Advice
about hitch hiking, where you should do
it and when. We welcome your contributions.
Please check the city
guides for specific information for
hitching to and from particular locations.
Please e-mail us at: england@backpackglobe.com
Hitch hiking gets a lot of bad press. This
creates paranoia both amongst travellers
who become scared of getting lifts, and
of drivers who are too frightened to pick
you up. But hitch hiking can be a great
way to get to know locals and discover places
you would not otherwise visit.
WHERE
TO HITCH
In most rural areas English people will
stop for hitch hikers. In the cities it
might be harder and you might be best to
get a train or bus to the major roads that
connect cities. Consult a directory for
these. However London is reasonably easy
city to hitch from. It has many motorways
that terminate in suburban areas so you
can find a spot near the centre that you
can hitch from. Here are some clues:
Heading north?
Get the tube to Brent Cross (Northern line)
and walk or bus to Brent Cross Shoppig Centre
and continue to the Staples Corner intersection
and the entrance for the M1 Motorway.
Heading West or to Wales?
To get to the M4 go to Chiswick Park (District
Line) and walk to the A4 (Great West Road
or Cedars Road). Cross the road at Sutton
Court Road for the other side to get the
M4 bound traffic.
Heading to Cambridge or East Anglia?
You need the M11. To reach it take a tube
to Redbridge (Central line) and go under
the A406 overpass to stand at the ramps
for the M11 and the A406 (North Circular
Road). Make sure you have a sign reading
M11 or you will stop other cars heading
to the North Circular Road.
Heading to Southampton or Winchester?
The major motorway you need is the M3. Take
a train from Waterloo to Sunbury and hitch
from there. Or hitch from the A316 which
carries traffic bound for the M3 Motorway.
To reach there get a train from Waterloo,
Clapham Junction or Richmond to Whitton,
walk to the A316 (Chertsey Road) and cross
the footbridge to the southbound lane. Use
a sign for the M3 to avoid stopping other
traffic.
Heading south-east?
If you want a ferry from places like Folkstone
or Dover you need the M20. However it does
not start until well out of London so get
on the A20 before it becomes a motorway.
To reach it get a train from London Bridge
Station to Mottingham. Walk from there to
the A20 (Sidcup Road); where it is still
a suburban road. Make sure your sign reads
M20 or you will get suburban taffic. You
may be lucky enough to get a ride all the
way to France.
Here are some ride finding agencies:
United Kingdom
116 York Road, Bristol
tel: (01272) 351435
SIGNS
This is a cause for debate amongst hitchers.
Some say drivers won't stop if they don't
know where you want to go. Others say it
is safer not to use a sign so you can ask
the driver where they are going before you
accept a lift. A compromise is to use the
name of the road you are travelling on.
Tips for getting a ride:
Most people that give you lifts will be people that have hitched themselves,
or couriers or truck drivers who want company. To improve your chances of
getting a lift:
- look neat and respectable.
- Face the oncoming traffic and smile.
- Choose a spot with plenty of room for the driver to safely stop and where
the traffic is not too fast. This way it is safer for cars to stop and the
driver has a chance to size you up.
- Stand confidently with your thumb out over the road.
- When a car stops ask where the driver is going to - you can still decline
the lift if you don't like the look of them.
- Do not smoke in someone else's car.
- Travel light.
- Take an international drivers licence as the driver may wish to share the
driving.
Note if it rains you've usually got less chance of people stopping
(visibility decreases and they might not want water in their car). It might
be better to make your way to a cafe or autostop and wait out the rain or
stick it out and try to use the sympathy factor.
SAFETY
Despite the bad press the most hazardous thing about hitching is the chance
of being involved in a car accident or being hit by a car if you are
standing too close to the side of the road. Here are some more tips for
safety:
- As a single female you will travel quickly but you may attract undue
attention. Travelling with a guy helps as people may perceive you as a
couple.
- Turn down the lift if you do not feel comfortable.
- Keep your luggage with you. Do not put it in the trunk.
