Hitchhiking is a way to travel without paying.
Hitchhiking is a term that comes from the French auto-stop , in turn formed with the compositional element auto- (which refers to a “car” ) and the English word stop (translatable as “stop” ). The term is also accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) as hitchhiking .
This is the name given to a way of traveling that consists of asking motorists for free transfers . Whoever wants to hitchhike, therefore, stands on the side of the road and signals to passing vehicles in the hope that a driver will stop and allow him to get on.
It should be noted that this practice has different names depending on the country. Depending on the region, there may be talk of hitchhiking , hitchhiking or taking a bottle , for example .
Hitchhiking Features
Hitchhiking is a way to get transportation without paying anything in exchange . Once a motorist has been able to stop, the usual thing is to tell him where he wants to go, to see if the directions coincide. If the driver of the car is going to the same place, or at least moving in that direction , the hitchhiker gets in and starts the journey.
Sometimes, hitchhiking just once is enough to reach your destination. Suppose that a young man approaches the road that passes through the entrance to his town with the intention of hitchhiking so that someone can take him to the neighboring city, 30 kilometers away. If a motorist who was heading precisely to said town picks it up, the hitchhiker will have accomplished his objective .
Other times, however, you must hitchhike repeatedly to reach your destination. An individual who wants to cover a distance of 500 kilometers can complete a 40 km trip in one car, another 300 km in a different car, and the remaining 160 km in a third vehicle.
To request a hitchhike, it is common to extend one arm and raise your thumb.
How to do it
The most common way to request a hitchhike is by stretching out your arm and raising your thumb . When a motorist observes that someone makes that signal , he understands that he is requesting a hitchhike.
In any case, there are other mechanisms, the uses of which depend on each nation . There are regions where the raised index finger is shown, while in other areas a palm is waved downward .
Another possibility is to write down on a piece of cardboard or paper the destination you intend to go to. Thus, the legend is shown to drivers.
Advantages and dangers of hitchhiking
Hitchhiking can provide several benefits, whether for the hitchhiker or the driver. Those who hitchhike travel for free : they do not have to buy a ticket or pay for fuel . The driver, meanwhile, gets company , something that can be important when long distances are usually traveled alone.
Hitchhiking, on the other hand, helps minimize polluting emissions . The hitchhiker does not use his own car , but joins a vehicle that was already circulating. So, instead of two cars in operation, there is only one.
It cannot be ignored, however, that hitchhiking carries risks. These are strangers sharing the same space that also has a certain isolation. Both the hitchhiker and the driver can be victims of a crime without anyone, at first, noticing.