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United States of America

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[[File:Unitedstateslaws.jpg|thumb|400px|right|Overview of hitchhiking laws by state.<br> Green: Hitchhiking legal while on the shoulder of the road <br> Yellow: Hitchhiking legal while off the traveled portion of the road, stay in the grass to be safe. <br> Red: Hitchhiking is completely illegal.<br> Gray: Specific laws, check the respective state article(s).]]
=== Overview ===The only nationwide law (Code legal status of Federal Regulations) that prohibits hitchhiking in the United States is 36 CFR 4a bit of a difficult topic; laws and their enforcement differ greatly from state to state as does the information available online and in general knowledge.31 which states that Many people (including police officers) mistakenly believe hitchhiking is illegal on any property under jurisdiction of anywhere in the Department of the Interior: National Park Service. This includes US; sometimes you'll get away with holding a cardboard sign but is not limited to National Parks, National Scenic Bywayswith holding out your thumb, and National Recreation Areas. This law is often amended at sometimes nobody will hassle you even if you stand right on the discretion of each parkinterstate. Check with the park's respective state article for The specific articles on states will give you more information on which ones allow itthis topic.
=== Nationwide ===The legal status only nationwide law (Code of Federal Regulations) that prohibits hitchhiking is 36 CFR 4.31 which states that hitchhiking in is illegal on any property under jurisdiction of the Department of the United States Interior: National Park Service. This includes but is a bit of a difficult topic; laws not limited to National Parks, National Scenic Byways, and their enforcement differ greatly from state National Recreation Areas. This law is often amended to allow hitchhiking at the discretion of each park. Check with the park's respective state as does the article for information available online  === State and in general knowledgeLocal ===. Many people (including police officers) mistakenly believe hitchhiking is illegal anywhere in Look to the US; sometimes youmap pictured above which indicates each state'll get away with holding s laws. Most often, the laws state that the hitchhiker may not "solicit a cardboard sign but not with holding out your thumb, and sometimes nobody will hassle you even if you stand right ride" "on the interstatea roadway". The specific articles on states will give you more information on this topicword roadway is usually defined in state statute books as "exclusive of a shoulder" or "the traveled portion of the highway", making these statutes easy to circumvent.
In most states it's illegal to hitch from the interstates ([[highway|motorways]]) themselves (even though enforcement of this rule varies), but you can always typically stand at [[on-ramp]]s (highway entries) like in [[Europe]]; if there is a "No hitchhiking/pedestrians" sign. That being said, don't stand or hitch from beyond understand that the sign. In some areas (such as certain towns or municipal areas) hitching is ramps are still technically considered interstate property and are 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 for pedestrians 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 be on the interstate itself, where although 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 part almost without exception permitted if you stand in front of the interstate system; these typically prohibit hitchhiking as well (other than at the on-ramp)"no pedestrians" sign.
Most states have In some areas (such as certain towns or municipal areas) hitching is illegal everywhere, however, it is still allowed de facto. In most cases, hitchhiking is legal or tolerated. There are also many limited-access highways (i.e. with on-ramps and [[lawsoff-ramp]] against hitchhiking s) that are possible to be circumvented. Look to not part of the map pictured above interstate system which indicates each state's lawsprohibit pedestrians as well. Most often, the laws state that the hitchhiker may not "solicit a ride" "[[California]] is notorious for prohibiting pedestrians on a roadway". The word roadway is typically defined in state statute books as "exclusive many of a shoulder", making these statutes easy to circumventits controlled access highways.
Even in states where hitchhiking is illegal, the law is rarely enforced. Wyoming Highway Patrol reports that in 2010, they approached 524 hitchhikers but only cited eight of them (note that hitchhiking is no longer illegal in Wyoming.as of 2013!)
If the police pass you walking or sitting by the side of the road without soliciting in any way, they may still stop to check IDs, but you are not required to identify yourself except if unless there is any way suspicion that you could have done something unlawfulcommitted a crime. As a result, the best method is You may wish to not use a hide your thumb or sign or thumb whenever an oncoming car looks like when a police cruisercar is approaching to avoid being hassled.
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.
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.
Tourists who intend to cross into the USA by hitchhiking should note that the US immigration department will log that you have been hitchhiking, should they discover that you are. This log will be visible to any guard who subsequently checks your immigration status, if . If you decide to leave and enter the USA again, it may make your entry back into the USA more difficult if it is not a hitchhiking hitchhiker friendly state (ie. Arizona, Idaho, Michigan).
== Car License Plate ==

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