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United States of America

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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, often 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 hitch from The legal status of hitchhiking in the interstates ([[highway|motorways]]) themselves, but you can always stand at [[on-ramp]]s (highway entries) like in [[Europe]]; if there United States is a "No hitchhiking/pedestrians" sign, don't stand or hitch bit of a difficult topic; laws and their enforcement differ greatly from beyond state to state as does the signinformation available online and in general knowledge. In some areas Many people (such as certain towns or municipal areasincluding police officers) hitching believe hitchhiking is illegal everywhere, however, it is still allowed de facto. The police anywhere in a region may interpret laws related to hitchhiking differentlythe US, at times forcing sometimes you'll get away with holding a hitchhiker to choose an alternate route by walking or using other means of transportation. In most casescardboard sign but not with holding out your thumb, though, hitchhiking is legal or tolerated as long as and sometimes nobody will hassle you even if you are not stand right on the interstate itself, where it is rightly considered a safety issue. There are also many limited-access highways (i.e. with The specific articles on-ramps and [[off-ramp]]s) that are not part of the interstate system; these typically prohibit hitchhiking as well (other than at the states will give you more information on-ramp)this topic.
ItIn most states it's generally easier illegal to hitchhike on hitch from the interstates ([[highway|motorways]]) themselves (even though throughout the West Coast. In the enforcement of this rule varies), but you can always stand at [[Oregonon-ramp]] and s (highway entries) like in [[MontanaEurope]]; if there is a "No hitchhiking/pedestrians" sign, don't stand or hitch from beyond the sign. In some areas (such as certain towns or municipal areas) hitching is illegal everywhere, however, it'is still allowed de facto. 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-ramp]]s ) that are not even prohibited by law to hitchhike right part of the interstate system; these typically prohibit hitchhiking as well (other than at the on interstates-ramp).
It's generally easier to hitchhike around the West Coast. In [[Oregon]] and [[Montana]], it's not even prohibited by law to hitchhike right on interstates.  Relatively quite a few people in the United States are profoundly religious. People who pick you up might inquire about your religion. If you're not religious, try to deal with it in a positive way and accept the difference. More often you will be picked up by really cool people, and often dropped off exactly at the point of your destination, as hitchhiker [[User:Guaka|Guaka]]'s experience shows, for example. Detours for hitchhikers are much more common here than in Europe due to cheaper gas.
== Long vs. short distance ==
== Police ==
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.
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 polite when you come up clean, and not too rarely they'll give you a lift out of their area to get rid of you. In most states, such as [[New Jersey]], [[Virginia]] and [[New York State]], on the East Coast and [[Nevada]] and [[Arizona]] in the West, there are [[laws]] against hitchhiking that are possible to be circumvented. Most often, the laws state that the hitchhiker may not "solicit a ride" in any way, i.e. showing a sign or a thumb to traffic. The police could ticket you for ''loitering'' or ''vagrancy''(the latter of which can be avoided by having at least a few dollars at any time). If the police passes and sees a hitchhiker walking or sitting by the side of the road without soliciting in any way, they may still stop to check IDs but technically they have no reason to pull you overand you are not required to identify yourself except if there is any way that you could have done something unlawful. As a result, the best result is to not use a sign or your thumb whenever an oncoming car looks like a police cruiser. The laws are enforced because of "traffic safety" reasons mostly but in reality police very rarely gives tickets to hitchhikers - they just check IDs for warrants whenever possible. Especially in smaller towns and in the countryside, the officer stopping you is likely to never have seen a passport before. If that's your form of ID, bear with the delay caused, help the poor guy out by point out which is your name and your birth date and enjoy the confusion and the hilarious misconceptions that arise.
== Car License Plate ==
 Every state issues its own specific car plates. For example, a car from Alabama will have a specific be specifically [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/License_plates_of_the_United_States Car license] tagged as such. In some States, the license plate will also show the county of residence. This can be added information helpful if you spot such a car that might be going in the same direction as you are going. It might also be helpful to write down the license plate number in case of foul play.
== Food ==
''' Eat: '''
Look, if you are friendly, at least in my experience in the US (I have never been elsewhere) people who pick you up will offer to buy you food at restaurants ALL THE TIME. Additionally, they will just throw you some bucks to eat. From change to $100. $100 dollars has happened to us twice. $60 dollars has happened to us several times and we have been given so many twenties... The key is the right type of answer when they ask, concernedly, what do you do to eat- "Naw, we're pretty much all right, we got *some* money." (Sad and scrappy slight but pointed emphasis on the "some")- if they've asked this question and you answer this way you'll basically always get a friendly handout- *for which you should thank them profusely*, of course. :)[[File:ChaelUSwalking.jpg|thumb|350px|[[User:Chael777|Chael]]<small><sup>[http://www.velabas.com/ site]</sup></small> crossing a bridge in Oregon, August 2009]]
If you are friendly, people who pick you up will offer to buy you food quite a vegan traveling between citieslot. Additionally, prepare a lot of people will throw you some bucks to eat. From change up to starve$100. Or carry your own food somehowAn anonymous hitchhiker has been given $100 dollars twice, I dunnoand they have been given $60 dollars several times as has [[User:Zenit|Zenit]].. Yeah. If you are looking for monetary gifts, if the key is the right type of answer when they ask, concernedly, what you cando to eat - "Naw, we't eat eggs OR milkre pretty much all right, we got *some* money." (emphasizing the "some" slightly)- if they've asked this question and you answer this way you can't eat eggs OR icecreamll basically always get a friendly handout - for which you should thank them profusely, really the only non meat dishes of course. :)[[File:ChaelUSwalking.jpg|thumb|350px|[[User:Chael777|Chael]]<small><sup>[http://www.velabas.com/ site]</sup></small> crossing a bridge in McDonalds type situations besides frenchfries Oregon, August 2009]] For vegetarians and onionrings- pure carbohydratesespecially for vegans traveling between cities, times can be hard. If you want any protein your gonna have to bring it yourself[[User:Zenit|Zenit]] for one has sustained himself mostly on chips and granola bars for weeks at a time in the Mid West.
Once you open your mind to it, there are actually many opportunities for dumpster diving in urban areas. Port cities are especially good. Note, however that dumpster diving is in a similar sort of gray area as hitchhiking, with local legality depending on the particular state's laws, and the prevalent attitudes of local law enforcement officers.
Grocery stores are prime targets for food ([[:trash:Trader Joe's|Trader Joe's]] or Starbucks are especially likely to have an unlocked dumpster, and has lots of organics). Grocery stores cannot sell packaged foods past their expiration date, and so throw them away still wrapped in dumpsters behind the store.
Another great place to dive is food distribution centers. As they supply restaurants, their food comes in bulk and they throw out their food sometimes days before the expiration date. Google Maps can help you turn up locations. ''Check Trashwiki for detailed information on [[:trash:United States of America|dumpster diving in the United States]].''
''' Drink: '''
It is often possible to retrieve used cups from the trash at fast food restaurants with "free refill" policies and refill them. Otherwise, American water is just as free and healthy as some any other countries country of the world.
== Hitchhiking Books ==

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