Why and how to hitchhike? My rules. Secret rules of hitchhiking

I got on the track at 17:00, although I probably shouldn’t start there.
On Friday, I got up early in the morning, did things that were already planned at that time, and in order to pamper myself, I went to a restaurant in Kitay-Gorod. At that time I already had certain ideas for spending the weekend, but St. Petersburg was not specifically included in them. I ate a business lunch and, in ignorance, went outside towards a park (I don’t know what it is called) in China. The acquaintance with whom the meeting was scheduled was definitely late, and then there was no call at all. I walked to Okhotny Ryad and remembered that today my friends were going to go to St. Petersburg by car. I dialed my uncle:
- Hello! Listen, are you going to St. Petersburg today?
- Yes, we're going.
-What time?
-We’ll leave closer to night, and in the morning we’ll already be there.
-Um... I was thinking, maybe I’ll go with you.
- Well, you’re late, boy - Misha called about 30 minutes ago and said that he was on his way. So the seats are full, and the 5th, well, you understand...
I really didn’t want to go fifth by car to St. Petersburg and it was unwise. I didn't even think about the train. Or maybe in fact, all the best things happen spontaneously!? “Try hitchhiking???!!!” - this is exactly the thought that came to mind. I leave before the guys and have insurance behind me on the road, well, you never know, maybe I’ll be stuck somewhere for a long time and they’ll pick me up. These thoughts, of course, warmed me up, but nevertheless the point played. I was very hesitant (I’m a Libra, and you won’t believe it, but talking about hitchhiking is easier than getting up and doing it!), I even dialed Lev again, but other than “You yourself now you have to decide this, no one will do it for you!” I didn't hear anything from him. And thanks to him for that! I got to the house, fortunately I live not far away, and quickly began to pack my things. It was about 15. I went to Google Maps and wrote down on a piece of paper one by one all the main cities through which the road lay: Zelenograd, Solnechnogorsk, Klin, Tver, Vyshny Volochyok, Novgorod.
I decided to call a hitchhiker from St. Petersburg, who recently lived with us. I told him about the whole situation. He warned: “It’s better to go early in the morning, as the road can and most likely will catch you at night, and at night the chances of getting stuck are reduced.” I asked him many times about “what’s best!?” and in response I heard: “You are creating unnecessary excuses in your head, convincing yourself not to go! For what? If you want to do it, do it! Don’t guess “how it will be there”! I would go in the morning... But I’ll be glad to meet you in St. Petersburg tomorrow morning!”
I didn’t want to waste time until the morning, and by leaving in the morning I would have wasted the day that I could have spent in the northern capital. I packed my things in a bag and thought, “What, I’m not pasan shtoli!?” went outside (a psychologist would call this “an act of personality formation”).
“If it doesn’t work out, I’ll go back, what’s the problem?” I probably calmed myself down a little, knowing full well that I was ALREADY going, I ALREADY left the house and there was NO way back.
I took the metro to the River Station. My stomach didn’t give me any rest, and the last couple of hours I spent at home I couldn’t get out of the rush, which, by the way, was also one of my excuses. I boarded a free bus to Mega Khimki and couldn’t figure out how I was going and where I was going. I changed 1000 rubles for a long time, realizing that it was somehow wrong to go out onto the track with one “big” bill, I lifted my spirits and drove away thoughts about the middle part of my body. Near Mega, I got off the bus and headed towards Leningradskoye Shosse. I needed a stop on the opposite side, which took me about 30 minutes to get to.
I went to the track at 17:00. :-) I stopped for about 15 minutes, turned off several taxi drivers who apparently didn’t know what an outstretched arm with a thumb raised up means, and after that a brand new OPEL pulled up to me while taxiing from a stop. Andrei was sitting in the car, who was driving to Solnechnogorsk from work, and, in fact, was driving me to him. By the way, I was unlucky with the weather: the sky was gray, the weather was gloomy, and it was trying to rain, which finally came and caught me, but already in Tver. In articles about hitchhiking they advise to talk a lot with drivers, they say they sit with them because they are bored, but I didn’t overexert myself. We talked, listened to music, needed people on the radio at the most, reasoned, stood in a traffic jam in Zelenograd and finally got to Solnechnogorsk (50 km from Moscow).
My stomach hurt like crazy. I found the pharmacy closest to the road and bought Immodium there. It’s good that it worked, but it’s bad that it didn’t work right away. I went out onto the highway again. I stood on the road for about 10 minutes, about 30 meters from the bus stop, but it seemed no one was going to stop. I decided to move to the bus stop and after about 5 minutes a Toyota minivan drove up to me (I don’t even know what to call it, but it looked more like a passenger car). I was very surprised when, because of the quickly descending side window, I saw a man in uniform. Two stars on the shoulder straps, but not a cop - the uniform was dark blue - probably from somewhere in the prosecutor's office?! But I was afraid to ask him. It’s completely unclear why he decided to give me a lift - he didn’t want to introduce himself and just shook the hand extended to him + he talked on the phone the whole way, swearing well at the same time. Perhaps he decided to do a good deed, and thereby improve his karma. Don't know. He took me to the village of Smirnovka, which is 5-10 km away. from Solnechnogorsk. The distance is of course ridiculous, given the full scale of the road to St. Petersburg, but as Sotona rightly said: “It’s better to drive than to stand!” And I’ll never know “what would have happened if I hadn’t...”. And everything was 5+.
Turned out to be Smirnovka holiday village on one side of the road. On the other side there was Golovkino, more reminiscent of a village, and fields, forests, fields... The road in this place was good, and fast-moving cars and trucks from the descent rushed past with the wind. I stopped for about 40 minutes, or even an entire hour, and already began to think about getting to Klin on the bus that went there. This decision depended no longer on me, but on the bus, which, of course, ran once at some indefinite time. After some time, a truck stopped near me.
Next Dima drove me. A cheerful guy who looked to be 25 or 30 years old and said, “Why, I can’t run out of diesel fuel, and you can also drink*****!” He put me in his van. It was difficult to call his vehicle a full-fledged truck. This, you know, seemingly mini-kamazik turned out to be a right-hand drive Mitsubishi truck from 1980 with a very shabby condition inside. There was no need for more, and I didn’t have to choose. By the way, we drove at a decent speed, and this was the most important thing. We laughed merrily when we overtook a traffic jam over bumps, not according to the rules, on the right side somewhere in the area of ​​the Tver bypass road (everything was cracking and the car felt like it should have already fallen apart :)). He dropped me off at an intersection in the middle or near the end of this very bypass road.
Having crossed the intersection, I started to stop. I stood there for about 15 minutes. Then I was caught in the rain, albeit a little, but it was unpleasant. I caught Oleg in a Kamaz with a trailer. Well, that is, how I caught him - the cops stopped him at an intersection, and I happened to be nearby and ran up to him in time. Agreed! Let's go. We stopped at the next traffic light, after which there were cops again:
- They'll stop right now! - Oleg said and he was right. The traffic cop signaled to stop. Taking out the documents, he pulled out 100 rubles from his wallet and carefully inserted them.
“Is that enough?” I was very interested and it seemed that the amount of the bribe should be greater.
- Fuck them, I won’t give them any more! – the driver answered specifically.
We were quickly released, since the traffic police officers, or whatever they are called there, were more interested in money than documents.
The driver looked about 50 years old. Oleg came from somewhere near Lipetsk (I think from Yeisk). He turned out to be very kind, but maybe a little stern. We had a sincere conversation with him, he told me how he also gave the guys a lift. Driving the Kamaz was not the fastest, I was texting with someone:
-Are you hungry, perhaps? he asked.
- No, not really, I didn’t get off the push at home, so now I think it’s better not to eat for now. – I answered honestly and continued typing letters.
- Here, hold it! Buy yourself something to eat! – he pulled 200 rubles towards me.
- Thank you, no need, really! – It was not for the sake of decency that I began to refuse.
- Take it, I say! Where does the student get the money...
I decided not to break down anymore and gratefully accepted this help. It was nice. And unexpectedly.
All truck drivers have a walkie-talkie in their car - I knew this from a conversation with Dima, who was driving me to Tver. I asked Oleg to help me and drop me off with someone who was traveling further than him, and he himself was driving to Torzhok. Someone responded, but the attempts were unsuccessful. Then I didn’t understand the situation well, but we were overtaken by a truck, which Oleg immediately contacted by radio and made an agreement. The truck parked and, having said goodbye to Oleg and sending gratitude to his karmic account, I ran into the “American” he had stopped.
The American is called Fred Liner - a beautiful and voluminous truck on the outside, very roomy and spacious inside, apparently of American origin. He walked very easily, quickly and well.
The driver's name was Sergei. Also a kind man with extensive driving experience, he talked on the phone for a long time “with his beloved.” We chatted nicely with him and when I said that I wanted to go to a friend in Tiraspol in the same way, it turned out that he himself was from somewhere near Tiraspol, and his 18-year-old daughter had completed the first year of some university of the same name. Gave me some tips on getting around. I asked him about bribes on the roads, told him about his previous car:
<…>
- Well, what will you take from Kamaz? That's why he put in a hundred.
- And when do they stop you!?
- They rarely stop me, and when they do, I usually put in 500 rubles.
- And if you don’t put it down, but just give documents, then how will the cops react to this?
- They will start chasing you through all the documents, looking at the cargo - who needs all this - waste time on them!? Yes, I still often walk with overload, so I put 50 here.
I crossed Vyshny Volochyok at 00:30. Somewhere after that we stopped and ate. I wanted to eat. I took pasta, a salad of cucumbers and tomatoes and coffee - I don’t know why, but it seemed to me that with these products and the lack of meat in them, my stomach, which by that time had already stopped hurting, would not be irritated again. I didn't get poisoned. And I only spent 60 rubles.
Seryoga was in no hurry to get to St. Petersburg, so when he reached the Skorsk parking lot (somewhere near the village of Kolomna), he stopped for a nap. I called on the radio to get me a lift, but no one responded - the night was in full swing. I took his number - well, you never know. We said goodbye and thanked. I had to go out on the road again.
I tried my luck at a gas station, but the drivers of the truck and car that drove up to it didn’t want to take me. I went out onto the highway, raised my hand, and about 10 minutes later a minibus stopped nearby.
Misha and Valera. 25 and 22 years old. Cheerful guys. They are transporting some cargo to Moscow. They themselves had not yet decided to sleep or not, but they really wanted to go home to St. Petersburg.
I decided not to sleep in other people’s cars, but without even noticing, I passed out for half an hour, maybe more. It just failed.
Around 04:00 we passed the turn to Novgorod. It was already light - we were approaching the white nights! I rode with them to St. Petersburg to the cheerful hits of Noggano and local radio stations (there was definitely Radio Vanya there).
At 6 am I was in St. Petersburg! And in St. Petersburg we partied like the heroes of the film “Escape from Vegas” (and exactly like that!) and with the same emotional charge and mood as the music in the song ZdobSiSdub – “We saw the night”, but that’s the next story. Or maybe “what happened in St. Petersburg remains in St. Petersburg!”!? ahahaha))
Many thanks to all the people who helped me get to St. Petersburg. Good luck on the roads! And... maybe we'll see you again, who knows!?
P.S. You know, when I talked to people about hitchhiking and talked about my desire to try, many (well, to be honest - almost all) dissuaded me: “Yes, this is such an idea!”, “Why do you need all this!?” Someone said with a grin, “Don’t forget to buy Vaseline!”, someone talked about the high crime rate... - how good it is that I didn’t listen to you! (They justified themselves rather than dissuaded me). After all, everything is from the head! Everything comes from there, from our thoughts! That is, if you are driving and think that all people are lousy bitches, evil freaks and that at any turn everyone will want to throw you, then so it will be with you! You might as well get hit in the head with a brick somewhere on an ordinary street in the center of Moscow. And if you believe that everything will be fine with you, you believe in the kindness of people and you know that you will meet good and most certainly sympathetic people, then everything will be fine with you. And these are not rose-colored glasses at all! I'm a realist. You need to believe. Yes, the main thing is not to worry, but to believe!!! Good luck on the roads!

And don't get into trouble.

Bookmarks

In the “Instructions” section, TJ talks about how to approach classes that, in theory, arouse interest among many, but in practice raise many questions. The new material will talk about the most budget-friendly, but at the same time risky way to travel, which is relevant all year round.

What is hitchhiking and who does it?

Hitchhiking is free movement on passing vehicles with the consent of the driver. In the broad sense of the word, this is not a movement that has formed a subculture around itself, but a way to explore the world and move freely around it, without limiting oneself to standard travel methods.

There is an opinion that hitchhiking is mainly done by informal people. In reality, voters may be different. There are really special guys, there are professional hitchhikers (members of hitchhiking clubs), amateurs and those who are forced to find themselves in a situation where they need to hitchhike.

Clubs, communities, races

In Russia there is an organized hitchhiking movement, which includes several different schools, differing not so much in territoriality, but in their approach to travel from a scientific point of view.

The first and most popular school - the St. Petersburg Hitchhiking League - was founded by traveler Alexei Vorov, who hitchhiked more than a million kilometers. Members of this club traveling in recognizable yellow overalls and enjoy hitchhiking. The first organized community of hitchhikers in Moscow is the Moscow Hitchhiking School. It was organized by the famous traveler Valery Shanin. One of the most enthusiastic scientific approach to hitchhiking and systematization of knowledge about it - Academy of Free Travels. Its leader is Anton Krotov.

There are many clubs in the regions. Hitchhikers in clubs often hang out together, go on trips in groups, organize outings and races. Races are hitchhiking competitions. Race participants ride in a team or along one declared route. Those who get to the final destination faster win.

How to prepare for solo travel

Before you hitchhike, read about ways to travel, find advice in books and books, get inspired by fiction books (On the Road) and films (Wild, Into the Wild), and talk to experienced hitchhikers. Try to find yourself a travel partner; traveling with him will be safer and more fun.

Travel in comfortable clothes and shoes. Take warm clothes with you at any time of the year. Some hitchhikers advise choosing clothes in bright colors (yellow, orange) to be more visible on the highway. If you are going to stop at dark time day, take reflective strips and a flashlight. A compact backpack is best suited for things.

Take with you money and documents, the gadgets you need, as well as a change of clothes, hygiene products, some food and a sleeping bag.

Route and roads

It is useful for all hitchhikers to have a road atlas with them. Don’t rely only on mobile apps, pointers and your own knowledge. A paper atlas helps you navigate and change your route depending on the situation.

To hitchhike, it is important to determine the route in advance, select large landmark cities and intermediate points with room for maneuver.

When preparing your route, it is important to consider not only your original plan, but also what roads connect the cities you are interested in. Experienced Travelers they say that the most short route- not necessarily the fastest. Pay attention to the types of roads.

• M - federal highways connecting Moscow and major cities. These are good asphalt roads with a lot of traffic. It’s not difficult to drive them, but some difficulty lies in the high speed of moving vehicles.
• ​A - highways federal or regional purpose. These roads are worse than the main roads. They are also paved, but the traffic flow is less. However, hitchhiking is quite possible.
• R - regional roads. In fact, such a road can turn out to be either more or less decent, with asphalt or an embankment, or a dirt road and even a winter road, where stopping is almost impossible.
• K, N - local roads. Such a road may in reality be better than another federal one, or it may turn out that this road will not exist at all. Without knowing the road, you should not plan a route along it.

Stopping in the city is much more difficult. Taxi drivers will often stop in front of you, and even ordinary drivers will ask for money. Therefore, start stopping at the exit.

One of the most important points in hitchhiking is a comfortable position where the driver will be comfortable to stop. You don’t come across these often, so it’s not a shame to walk a few kilometers just to see them, but it makes it faster to get away.

The most inappropriate and illogical places for voting are on a bridge, on an overpass, in a tunnel, in the area covered by a “no stopping” sign, on a steep ascent or descent, and within the boundary line. settlement, as well as at the bus stop (car drivers will think that you are waiting for the bus).

There are also some special points on the route that are associated with a decrease in speed or a change in direction. These are traffic police posts, borders and customs, intersections and road branches, railway crossings, large coating defects, traffic lights. Positions in front of such points are very unfortunate, but 20-30 meters after them the likelihood of stopping the car increases noticeably. If there are many such points, then it is better to stand behind the last one. It is also convenient to vote on bends in the highway where drivers slow down.

A good thing for starting a hitchhiking route is the so-called “wave”. This is a large stream of cars moving from the city. The morning “wave” is most pronounced between 7 and 9 am. The evening one is a little less noticeable, at 18-20 hours (in the evening many cars go to the suburbs).

From 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., the number of cars decreases noticeably, but traffic is still possible if you look conspicuous and have a flashlight and reflective strips.

Many novice hitchhikers are very worried about how to vote and hold their hand correctly. Some, imitating the heroes of European films, raise it with their thumb up, others simply hold their hand parallel to the ground.

In Europe it is indeed customary to vote with a thumbs up. This gesture enrolls you in the ranks of hitchhikers. But in Russia it is completely unnecessary to do this. Vote as you wish, but remember that the gesture must be energetic and confident. Do not wave your hand, do not vote while standing half-turned, sideways or with your back.

Many hitchhikers advise not to stop everyone, but to choose a specific car that you feel should stop, stop it, look the driver in the eyes and hope for success.

Even in the West, people often vote with signs. This is what they do here too. Often this helps to leave, because drivers see the name of their native town or place where they are going, and understand that they and the person are exactly on the same route. But you shouldn’t immediately indicate a city that is too distant. If you vote near Moscow, do not write that you are going to Khabarovsk - this may scare off the driver.

How to communicate with drivers and behave on the road

Before getting into the car, it is better to immediately agree with the driver about all the conditions. Tell us in a nutshell where you are going, ask for a ride. You can immediately name your final destination, but add that you will be happy to just drive in that direction. Immediately warn that you are hitchhiking (without money).

Some drivers take on hitchhikers in the hope that they will entertain them with conversation or ward off sleep. From the very beginning, try to start a small conversation: tell a little about where you are going and why, ask the driver about the places you are traveling to.

If a driver needs help, try to help him: share medicine, food, useful things, help change a broken tire.

How to start tomorrow

The advantage of hitchhiking is that you can start traveling this way even tomorrow, because you don’t need to buy tickets, book hotels or have a lot of money. All you need is free time.

For the first time, it is better to travel in the warm season and choose a short route along a busy highway (150-200 kilometers). It will be convenient if you can return by train.

Warn your loved ones about where you are going. Dress comfortably, take a small backpack with you, put a map, gadgets, documents, money and some food there. At about 7 am, get up at the exit from the city in the direction you are interested in. Choose the right position and start voting with confidence. When your first car stops, you will believe that hitchhiking exists and now you too can freely travel this way.

Everyone who hitchhikes has their own rules for how to drive. For the most part, they repeat what is written in books on this topic, but some points are individual for each person, or are more liked. I also discovered these rules for myself. True, they sometimes resemble “dancing with tambourines”...

And if you still doubt this method of transportation, I recommend reading my post.

Some hitchhiking moments

First of all, I hitchhike when I have a lot of time and I'm not in a hurry, otherwise hitchhiking turns from pleasure into a race. And every even small 20-minute downtime seems like an eternity. Also, it is advisable to consider hitchhiking as an adventure, and not just a way to get around.

The key to good hitchhiking- good mood. Well, who would want to carry a gloomy, sad creature, so it is useless and even harmful to get angry at cars passing by. They're just not yours. It is best to stop in a state of some kind of rage, cheerful enthusiasm. Sometimes this way you can cheer yourself up.

You need to understand that no one is obliged to give you a ride, so thank the person with an interesting conversation, an apple, or at least mentally. Cheer someone up! And next time he will want to take a travel companion again. Bringing hitchhiking to the masses!

Rules for stopping

First, we choose a place, preferably one where it will be convenient for the driver to stop. For example, if there is no shoulder, and stopping entails braking for everyone behind, then this is a bad place. It will be easy for those who drive a car to understand what this place is like. Also, you need to be visible from afar, otherwise they can simply pass by, noticing only the shadow with their peripheral vision. Nice place 100-200 meters after the rise, with a wide shoulder, the driver just slowed down and saw you. I have adopted a rule for myself: if I don’t stop for more than 20 minutes, then I change the place, because I either chose it poorly, or it is enchanted by evil anti-hitchhiking fairies.

I often use mental imagery and visualization. I’m trying to imagine that a car pulls up and stops, and there’s a cool guy in it. You can also imagine arriving at the end point of the journey to speed up the process. Scientifically, these methods are not provable, but they work for those who believe in them. And I believe. I don’t know any other ways... By the way, hitchhiking gurus materialize cars down to the color or brand; I once rode with such a person. This is entertainment, it’s no longer interesting to just drive, the Universe give us a green foreign car with air conditioning.

An important point: when I stop, I try to look at the driver, or if he is not visible, then to where he is supposed to be. Making mental contact! Know that if you stand for a long time and no one pays attention to you, then you are definitely doing something wrong. Usually in response they wave their hands, heads, show all sorts of outlandish signs, for example, I’m turning soon, or others, the meaning of which one can only guess.

I also noticed a peculiarity (perhaps only mine) that before stopping the car, you need to satisfy your needs. And it's not funny at all. While I wanted to go to the toilet I couldn’t stop anyone. And I remember once, the thought of an apple in my backpack did not give me peace until I ate it, figs.

Happy hitchhiking!

P.S. It makes sense to look for travel companions on various travel forums, and if you are willing to pay money for the trip, then there is a good one (applications:,).

You must be washed, shaved and cleanly dressed. No traces of blood (this is not a joke, anything can happen on the road) or sweat. Not having a beard allows the driver to see your face better. It seems that drivers would be more willing to put into the car a person who looks like a student heading to his place of study than a person who looks like the lead singer of the ZZ Top group.

2. Take off your dark glasses!

Whether they are cheap or very expensive, it doesn’t matter, you still need to remove them. The driver must see your eyes.

3. Maintain good neighborly relations

This tip is not for long trips, but in case you need to get somewhere in the city. By maintaining good relations with your neighbors, you can sometimes ask them to give you a ride to the right place.

4. One traveler - one bag!

Lighten your luggage as much as possible. Ideally, this should be one not too large backpack with the essentials. Of course, you can carry with you everything that “might be useful,” but it’s better if you can put your luggage on your lap in the car, and you won’t have to strain the driver to open the trunk or clear the back seat of his things.

5. Get creative

What tricks do people go to in order to get hooked on them? Demonstration of women's legs is already from the category of banal (and you need to be more careful with this). Some chase cars or perform some acrobatic stunts. You know how you can stand out - use it.

6. Choose the right location

If you need to start your journey from a big city, then get to public transport or walk to the countryside (20-30 kilometers from the city). There you will already catch a car that is traveling a long distance. In addition, it is foolish to assume that the driver will stop and give you a lift in the bustle of city traffic.

Learn the hitchhiking laws in the city you are in. For example, it is illegal to hitchhike on highways in New Zealand.

7. Make a sign with the name of your destination

It’s impossible to say for sure whether it will help you or not. On the one hand, there is a chance to catch a car that goes straight to your destination, and on the other hand, those who are not traveling that far will not stop.

If you are traveling in a foreign-language country and do not know the language, then on the sign you can write in the local language (a dictionary will help you): “I can speak (list languages).” The driver may want to have a companion who can carry on a conversation, and not limit himself to greetings and farewells.

8. Choose the right time of day

During rush hours (in the morning from 7 to 9, in the evening from 4 to 6) you will remain standing on the highway, despite the fact that dozens of cars are passing by you. A driver who would be happy to give you a lift during the day will not want to do this in the morning when he is taking his child to school. In the evening, office workers only think about how to get home faster; they also don’t need travel companions.

9. A traveler often helps to look pitiful.

A traveler can be lucky if he looks pitiful: rain, an empty country road and he, so unhappy and alone in this unfair world, stands in only a T-shirt and shorts at a time when it is almost 0º outside. Such a traveler will also be fed along the way.

10. You are not exceptional.

You should never think that you have a special, exclusive right to travel. Of course, it is very unpleasant and tiring to stand in the rain or heat, watching car after car drive past you. Thoughts begin: “Why didn’t this car take me? After all, it was completely empty…”, the person loses hope, stops smiling at the drivers and only lazily raises his finger up, and even then only in front of every fifth car. Remember that strangers are honoring you by putting you in their car, and say a stern “no” to sad thoughts.


photo

And now the promised story about the competition. Enthusiasts from

15.02.17 61 962 1

If you have no money, but want to go to the sea

Over the past ten years, I have hitchhiked about 50 thousand kilometers.

Every summer I traveled by sea from Belgorod to Crimea, visiting friends in Moscow, Voronezh, Tver and Kaluga.

I was given lifts by expensive foreign cars and truck drivers in vans, fragile girls and bearded Caucasians, clergy and bandits. I once hitchhiked an ambulance.

Hitchhiking is fun, free and not as scary as it seems. But you need to follow a few simple rules.

Sergey Antonov

hitchhiking

Choose busy highways

The more cars driving along the highway, the higher the chance that the traveler will be picked up. To find out the traffic volume, look at the type of road.

Federal roads- the most lively. In the Russian classification they are designated by the letter “M”, in the European classification by “E”. For example, the Moscow-Belgorod highway is called M2 Crimea or E105 on maps. It was along this road that I drove for the first time. The speed of a hitchhiker on such a road during the day is about 40 km/h.

Roads of regional and municipal importance less congested with cars. In atlases and maps, next to the number of the regional route there will be a letter “P”, “A” or “K”. Such roads can connect two major cities, and then there will be a lot of cars on them.

But some regional routes are laid between regional and regional centers, traffic here is light and the average speed can be reduced to 10 km/h. On municipal ones, only a few cars pass per hour; you can stand there all day and not go anywhere.

When planning your trip, try to plan your route along federal highways. If you can get from one city to another by two different routes, you should choose not the shortest, but the fastest - along busy highways.

If a driver turns off a federal highway onto a small road, ask the car to stop and catch the next one. If you find yourself on a municipal highway, you may have to catch a ride for a long time.

Other factors also affect a hitchhiker's speed. You move faster during the day: there are more cars on the roads and drivers are not afraid to take fellow travelers during daylight hours.

Catch the car in a place convenient for the driver

It is best to start from where cars travel long distances. In large cities, these are junctions of bypass roads with major highways; in small villages, these are the zones where residential development has ended.

I always try to stand in a place so that the driver can see me from afar and it is convenient for him to stop: on a straight section with a wide shoulder. It’s better to walk five minutes along the side of the road to a good point and leave immediately than to stand for two hours bad place and watch the cars rush by.

Bright clothes help you be more visible. I have a bright yellow anorak with reflective stripes sewn on. It can be seen from afar even at night. It is spacious and can be worn over winter clothes. The stripes on the anorak are sewn vertically so that drivers do not confuse me with a traffic police officer. Drivers often pick me up with the words: “It’s immediately obvious that you are a traveler!”

Taxi drivers usually stop in cities, but they don’t give you a free ride. That's why I always try to get out of the densely built area and onto the highway. If along the way you meet big city, then I don’t drive into it, but ask the driver to drop me off in front of the bypass road. It is better to walk through small villages.

Make eye contact with the driver

If you go out onto a busy road and stand like a pillar on the side of the road, you may not get anywhere. To catch a car, you need to choose specific cars. It may sound strange, but the hitchhiker himself chooses the car he wants to stop.

I only pay attention to those who are leisurely driving in the right lane closest to the curb. I try to establish contact with every driver three hundred meters away: I look intently, smile and raise my hand.

Movies show travelers on the highway voting with their thumbs up. For some reason, this practice has not taken root in Russia. All the hitchhikers I know simply raise their hand with an open palm.

Some stand on the highway and hold a sign with the name of their destination in their hands. But it’s better not to do this: most likely, drivers will not have time to read what is written on it. And if you wave a sign that says “Irkutsk,” you might miss cars that will take you to Novosibirsk.

Warn that you are traveling for free

Having stopped the car, I am in no hurry to get in. Perhaps the driver is not on the same route with me, or he is only ready to take me to a certain place. I immediately clarify where they will take me and warn that the ride is free. It usually goes like this:

It is important to say right away that you will not pay. One day I didn’t warn the driver about this and ended up in an unpleasant situation. When we arrived, the driver persistently demanded money - he was sure that I owed him. There was nothing to pay, and I had to listen to a lot of unpleasant things addressed to me. Since then, I always say in advance that I am going without money.

Become a pleasant travel companion

Traveling long distances alone is boring. They take a travel companion to brighten up a long journey. I always try to entertain the driver with conversations, anecdotes, and life stories. If you want to sleep, you have to endure it. It is possible that the driver picked up the hitchhiker specifically so that he would have someone to talk to and not fall asleep himself.

You need to be friendly

When you get into someone else's car, you must remember that you are on someone else's territory and accept the rules established there. If the hitchhiker is an intelligent, non-smoking lover of Chopin, and the driver asks one after another, loudly swears and sings criminal songs, then you will have to endure it.

The fare is paid with goodwill. If you don’t have the strength to endure such moral suffering, then it’s better to go by train to NE.

If you want to open a window or smoke, ask permission. It is better to go to the toilet before hitchhiking. Drivers don't like being asked to stop on a deserted stretch of road.

If I'm traveling far and taking a large backpack with me, I ask the driver to put it in the trunk. If there is no room there, then I put it between my legs on the floor of the car. It’s better not to put it on the seats: on the road, the backpack quickly becomes covered with dust and can stain the covers.

Don't sit with suspicious people

Before you get into the car, look who is in it. I usually don't get in the car if:

• a) the driver behaves aggressively;
• b) the cabin smells of fumes;
• c) several guys are driving in the car;
• d) the driver has tattoos in the form of rings.

I advise girls not to sit with single men, but rather to travel together with a young man.

I had to ride in a car with dubious characters. But my experience shows that if you behave appropriately, no one will try to rape, rob or beat you. Just in case, I try not to talk about politics, music, sports and religion.

The biggest risk for a hitchhiker is getting into an accident. I always buckle up in someone else's car. If I see that the driver prefers a dangerous driving style, then I simply ask to stop the car and catch the next ride.

Remember

1. Plan your route along federal highways.
2. Dress brightly so that you can be seen from afar.
3. Vote where the driver slows down and it is convenient for him to stop.
4. Warn the driver that you are driving without money.
5. Don't sit with suspicious people.
6. Always buckle up in the car.