Last time I discussed how to conversate with your driver, in this concluding tutorial, I will inform you on which signs the use when hitchhiking.
The decision what kind of sign to use for hitchhiking is difficult. Well, not so much maybe. The first thing you need is a .44 Mangnum Marker (preferably black). Why especially that one, I hear you ask. Well the penetrating smell of the marker is part of the whole hitchhiking experience! Secondly you need a cardboard. The board does not have to be white especially, but it might be the most noticeable colour for bypassing cars. If you are really serious about hitchhiking you might want to consider using an orange or green strip along the sides of your cardboard.
I heard somebody saying that he used a strip of cardboard (A3 size) cut lengthwise in half (i.e. about 10 x 40 cm) and a set of about 10 prepared and 20 blank A3 sheets folded lengthwise in half. He just put the one he needs on top and holds the lot together with some rubber bands.
Personally, I just use carton boards that I find on the streets, in supermarkets or old pizza boxes from home. Card boards (min. A4 size) are really easy to find, just remember that the sign has to be visible enough for distant cars.
Now what?
First word of advise is to never write on your board before your are actually on the road. In one of my previous posts I wrote that your journey' s starting point (considering that you depart from an urban area) is most likely to be a traffic light, toll station or even better petrol station. For all three of these spots you don't need your sign. Why not? Because you ask drivers instead of showing them your signs! You start writing on your sign the moment you are not at a petrol station or close to a traffic light. See your sign as kind of an emergency tool. Hitchhiking with a sign (or worse thumb) proves to be a lot more difficult then just asking drivers. Believe me! I hitchhiked in China and Mongolia and the use of a thumb or sign is yet unknown to drivers (especially when "whitey" does it!).
However, imagine you are up in the middle of nowhere and there is no petrol station or traffic light anywhere near. This it is time to start using your sign! Get it out of your bag pack and start writing on it!
What to Write
First word of advise - write a not-a-so-distant-destination on the thing (i.e. does not have to be your end destination). Example, if I want to go from Helsinki to Rome (a hitch that could be done in 3 days) , I should not use a board saying "Rome", when I am only in Berlin. Instead use a sign that says "Direction Munich". The word "direction" is very important, as it gives the driver an incentive to drop you in a city on the way to Munich.
Other than destination signs you could as well write things such as "number of the highway", "next petrol station" or perhaps even funny things (they work the best for me). You can start using "funny things" when you are a bit more confident about your hitchhiking skiills. Things you could write on your board are "grow some balls", "Not American (when you are in Europe) or "Not European" (when you are in the US/UK), "Free company", "God's child" or "Good bloke" e etc.
You could also trigger the drivers conscience by writing things like "Won't Kiill You" or "No Criminal/ Kiiller/ Serial Murderer". These have helped me a lot to get a ride more easily.
Last word of advice, give the best smile your mother ever gave you! It is important to look nice to drivers. It has often been said that drivers are unlikely to pick up hitchers that don't look kosher or too alternative. I have been picked up by elder women driving alone, fathers with babies in the back and kids that just received their driving license. Look representative, so that drivers have no reason to be suspicious. Hitchhiking in couples work good for that reason, although I did most of my hitchhiking alone.
Finally, don't forget that your sign is often the only communication you have with drivers, so be sure to write clearly and in the local language (English is not understood everywhere!).
Next time: Hitchhiking #6 - Recap and useful links
The decision what kind of sign to use for hitchhiking is difficult. Well, not so much maybe. The first thing you need is a .44 Mangnum Marker (preferably black). Why especially that one, I hear you ask. Well the penetrating smell of the marker is part of the whole hitchhiking experience! Secondly you need a cardboard. The board does not have to be white especially, but it might be the most noticeable colour for bypassing cars. If you are really serious about hitchhiking you might want to consider using an orange or green strip along the sides of your cardboard.
I heard somebody saying that he used a strip of cardboard (A3 size) cut lengthwise in half (i.e. about 10 x 40 cm) and a set of about 10 prepared and 20 blank A3 sheets folded lengthwise in half. He just put the one he needs on top and holds the lot together with some rubber bands. Personally, I just use carton boards that I find on the streets, in supermarkets or old pizza boxes from home. Card boards (min. A4 size) are really easy to find, just remember that the sign has to be visible enough for distant cars.
Now what?
First word of advise is to never write on your board before your are actually on the road. In one of my previous posts I wrote that your journey' s starting point (considering that you depart from an urban area) is most likely to be a traffic light, toll station or even better petrol station. For all three of these spots you don't need your sign. Why not? Because you ask drivers instead of showing them your signs! You start writing on your sign the moment you are not at a petrol station or close to a traffic light. See your sign as kind of an emergency tool. Hitchhiking with a sign (or worse thumb) proves to be a lot more difficult then just asking drivers. Believe me! I hitchhiked in China and Mongolia and the use of a thumb or sign is yet unknown to drivers (especially when "whitey" does it!).However, imagine you are up in the middle of nowhere and there is no petrol station or traffic light anywhere near. This it is time to start using your sign! Get it out of your bag pack and start writing on it!
What to Write
First word of advise - write a not-a-so-distant-destination on the thing (i.e. does not have to be your end destination). Example, if I want to go from Helsinki to Rome (a hitch that could be done in 3 days) , I should not use a board saying "Rome", when I am only in Berlin. Instead use a sign that says "Direction Munich". The word "direction" is very important, as it gives the driver an incentive to drop you in a city on the way to Munich.Other than destination signs you could as well write things such as "number of the highway", "next petrol station" or perhaps even funny things (they work the best for me). You can start using "funny things" when you are a bit more confident about your hitchhiking skiills. Things you could write on your board are "grow some balls", "Not American (when you are in Europe) or "Not European" (when you are in the US/UK), "Free company", "God's child" or "Good bloke" e etc.
You could also trigger the drivers conscience by writing things like "Won't Kiill You" or "No Criminal/ Kiiller/ Serial Murderer". These have helped me a lot to get a ride more easily. Last word of advice, give the best smile your mother ever gave you! It is important to look nice to drivers. It has often been said that drivers are unlikely to pick up hitchers that don't look kosher or too alternative. I have been picked up by elder women driving alone, fathers with babies in the back and kids that just received their driving license. Look representative, so that drivers have no reason to be suspicious. Hitchhiking in couples work good for that reason, although I did most of my hitchhiking alone.
Finally, don't forget that your sign is often the only communication you have with drivers, so be sure to write clearly and in the local language (English is not understood everywhere!).
Next time: Hitchhiking #6 - Recap and useful links
