob guys seemed more embarassed then anything else when I turned them down.

It's my opinion, based on my own experiences and those of friends, that hitching really isn't any more dangerous for women in the US. I know people who have had pretty bad experiences, both male and female.... but few and far between.

On the otherhand, you'll have a huge advantage getting rides. People who dont normally pick up will stop for a woman alone. I don't necessarily like that its that way, but its nice to get rides.

Sent from my SM-G906L using the Squat the Planet mobile app!

 

[Matt Derrick]

Knife; Schnife. First, you have to pull it out yer pocket (deploy it) then you gotta figure slash or thrust. then pick a target ...then yeah, hope the person doesnt careen off the road into a tree or abutment...Rather than worry about edged weapons, pay strict attention to your finely tuned 6th sense. its there fora reason. people lost it because we put too much stock in 21st century tech and ''civilization''. practice using your gut instinct to :A Navigate in the dark B: Find missing items C: Figure out who's going to call or text you next. It sounds crazy but it can, and will, do these things and more. Start with a mindful breathing session, then close your eyes and sense. Dont think or feel: sense is much more primitive.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...nct-better-detecting-lies-conscious-mind.html



https://books.google.com/books?id=P...etecting threats through gut instinct&f=false

I think i understand what you're trying to say here, but this is some serious bullshit advice.

Since this is the second bit of stupid-as-shit advice to pop up in this thread I'm verbally warning folks to keep their posts serious and and ridiculous bs like 'fuck a knife, use your mind' and 'take a gun' are going to get warnings issued.

Sent from my LG-H815 using the Squat the Planet mobile app!

 

[wizehop]

UMMMM and lets keep in mind that not just girls have to deal with creepy dudes/people...It just comes with the territory. I've had plenty of bad sexual encounters in my younger days (was cuter then) while hitching. Things happen and you deal with them as they unfold. The one thing travelling will teach you is just how bad ass you really are.
Lets also keep in mind that a lot of these things you may worry about happening on the road can actually in fact happen anywhere. So if you've managed with life so far, you have nothing to worry about.