Sly Bald Guys Forum
Various Non-Bald Discussions => General Discussion => Topic started by: Focus on May 29, 2013, 01:24:06 PM
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Hi, everyone!
I have a question to American people.
There is something I would like to do : hitch-hiking along the route 66.
BUT, I've been told that hitch-hiking is considered badly - and is even dangerous - in the USA.
Is that true???
Thank you.
Focus
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Hitchhiking used to be a common thing, but not anymore, in the Northeastern U.S. It's considered dangerous for both drivers and hitchhikers. Perhaps some of my sly bretheren who live outside of the Northeast can give you a better idea if it's still acceptable west and south of here.
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I don't think it's a good idea to hitchhike for safety reasons. For one, although shaved heads are accepted more and more by the day, it's still an intimidating factor for some people. As a semi-professed roadgeek, I can tell you right now that Route 66 has been dead (decomissioned) since 1985, though you can view parts of the historic route in bits and pieces (most of it has been replaced by the interstates). If you come to America, you can always rent a car and check out some very nice attractions.
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"Shaved heads (...) an intimidating factor"??? I hope I am not that frightening!
What I like in hitchhiking is to meet people. It is rather common here and I like talking with people I take in my car (as I have a car, I no longer hitchhike).
I thought the best way to discover a country was being driven by locals. BTW I don't want to endanger myself. I'll probably choose another option.
Thank you for your replies.
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Dangerous, sort of like a form of Russian Roulette".
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So dangerous? When I was told it was dangerous, I thought "Oh, come on, we are talking about the USA, not an area controlled by armed rebels."
I'll definitely choose another option.
Thanks again.
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Believe me......our roads are dangerous enough without hitchhikers
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Hitch-hiking is very dangerous in the US.
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Hi Focus: When you come & visit the good ole USA, there are many great places to visit but please do not do any hitch-hiking.
WARHAWK O0
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I wouldn't hitchhike outside of the US, either, for that matter.
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Besides the danger factor, its actually illegal in some states. So unless your vacation checklist includes a tour of a local jail, best to avoid it!
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Hey Focus, hitch-hiking has been glamorized in the movies, but like the other guys, it's not recommended due to safety reasons. If you're looking to meet people, one of the ways that you could do it is use http://airbnb.com to find your lodging at each stop. That way you would meet locals in each area you stop.
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You have convinced me! It's a pity we cannot use this travelling way.
I've driven unknown people and been driven by unknown people in France and in Ireland. I did not have one single problem. There have even been occasions when I was walking on a road and a car stopped and suggested to drive me more quickly.
I also happened to have stopped spontaneously on a road to drive a few persons ; like a woman I remember who was coming back from the store with huge loaded bags.
I also have a friend who goes on holidays only through that process. He has travelled in all Western Europe.
Thanks again.
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Here's buddha chiming in with a dissenting opinion.
I've read and heard the talk of the dangers of hitchhiking and a lot of it is true. I personally think that some of it is overblown but we live in The Kingdom of Fear and people will fight to the death for the right to be afraid of just about anything. Our media doesn't help.
Can you get murdered, chopped up, and left in the woods as bear bait while hitching? Of course you can.
Can you run into the guys from Deliverance while hitching with all that that entails? Certainly.
Is it possible to be picked up by Leatherface and chainsawed to pieces? Most assuredly.
Can you get hit by a car and killed while walking your doggie across the street? More often than the above 3 combined.
But.....
I like to think that since we don't have armed bands of rebels running around with murderous intent that your chances of survival in America are greatly enhanced over some other places in the world where bandits wait around every corner. Kidnapping for profit has not caught on here yet so that is one big plus.
But I'd like to examine what I think is a profound absurdity that exists in the good ol' USofA that hardly anyone ever thinks about. Not so long ago in the news it was reported that the City of Chicago, my hometown, set records for gun violence/murder in a weekend. The funny part about that is that handguns are illegal in the City of Chicago yet more people were killed there with handguns than any other place in the country in a single weekend. But people go to Chicago to sightsee every single day of the year. The vast majority survive the adventure. The point is that I don't think that there are necessarily more monsters in our society nowadays, they just get a lot more press. The point is to keep us afraid and that's as far as I'll go down THAT road.
I guess what I'm saying is that someday you're going to die. Accept it. I'm going to die and so is everybody else in this-a-here forum. One of the things I've heard discussed is what people have a tendency to think about as they draw in that last labored gasp. A lot of people tend to think that we ponder the things we didn't do that we wish we had the time for now but at that point we're out of time. Not doing something because it's exhausting or it's boring or you just don't want to or because you'd rather be home watching The Chicago Bears get their a$$e$ handed to them is perfectly acceptable. Not doing something because it contains an element of fear of the unknown or because someone else said it's dangerous is another story.
In short, consider your last few seconds as a living, breathing human being.....lying on that urine stained cot in that dank nursing home room surrounded by people who just wish that you would go on into the next life so they can start shoveling up their inheritance. And your last thought is of the hitch hiking trip that you once considered taking across the continental United States and how you didn't do it because you got turned off by a bunch of bald dudes who basically told you to be afraid.....be very afraid. And then you take that last gasp and everything goes black.
So the buddha would advise using caution during a hitch hiking adventure, carefully evaluate anyone who stops to offer you a ride. If the mere sight of someone sets off alarm bells don't ride with them. Remember that half of hitch hiking is, well, hiking. No law says that you can't just walk on down the road with a backpack. Check the laws of any jurisdictions you will be passing through and make sure that you won't be spending the night in their pokey (although that could be an adventure, too. Something to tell the grandkids about.).
If you're gonna do it do it now. Before you get too busy. Stop up and see me in northern Wisconsin on your way.
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Well spoken, Buddha.....Not to make this into a joking matter, but I'm very interested in what Ming the Merciless would say on this subject after a very interesting post by Buddha.....
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OK. Now I don't know what to do (you notice I am easily influenced...). Because, you know, this hitch hiking throughout the USA is a dream I've been nurturing for quite some time.
BTW, it would be a pleasure to visit you to Wisconsin, Buddha (if I am not mistaken, this state is next to Quebec?).
I think there is the Greyhound bus system which covers the whole country. This could be a solution to travel easily among various states, without the trouble of being dropped at 100 km from the closest motel...
I'll have to think that out and plan a few weeks in this country - whatever the choice of transportation.
Thank you for your suggestions.
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I've checked on a map and Wisconsin is quite far from Quebec... Hope you'll forgive my lack of culture :-[
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I think there is the Greyhound bus system which covers the whole country. This could be a solution to travel easily among various states, without the trouble of being dropped at 100 km from the closest motel...
Thank you for your suggestions.
Greyhound is not that great; I rode one recently to airport. Seats are not always available and you have to wait for the next bus. From major hub to major hub, you can reserve seats. Look into Amtrak (the passenger rail system): they are at www.amtrak.com . Routes can be a bit limited and many cities only have one train at day (example: Atlanta has a southbound to Birmingham and New Orleasns, which leaves at 8:00 AM each day and a nortbound to Charlotte, DC and NYC at 8:00 PM each day. There is better service in the NE corridor and on the West Coast. Check'em out.
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Thanks for advice.
I'll have to check all that out.
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I've never ridden a Greyhound bus but by the looks of the seats I am not certain how comfortable I would be. Trains, however, can be a good time. I used to take the train to Denver every summer to see my grandparents. Not the most comfortable sleeping but you can sit in the observation car at night and look at the stars, eat in the dining car, and actually go for walks. I much prefer the train to air travel especially now that the tsa seems fixated on genitalia.
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I like trains, too.
It would certainly be a good way of travelling. Especially considering I will probably make jumps from one city to the next. I don't need air travel.
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I'll add to the chorus that doesn't recommend hitch hiking. I've only seen one hitchhiker in all my years in the US and my friends and I thought it was incredibly weird (he was hitching in suburban detroit, on the surface streets no less).
It's easy to meet locals in bars and pubs, and in smaller towns museum/shop owners will probably be happy to talk your ear off as well.
Amtrak does cover the country pretty thoroughly via train, though outside of the Northeast, coverage is a bit more spread out. Amtrak is absolutely nothing like European trains in terms of coverage, and its pretty slow way to get across the country, but if you take regional trains they stop in some smaller towns where you'll be able to get the local flavor more easily, and there are dining/lounge cars where you can socialize with other passengers interested in doing the same.
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Definitely do NOT hitch hike, as we have all heard of the horror stories that come with it, and like others have said, it's illegal in places, as well.
Rent a car if you're looking to do the RT. 66 cruise. That way you can stop wherever you see fit, as there are some fairly interesting stops along the way
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Definitely do NOT hitch hike, as we have all heard of the horror stories that come with it,
I understand, but at some point, you have to bear in mind that if people are killed daily in cars and airplanes, it doesn't prevent you from travelling. You still have to go out.
In the case of the USA, I think the real trouble with hitchhiking is its image among the population.
and like others have said, it's illegal in places, as well.
This is a real problem. I would definitely not behave against the law of some state. BTW, what could the police tell me? If I walk along a road with a thumb up, I could hardly believe the police would bring me to jail. When you hitchhike, you do nothing that could harm anyone...
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You still see some hitchhikers in the US - depends where you live. As mentioned rte. 66 pretty much doesn't exist. There are some short stretches. Old 66 went thru Flagstaff AZ which I have visited many times. The best way to do what you want is to get an unlimited bus pass (Greyhound) for a time period. That way you can go where you want any where in the continental US. You certainly will meet the local people and depending on bus route many stops. Years ago I took a bus trip from Chicago to southern Florida. Believe me I met interested people. Take a local bus instead of express - I can assure you will meet local people. These are people that do not travel in luxury ever. Train travel in US pretty non existent except in NE corridor. There are trains but. very limited service.
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The best way to do what you want is to get an unlimited bus pass (Greyhound) for a time period. That way you can go where you want any where in the continental US.
That sounds great. It gives a lot of freedom. I'll go on their site to check the price of this pass.
I guess there are motels next to each bus stop?
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Not certain greyhound still does this but look into it. Greyhound terminals are often not in the best part of town. But they have info on hotels and motels. US used to have excellent intercity train service. With advent of the interstate system and the move from cities to suburbs our public transportation system is a disgrace. Phoenix for example which is the 5 th largest city in the country has no Amtrak train service at all. Another option to consider is rent a car and stay overnight at bed and breakfasts. This are normally someone with big house that rent out a room or so overnight. You will meet native people that way. Remember campgrounds in the US are in parks largely, state or National. People camp out here to be closer to nature not as a cheaper accommodation. Campgrounds are very seldom in cities.
Touring the US by Greyhound will give you a view of the country that many Americans never experience.
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They still do it (7day / 15 day / 30 day / 60 day pass).
It can be a very interesting option.
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There's a thing called Hostelling International which used to be called American Youth Hostels. I've never stayed in one but I knew a couple of people years ago who stayed in their facilities as part of a long range bicycle trip. Cheaper than a motel, I don't know what other services they provide but I pasted the link below.
http://www.hiusa.org/?gclid=CJeyqa3bxLcCFZBcMgodczwALw
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The hostel system seems very good. I've checked on a map : they are mainly located on the West Coast and in the N-E. Nothing in the center of the country. I guess there are fewer tourists in the center?
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Definitely do NOT hitch hike, as we have all heard of the horror stories that come with it,
I understand, but at some point, you have to bear in mind that if people are killed daily in cars and airplanes, it doesn't prevent you from travelling. You still have to go out.
In the case of the USA, I think the real trouble with hitchhiking is its image among the population.
and like others have said, it's illegal in places, as well.
This is a real problem. I would definitely not behave against the law of some state. BTW, what could the police tell me? If I walk along a road with a thumb up, I could hardly believe the police would bring me to jail. When you hitchhike, you do nothing that could harm anyone...
You're right. There is no trouble if you're picked up by an honet person. However there are psychos out there THAT hitchhike to get picked up and then take advantage of the unsuspecting good samaritan. Obviously YOU are of no worry, but the modern person doesn't know that and odds are you'd have a hell of a hard time getting picked up.
To answer your question about what the police could do totally depends on the area you are confronted in. Police definitely vary from state to state, and also town size to town size. It all depends what the rules and regulations are there.
So, all though you're an honest guy with no harm intended, it's best to just see the USA in other ways.
They've mentioned hostels, which are definitely popular along the coasts, but throughout the middle of the USA, things are definitely different than you'd find in NYC, LA, Miami, etc.
When do you plan on taking this journey?
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It's difficult to determine whether hitch hiking is more dangerous today, or if the dangers are simply more overblown because of our easy access to info. It isn't as if there are any more crazy people out there today as there were fifty years ago––it's just that more people are diagnosed and there is more media attention on hitch hiking's dangers.
I've hitch-hiked once before and was successful because I did my best to appear non-threatening AND I had my skis and poles and was looking for a ride to a mountain.
People are a lot more likely to pick you up if you look the part in certain areas.
The key to hitch hiking successfully is looking the part. Don't look like that deranged, chain smoking, leathery skinned weirdo holding a cardboard sign next to you. Do your best to look clean, smell good, and appear happy, and you'll have much better luck.
The Art of Manliness has a good article on this:
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/06/04/travel-like-your-grandfather-how-to-hitchhike-around-the-usa/ (http://www.artofmanliness.com/2012/06/04/travel-like-your-grandfather-how-to-hitchhike-around-the-usa/)
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TO PLANO : I don't know when I go but not right now. I am finishing my last house and have invested roughly all my money in it. So i am financially dry. But in a few months, I'll have a new amount of money in the bank. The time limit I gave myself is summer 2014.
TO BENLEN : The site is very good and gives very good advice. But there is one strange thing :
Dress the Part
People pick up hitchhikers that dress like they do. Dress like the people in the area for much better “luck.”
Wear jeans and a flannel shirt in a working-class community. Khakis will work better in a more white-collar community.
I'll just bring my set of clothes.
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Looking up hitchhiking in the USA and the laws which vary from state to state. It appears that in vast majority of States it is illegal and subject to a fine except when the person is in state of emergency or a disabled car. I know hitchhiking on interstates has been forbidden for years.
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See if you can find a bus tour of Route 66. You can drive through the more scenic areas and stop at some of the more prominant sites. You could also meet other tourists this way.
Just an idea.
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TO BENNETT : Apparently, after checking the info, hitchhiking is legal in every state. But the police might be a bit over zealous and give me some trouble.
TO QUETZALCOATL : When I go somewhere, I like to meet "real", local people. But this idea is a track to follow. There might exist interesting tours in the area or 2/3 day excursions. I'll have a look at that.
Thanks