How to Avoid Being Murdered While Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking. The bane of my mother’s existence.
For most of my adventures, my mom has always said, “Don’t tell me before you do it, just show me photos after you’re done.” She doesn’t want to feel anxious and worried about my safety while I’m actively taking risks, but she wants to be excited about them after I’m finished. However, when it comes to hitchhiking, she has told me, repeatedly, “Don’t tell me after. Don’t tell me before. I don’t want to know.” She believes hitchhiking poses unnecessary risk, and she doesn’t want to entertain the thought that I may be participating in something so inherently dangerous. Well, I’m here to tell you why I disagree with the notion that hitchhiking is dangerous.
If you take a moment and examine many of your daily activities, you might notice the dangers hidden behind a facade of routine and social norms. When we witness others habitually performing certain actions that we ourselves eventually do, it becomes mundane. For example: driving a car. As a 15-year-old with a driver's permit, my first time driving seemed overwhelming and dangerous; there were so many things to remember. But now, as a seasoned driver, I drive without reservation, and a task as simple as going to the grocery store hardly registers on my risk radar. Is this because the act of driving became less dangerous? Or is it because my skill level, awareness, and confidence in my abilities increased to the point of this task becoming second nature? I assume the latter. Having the know-how and taking necessary precautions are key to overcoming any risky endeavor, hitchhiking included.
This article is intended to share the necessary tips, tricks, and precautions I personally take while hitchhiking, so that you too can hitchhike safely and avoid putting yourself in a dangerous situation.
You don’t have to take every ride offered.
It feels rude to say no. After all, someone chose to take the time to pull over just for you! But even if it does feel a tad rude, you don’t have to take a ride just because it was offered. The few times I have turned down a ride, the drivers were pissed off as they drove away. Honestly, that’s all I needed to ensure myself that I made the right decision. A simple “I appreciate the offer, but I’m actually going to wait for the next car. Thank you anyway” is all that’s needed. Or if they’re being really weird about it, you can lie (I’ll touch on this more later).
Have your most important documents on your body
This is a big one. You need to know that if shit hits the fan, you can jump out of the car. If everything you need is in the backseat, you may be tempted to ignore your gut in a crucial moment and stay in a car that you should have abandoned. This is why I always have four items on my physical person at all times, whether it be in a car or on the side of the road waiting for my next ride. The following items are on me at all times:
1) My passport/ID
2) My phone
3) My money
4) My knife
Sure, it would suck to leave your bag behind, but everything in there is replaceable. You are not. If you’re worried about potentially leaving behind all of your belongings a comforting technique I’ve used is separating a few key items into my small day pack to keep in the front seat with me. Although, keep in mind that this small bag shouldn’t be too big, in the case of needing an effective and quick get-away.
Send someone a license plate photo
This is a tip that I have used in the past, but rarely do anymore. If nothing else, it’s a solid tactic for peace of mind early on in your hitchhiking experience. More often than not, by the time a driver sees you and decides to pick you up, they will be past you, which allows the opportunity to snap a photo of their license plate while walking to their car. You can then send the photo to someone you trust. Once you’re in the car, you can text this person an update of how long you expect to be in the car (usually determined once you know how far in your desired direction the driver is headed), and even a description of the driver if you so desire. If that expected time period elapses, the person you texted can know to alert the proper authorities. This is also a great tactic to mention to your driver if you are getting uncomfortable or sense that something is wrong (I will touch on the best way to do this later).
Get out a block early.
If you’re staying at a hostel, with a friend, or even just planning to set up your tent in a field nearby, you want to avoid telling your driver your exact plan. For the most part, I like to trust others, and I’d like to think that my driver is a safe confidant of my plans. But, I can tell you, from personal experience, that you sleep more soundly if you know that nobody knows exactly where you are. Imagine hearing an unusual sound outside of your tent at 2 AM and wondering what it is. You imagine what animal it might be, if it’s just the wind, or… what if that driver from earlier came back because they knew exactly where you were? The panic sets in. Do yourself a favor and simply avoid the conversation of exactly where you’re headed. This likely won’t raise suspicion simply because it wouldn’t be surprising that you, as a hitchhiker, don’t have an exact plan. If, for whatever reason, your driver seems to push on the topic of your intended destination, lie (more on this later).
Trust your gut
Oh this is a big one.
It is often forgotten that we are animals and we have natural instincts. In the moment, it’s not always evident to us why the hair stood up on the back of our necks, or why we felt a bit queasy the second we started talking to someone. But, we often look back at the event and it becomes glaringly obvious. One of my biggest pieces of advice is to practice the art of trusting your gut. Your animal instincts pick up on small aspects of the day that your conscious mind doesn’t have the power and space to continually process. You may not be able to explain why something feels off, but you need to trust yourself enough to know that your subconscious probably does. Essentially, you may not be able to explain that sensation in the moment, and you may not be able to explain it in the future, but that doesn’t matter. If your gut is telling you something seems shifty, it’s okay to listen. I encourage you to do so. If a driver is giving you a weird vibe and there’s no logical reason why, that’s okay!
Consider carrying protection
In a blog post I am currently working on, I discuss why I choose to not carry a gun as a solo female traveler, so I won’t get into that here. What I will say is that I do carry a small, discrete pocket knife with a roughly 3-inch blade when I travel. I like this because it is a multi-purpose tool and used regularly (an aspect I appreciate in any gear that I am going to be carrying on my back). When I hitchhike, a pocket knife is one of the four things that I have ready and available on my body while I am in someone’s car or on the side of the road waiting for my next ride.
Another tool for protection you may consider carrying is a small car window breaker and seatbelt knife. If worst comes to worst and you’re locked in a car, you will want to know you can get out. A quick crack at the glass with a window breaker will give you that option.
Be strategic when placing and receiving your bag
After finishing that quick rolled down window conversation of where you’re headed with a potential ride, it is time to place your bag (usually) in the back seat. For me, a fear that always comes to mind is the driver jetting off as soon as my bag is in their car. To avoid this, I follow two simple steps:
First, I open the front seat door before I begin to put my bag in the back. If you leave that front car door fully open it is less likely that the driver will drive away.
Second, I begin my conversation with them immediately. Even if it is superficial and insignificant, making an immediate connection will not only decrease their desire to screw you over, but keep them distracted.
When it’s finally time to exit your ride, whether it be a good or bad experience, it is important to follow these same steps while you grab your bag. Leave the front door open, and maintain a “goodbye”/ “thank you again” conversation. This decreases the chances that the driver will intentionally or unintentionally drive off with your belongings.
Be smart about where you sit in the car
If I’m alone, I do my best to sit in the passenger’s seat when a driver offers me a ride. I’m usually turned off by the proposition to sit in the back, simply because I don’t like the idea of child locks in the back seats. If the backseat is the only option, I still choose to sit against a door. I would never accept a ride if the only available seat was in the middle. That feels dangerous to me. You might feel differently about it, but for me, I find peace of mind in the opportunity for a quick escape. If I’m not alone, this usually isn’t a worry of mine because there is power in numbers.
Lie if you have to
I personally hate lying. I find it to be an invisible weight around my neck that forces continued lies. It is far more freeing to simply be honest and allow yourself to be fully authentic. But, if you’re getting a weird vibe or you merely want to protect your peace of mind in the future, I think it’s okay to lie. I’ve told dozens of them over the years when I started to feel uncomfortable.
“Yeah, I have a group of friends waiting for me when I get there” (even if you’re solo)
“Oh, I’m for sure staying at X hostel” (when that’s definitely not the plan)
“Hey, do you mind if we pull over so I can grab something from my bag really quick?” (But you’re planning to grab your bag and walk away)
“Yeah, my mom is always concerned about my safety, so I send her a photo of a license plate before I get in a car and I text her once I’m out.” (even if you didn’t do that this time)
Essentially, just say whatever you need to say to keep yourself safe, and say it with confidence—as if you believe it yourself.
Never use hitchhiking apps!
Ugh, hitchhiking apps. When I get to talking about hitchhiking, people will often ask how I find rides, and wonder if I ever post my location on my social media and broadcast my need for a ride. Hopefully, that question just hit your gut with the same anxiety that hits mine. Never! If you are already thinking a few steps ahead, you might know why I avoid hitchhiking apps. For me, the safety of hitchhiking is founded in the innocence of the drivers. The people picking you up didn’t plan on picking you up; they made a snap decision while driving to trust and help a stranger on the side of the road. They have no ulterior motive; they aren’t looking for anything in return. When it comes to social media posts or hitchhiking apps, the anonymity, and therefore purity, of the ride becomes tainted. While using these kinds of resources, you are forced to wonder why someone you don’t know was willing to come pick you up. Avoid that worry and simply stay off those apps.
Remember that you can leave.
It might just be something culturally ingrained in me, but in my early hitchhiking experiences, I remember feeling terrible if I sensed that I was an inconvenience to my driver. I’d have them drop me off in a location easily accessible to them, even if they’d repeatedly offer to take me to the street that I actually intended to go to. Similarly, telling a driver that I would like to get out of their car early felt beyond rude, and it might feel the same to you. But, remember that you are not at their mercy, and if you happen to upset them for a moment, so be it. You don’t have to subject yourself to an uncomfortable ride, an inappropriate action, or a dangerous situation, simply because you feel obliged.
If this is tough for you, refer back to the section on lying…
“You know, I’m really digging this area, I think I might just hop out here.”
“Oh, I think I left something back at my other hostel. I’m going to need to hitch a ride the other direction.”
“I’m feeling a bit car sick; I should probably take a break and pick up my hitchhiking later in the day.”
Be willing to leave your bag.
Imagine you’re in a car, you and your driver are chatting it up, and you realize something is wrong. For whatever reason, it becomes unfeasible to gather your things and leave. What do you do? Well… you leave. No matter what the situation in life, always remember that things can be replaced, but you can’t be. So you left your bag, big deal. If you followed along in this list, you will have known to keep your important documents on your body. If nothing else, you will have a great story as to how you lost your bag.
Act confident.
If you start to pick up on something that causes your mood and demeanor to shift, your driver may pick up on your awareness. Play it cool! Laugh, play along, and secretly begin to plan your escape to get the fuck out. The next time the car stops at a light or slows down for traffic, jump out (remember to have your important documents on your body—but if you forgot them, remember that items can be replaced). Remember the sections above about lying, or snapping a license plate? Well, this situation is also the time to act confident when mentioning it. If you’re choosing to play it cool and laugh along as though everything is fine, simply shift the conversation to allow yourself to casually mention sending a license plate text to your friends, who are waiting for you at your destination (again, lie if these things aren’t true).
In all of the years I have been hitchhiking, the vast majority of experiences have been positive. Although this list of ways to keep you safe is important and may come in handy someday, don’t let these tips fuel your fear. Allow this knowledge to ignite your confidence moving forward.
Remember that in an era where hitchhiking is not a common modality anymore, it is far less likely that there is someone out there on the prowl for hitchhikers. Most of the time, the person pulling over is excited for the company, has hitchhiked in the past and is paying it forward, or just like the idea of helping people out. The horror stories you may have heard are just like any other tragedies—disproportional in frequency to the rate that they are discussed. People like to talk about the wild, the unexpected, and the crazy mishaps in the world, and that makes those stories seem far more common than they actually are. More often than not, you will have a positive hitchhiking experience.
Key takeaways are to prepare for the worst and expect the best, trust your gut in every circumstance, and be smart. Much like my example of developing into a confident driver from a 15-year-old kid, who would/should never stop wearing their seatbelt simply because they upgraded their learners permit to a driver’s license, never stop taking the necessary safety precautions as you go along your hitchhiking journey.
If you have hitchhiking tips from your own experiences that you’d like to add for others to learn, please comment below!