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United Kingdom

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The '''United Kingdom''' is a member state of the [[European Union]] which forms the so-called [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Travel_Area Common Travel area] with [[Ireland]] and is not part of the [[Schengen Agreement]]. Hitchhiking in the United Kingdom is feasible although the British are a little surprised (especially in [[England]]) to see people still doing it these days since it has become a dying trend largely due to the safety worries, insurance issues and very busy roads. You will still manage a ride somehow but you really need to be at the right spot. Hitching in [[Scotland]] or [[Wales]] tends to be more easy than in southern [[England]] although this depends from county to county. For example, the rural mentality in the [[South West England|South West]] makes it a lot more easier than trying to hitch in the [[South East England|South East]] or . It seems the closer you are to big cities, especially London, the harder it is. Furthermore, especially in the South of England, people have some kind of you-only-get-what-you-merit-(equals: work for)-attitude, which is why they sometimes react unfriendly to the idea of hitching.
Like anywhere else, it is illegal to walk on motorways, and so hitchhiking is best done from the bottom of [[slip road]]s and at [[rest area|service stations]] (at discretion of the owner). Highways Agency officials may question you if you hitch from sliproads on motorways as technically you are not allowed to do this, but the police will not pay any interest; the Highways Agency staff are more pedantic than the police regarding that.
When traveling a long distance on the motorways it is best to stick to the service stations as getting a lift on a slip road will take an exceptionally longer time. Don't get dropped at any motorway intersection junctions (''M25/M4'', ''M4/M5'' etc.) as traffic will be going too fast to stop and you will probably be picked up by the police. In case you ''do'' get dropped there your best option is probably to start walking a bit away from the motorway, and if you're a foreigner, attach a sign to your backpack saying e.g. ''from Holland''.
Useful tip: In city libraries Apart from motorways, you can use Internet PCs for free after a short(ish) free registration (some want to see a passportalso hitch on the so-called A-roads, some aren't that strict)where - legally - you can stand on the side lane. Legally this should be available to everyoneAs A-roads, however, but are a replacement for motorways in some localitiesmore rural areas, staff may say its only available to local residents or library members. In this case just ask to join people basically go at the library. Something to keep in mind same speed, and it is that the British government has threatened quite difficult and dangerous to deport (and ban from re-entry for a year) EU nationals who beg or "sleep in the street"/"sleep outside" in the UK. The exact application of this new rule isn't known yet, howeverflag somebody down.
If you're hitchhiking long distances and considering making a sign, in general people use the motorway names rather than the city names. For example, from [[London]] to [[South West England|Cornwall]] have a sign saying ''M4''. But if you are hitching on a motorway with multiple cities (i.e. ''M1'') it is an idea to use a sign with the city name (e.g. [[Nottingham]], [[Sheffield]]).
An advantage of the mild oceanic climate is that it does not get extremely cold or hot.
 
 
==== Hitchhiking towards [[Western Europe]] ====
Your driver will also get a cabin with his ticket with four bunkbeds in it, so you will depending on wether your driver wants you in the cabin or not, get a night on real sheets. (Cheapest alternative I have been able to come across if you are still to do it in any legal way. Credit to SamanthaofTarth on the westeros internet forum for this initial info.)
 
(If you decide to pay, consider getting a Megabus für 25 Pound from London to Rosslare, ferry included, as this is already cheaper then the foot passenger ticket for the ferry only. Alternatively, there sometimes are decent Rail & Sail offers from London to Dublin, via the Holyhead Ferry.)
 
 
=== Useful travel information ===
* Dumpster-diving/skipping: while it is quite possible and easy in many cities to live completely out of the bins (e.g. London), skipping on motorway service stations can be difficult. There are cameras everywhere, and security can be fast.
* Cheap travel: if ever you do have to pay for transport, the cheapest option (by far) is megabus.co.uk They sometimes have special offers which allow you to travel for hundres of miles for 5 pound. (Not saying this to advertise for megabus, but sometimes it does make more sense to pay 5 quid for the whole journey, then to pay 4,50 quid on local transport to get to the hitchhiking spot.....)
* Trains: trains are privatised, therefore expensive (unless you get a special offer). While checks on trains happen with a maybe 50% chance, most of the stations have barriers, and are usually staffed. Don't count on any solidarity when trying to travel for free.
* Sleep/accomodation: Something to keep in mind is that the British government has threatened to deport (and ban from re-entry for a year) EU nationals who beg or "sleep in the street"/"sleep outside" in the UK. The exact application of this new rule isn't known yet, however. Squatting in England and Wales is still partly legal, there are squat scenes in London and Brighton, less so in Cardiff, Leeds, and Bristol. Yet, squats are often transient spaces, and difficult to run into if you don't have contacts. Note however, that squatting a commercial building is legal, so if you want to crash somewhere for a night, don't chose a residential building. For more information on squatting check http://www.squatter.org.uk/
* Internet: In city libraries you can use Internet PCs for free after a short(ish) free registration (some want to see a passport, some aren't that strict). Legally this should be available to everyone, but in some localities, staff may say its only available to local residents or library members. In this case just ask to join the library.
 
==== Countries ====