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|pop = 303,893,000
|currency = American Dollar ($)
|hitch = {{Good}} (''good'') to {{Average}} (''average'')
}}
'''''For specific state information, have a look at the bottom of this page.'''''
[[Image:Kasper-hitch-nh.jpg|thumb|250px|[[User:guaka|guaka]]<small><sup>[http://guaka.org / site], [[user talk:guaka|wikitalk]]</sup></small> hitching in New England, taken by [[amylin]], September 2007]]
'''The United States of America''' as a country is divided up into 50 states; for the convenience of the common hitchhiker these states are discussed in detail along with their capitals at the following pages (see below). The US are bordered by [[Canada]] to the North and [[Mexico]] to the South.
Hitching, like everything else in America, varies greatly depending on what type of area and what part of the country you are passing through. In general you can get rides fairly easily if you hitchhike the right way; in fact oftentimes you can find more than just rides, such as offers for free meals, invitations to homes and parties, etc.
In most states you can´t can't hitch from the interstates (motorways) themselves, but you can always stand on the on-ramp (entry ramp) like in [[Europe]]. In a select few areas (such as certain towns or municipal areas) hitching is illegal everywhere, however de facto it is still allowed. The police in a region may interpret laws related to hitchhiking differently, at times forcing a hitchhiker to choose an alternate route by walking or using other means of transportation. In most cases, though, hitchhiking is legal or tolerated as long as you are not on the interstate itself, where it is rightly considered a safety issue. There are also many limited-access highways (i.e. with on ramps and off ramps) that are not part of the interstate system; these typically prohibit hitchhiking as well (other than at the on ramp).
In the West Coast it's generally easier to hitchhike. In [[Oregon]] it's even legal to hitchhike right on the interstates.
Often, particularly close to major cities, the police will ask you for photo ID, but as long as you have one with you (such as a passport) there shouldn't be a problem. Most of the time they will be friendly when you come up clean, sometimes even driving you to a better spot.
In some states, like [[New Jersey]] and [[New York State]], on the East Coast and [[Nevada]] and [[Arizona]] in the West, hitchhiking is illegal - – though in most it's not. Even if it's not actually illegal, the police can ticket you for ''loitering'' or ''vagrancy''.
== Eat ==
