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In rural parts You can catch long rides at the gas stations (gasolineras) and at the exits of Mexico it's common to see whole families the cities when you travel on the highways. On the small roads, however, hitchhiking together, or for a pickcan sometimes be time-taking -up to stop for several different groups of hitchers until the back waits and walks of the truck is completely full. Because pick2-up trucks 3 hours are the vehicle not unheard of choice. Be prepared with patience, it's quite easy water and sun cream. Although in many places locals hitch to get rides just outside home from the grocery store for instance, hitchhiking as a lifestyle or as a means of any small town (knock long-distance travel is not so common in Mexico and not everybody might immediately understand what you want. So, on the back window when you're ready mountain paths for instance, your brain should be wired more to get out)enjoy the magnificent views and eating the abundance of fruit the nature has on offer rather than making a lot of progress.
Useful [[Spanish]] words Peculiarity of Mexican hitchhiking are "ride" and "aventón"the ubiquitous pick-up trucks where you just jump in the back, hold onto your hat, both meaning a lift. Near kiss the [[Guatemala|Guatemalan]] border wind and forget about communicating with the word "jalón" driver. Many people will offer you food and drinks, especially Coca Cola! On routes with poor public transportation, payment is usedsometimes expected and ordinary pickups magically turn into collectivos (shared taxis).
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|capital = [[Mexico City]]
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'''Mexico''' is a country in [[North America]]. Hitching Despite its notoriety, hitchhiking in Mexico is extremely easy. In many places, locals hitch to get home from the grocery store, etc. You'll likely ride in a the back of a lot of pick-ups, and many people will offer you food and drinks, especially Coca Cola! Whenever you're going to wait for a longer time, not only possible but it's going to can be due to low traffic. On heavily touristed routes with poor public transportation, payment is sometimes expecteda rather enjoyable experience.
You can hitchhike pretty much everywhere, even on the highway (although pretty much no one stops at such high speeds). In general, asking on the gas station or even traffic lights can get you further pretty easily. You can also thumb up at the various border control and military checkpoints (just ask the personnel for permission beforehand). As for security, most hitchhikers never encounter any major problems. Mexico is an enormous country and experiences vary a lot from state to state. If you want to avoid risks, you can avoid the states close to the border with USA - Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Chihuahua and Durango, i.e. take buses and collectivos when traveling north of the line between Tampico, San Luis Potosi and Mazatlan (the map). Apparently also the cities of Guerrero, Michoacan and Veracruz can be risky. If you go hitchhiking in Mexico, being able to speak and understand at least a bit of Spanish is nearly mandatory. Apart from touristic areas, most people you encounter do not speak English. If you know Spanish you can communicate way better with people and get a closer connection with them. Useful [[Spanish]] words are "ride" and "aventón", both meaning a lift. Near the [[Guatemala|Guatemalan]] border the word "jalón" is used. No one understands what hitchhiking or autostop means so say “busco/buscamos un ride” instead when looking for a ride. == Where to hikehitchhike? ==The best place to get a ride is not on the side of the road or an on-ramp, like in many other countries, but at petrol stations or exits from shopping centers, in truck stops or at the restaurants where truckers eat. Some petrol stations in the north don't allow people to do that, but you can try to speak with the manager, it . It works sometimesometimes. Otherwise, just stay by the cashier of the petrol station, or at the door of the store or anything else (they can't forbid you that), and ask. Nevertheless if you don't ask people and stick out your thumb you can still make good distance.
== Signs ==
It is even less recommendable than in other countries to take drugs or weapons with you, especially as of 2010 since the Mexican government, backed by the US ADA who are actually present in Mexico (!!) have decided to crack down on narco and weapon trafficking. Therefore you likely will be checked at one of the numerous check points, especially in the north as you near the US border. But it's also good to know that the soldiers hardly ever search all the way through a large back-pack, unless you answer their questions really bad. If the vehicle you're riding in does get stopped just stay calm, show your passport, say the magic words "''turista''" ("tourist") and "''de paseo nada más''" ("just passing"), and if they ask to see your stuff open you bag and show them that it's all clothes and stuff.
Also, in the south, you rides your drivers might ask you about your immigration status and advise you of immigration check points.
In some mid-sized cities like [[Tampico]], Oaxaca, and [[Pachuca]] there are no transit roads and you have to cross the city. Taking a bus makes things easier.
:''In 10 months and tens of thousands of km covered by thumb, my only "bad" experience was between Pto. Angel and [[Oaxaca (City)|Oaxaca City]] (a notorious drug route, as I later learned). The driver asked me to drive and once I was behind the wheel informed me that the van was full of Colombia's finest. I nearly shat myself, but the experience turned out to be quite interesting, as we were forced to make several detours to avoid police checkpoints, taking me through beautiful and remote parts of the [[Oaxaca|Oaxacan]] mountains I otherwise never would have discovered. Be careful not to get set up. A very, very, rare occurance, but one that can happen.''
:''I traveled for 8 months in Mexico, all by thumb. I came down Baja California, hitched a sailboat from La Paz to Mazatlán, steamed over to [[Veracruz (City)|Veracruz]] for the carnival, went up and around the Yucatán, then down into [[Chiapas]], Guatemala, and then back to Veracruz, across to all the big central cities, and down the Pacific coast to Oaxaca and Guatemala once more. I got picked up by plenty of self-proclaimed drug dealers. Whatever. Lovely country. --[[User:Chael777|Chael777]]''
:''I hitched at exits and on-ramps and speed bumps (topes) and made excellent time from [[Matamoros]] to [[Catemaco]]. As long as cars are going somewhat slow any place is really a good place to hitchhike. I rarely waited more than fifteen minutes. People were very hospitable. I was treated to lots of delicious food and given places to stay by those who picked me up. '''This is my favorite country to hitchhike thus far.''' --[[User:Eripson|Eripson]]
:''The small less trafficky roads, in the mountains and in Chiapas for instance, can test your patience. If you are coming from south (Guatemala) people might be afraid to pick you up because there are so many checkpoints."--[[User:Astikain|Astikain]] ([[User talk:Astikain|talk]]) 15:59, 4 June 2013 (CEST)
== Cities ==
