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Hitching a ride -

Hitching a ride means a free lift in someone else's vehicle as a way of traveling. It's been a popular method of getting from A to B ever since they invented the wheel. The arrival of the streetcar in the late 1900s served as a convenient mode of transport for those who preferred not to pay for a ticket, as demonstrated by these cheeky youngsters in New York City.

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A necessary mode of transport -

Hitchhiking was very common in the United States throughout the 1930s. But for many, it was out of necessity, rather than as a novel way to get around, that waiting for a ride became commonplace. The Great Depression saw thousands of itinerant Americans take to the road in search of work. Here, a group of migrant agricultural workers in North Carolina are hitchhiking in time for the potato harvesting season.

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A way to find work -

Penniless and homeless young families were often seen on highways hitchhiking in the hopes of finding a job and new opportunities. This photograph was taken in 1936 by the renowned photojournalist Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration.

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No car, will travel -

Few people owned an automobile in rural America in the 1930s. This lone hitchhiker is captured thumbing a lift in Texas in 1939. Depression-era Texas and states like Kansas and New Mexico were also affected by severe dust storms, centered as they were in the eye of the infamous Dust Bowl phenomenon.

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No hitchhikers! -

Not all drivers were of the charitable kind. The sign on this truck windshield reads "No Sir," meaning don't even think about trying to hitch a lift!

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Getting a lift during wartime -

The Second World War saw gasoline rationing and restrictions on auto parts, things like tires. As a result, off-duty soldiers often found themselves hitching a ride home to see family and loved ones. In this photograph, two British servicemen get comfy in the luggage carrier of a car that's already full with passengers. 

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Be patient -

Waiting for a lift during wartime often required patience and tenacity. Rank meant little to non-combatants. Here, two off-duty personnel wait patiently for a lift in Campania, Italy.

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A heavy load -

Servicemen mix with civilians while hitching a ride on a military truck through London on VE Day, May 8, 1945. Perhaps only a army vehicle could carry over 50 revelers and still operate effectively!

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Beating the strike -

The effects of strikes and industrial action often meant the public having to resort to hitchhiking. A coal strike in New South Wales in July 1949 halted trams and trains in Sydney. But that didn't stop those wishing to get to the city's Canterbury Park Racecourse from hitching a ride out of the suburb of Rockdale.

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Hitchhiking the frontline -

The Korean War saw civilians, including journalists assigned to cover the conflict, make do with whatever transport was available. This American photographer is trying to hitch a lift while reporting from the battlefield. His sign reads: "Correspondent wants ride to Chongju."

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Vacation time -

In the 1950s, rationing was still very much in force throughout post-war Europe. Those who did venture out for a vacation usually relied on the goodwill of others to travel, such as this backpacker hitchhiking through France.

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Step on the gas -

Gas stations and truck stops are sometimes better bets for rides than signaling at the roadside. These two female hitchhikers are negotiating a lift with a driver in southern France while on their way to the French Riviera in the '50s.

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A lift for all -

A tram strike in Brussels in November 1958 left passengers stranded. So out came the thumbs. Rather incongruously, among the hopefuls waiting for a lift is an elderly woman.

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A way to explore the world -

After the austerity of the 1950s, hitchhiking gained popularity in the 1960s, especially with young adults eager to explore the world. In this image, young German tourists hitchhike on the ancient Via Cassia in Rome.

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Driving the counterculture movement -

In fact, the 1960s saw a whole new generation of young people who felt confined by a sense of suburban comfort and instead wanted to take to the road. In the United States especially, hitchhiking became an essential part of the counterculture movement sweeping the nation.

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In-car entertainment -

Hitchhiking to Woodstock in August 1969 was the way to travel. The three-day music festival attracted an audience of more than 400,000, and few had vehicles. The trunk of an automobile was as good as a seat up front!

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A means of communication -

Half way around the world, meanwhile, US soldiers sometimes treated South Vietnamese children to a treat by giving them a lift in a jeep. Actually, it was in Vietnam that drivers invented methods to communicate various messages to hitchhiking soldiers. A driver tapping on the roof of his vehicle, for example, would be indicating that there was no room for any passengers. If he briefly pointed to the ground, it meant that he was very near his destination and thus no good for a lift of any duration.

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Even nomads need a lift -

A highway in the desert is rarely walked by pedestrians. But it's not unusual for the Bedouin—Arabic-speaking nomadic peoples of North Africa, the Middle East, and the Arabian Peninsula—to thumb a lift from vehicles motoring through these dry, arid, and remote environments.

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Hitchhiking to escape -

For many unfortunate souls, hitchhiking is the only means of transportation to a better life. Those attempting to escape persecution or economic woe, but with little or no money, often have no alternative but to rely on the kindness of strangers to drive them out of trouble.

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Europe is a hitchhiker's dream destination -

Society has embraced hitchhiking for years. And it's in Europe where the practice is particularly commonplace, and indeed often encouraged. In the Netherlands, for example, you can find liftplaats—dedicated hitchhiking locations usually located in university towns.

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World hitchhiking hotspots -

Actually, the Netherlands, together with Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, and Ireland, are some of the best countries in Europe to thumb a lift, and among the safest. Other favorable nations include New Zealand, Cuba, Uruguay, and Argentina. In the UK, hitchhiking is legal, but it's not permitted to hitchhike where pedestrians are banned, such as motorways.

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Hitchhiking in the United States -

However, it's a mixed bag in the United States. Here, thumbing a lift is still a popular means of transport, especially for the poorer, less privileged members of society. But there has been a general decrease in hitchhiking in the country, which has been attributed to lower air travel costs, a stronger economy, and more reliable vehicles. Furthermore, some states have banned hitchhiking, namely Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Wyoming. Some other states make it an offense to solicit rides from the roadway, though these laws are often circumnavigated. Wherever you are in the country, before you stick out your thumb, be mindful of the rules.

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Go slugging -

A better idea if you're in an urban area is to join a "slug line." In America, slugging, or casual carpooling, is a variation of ride-share commuting and hitchhiking. The practice is most common in big cities like Washington, D.C. and San Francisco.

Image: Federal Highway Administration

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Is hitchhiking safe? -

There's always a risk associated with accepting a lift from a stranger, and limited data is available regarding the safety of hitchhiking. In the end, common sense should prevail. For example, wherever possible, travel with another hitchhiker and only thumb a ride during daylight hours. And always refuse a ride from alcohol impaired drivers. Finally, trust your instincts. If you're uncomfortable or feel you're being coerced into jumping into a vehicle, walk away. Sadly, though, some hitchhikers do fall victim to crime.

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Santa Rosa hitchhiker murders -

One of America's most notorious unsolved crimes is the Santa Rosa hitchhiker murders. At least seven female hitchhikers are known to have been killed in Sonoma County and Santa Rosa of the North Bay area of California in 1972 and 1973. Early suspects included the infamous "Zodiac Killer." The case has long gone cold.

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The Co-ed Killer -

Edmund Kemper was known as the "Co-ed Killer" after police discovered that many of his later victims were female college students hitchhiking in the vicinity of Santa Cruz County, California. His killings spanned from 1964 to 1973. Kemper received eight concurrent life sentences.

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Steeltown Murders -

In Wales in 1973, three young women were found murdered, crimes that sent shockwaves across the United Kingdom. All were believed to have been hitchhiking home when they met their killer. Despite an intense manhunt, the case ultimately went cold. But in the early 2000s, the inquiry was reopened by police using the then new technique of DNA profiling. They were eventually able to identify the murderer as Joseph Kappen, who became known as the "Saturday Night Strangler," but who had died in 1990. The DNA extracted from his exhumed body was irrefutably linked to that found on the victims' clothing.

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The Freeway Killer -

A series of murders that took place from May 1979 to June 1980 in Southern California were eventually linked to William Bonin. The media dubbed him "The Freeway Killer," as most of his at least 20 victims were picked up by Bonin as they hitchhiked the state's freeways. Bonin was executed by lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison in 1996.

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The Backpacker Killer -

A spate of serial killings that took place in New South Wales between 1989 and 1993 were eventually linked to Ivan Milat, the so-called "Backpacker Killer." Milat picked up hitchhiking backpackers and drove them into the remote Belanglo State Forest before savagely murdering them. Milat was jailed for life and died in prison in 2019.

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Hitchhiking apps -

Despite these unnerving examples of lifts gone wrong, hitchhikers are not disproportionately likely to be victims of crime. And today there are various apps available where users create profiles and search for rides based on their destination and travel date and time.

Sources: (WBUR) (Legends of America) (Travel Experta) (World Economic Forum) (Go Hitchhiking)

See also: 60 essential items to pack in your travel backpack

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