Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a state of the United States of America.

Oklahoma is a difficult place to hitchhike.

Despite popular belief, Oklahoma is a geographically diverse state. It is one of only four states to contain 11 or more ecological regions. While the majority of high traffic Oklahoma is flat farmland, there are many pockets of gorgeous geography if you seek them. Some of the more scenic places in Oklahoma are the black mesa area, Little Sahara state park, the Ouachita mountains, the Ozark hills, the Arbuckle Mountains, the Wichita Mountains, the hills north of Anadarko, and Lake Murray State Park.

Law
Oklahoma doesn't appear to have a state law regarding hitchhiking other than: 47-11-1401-D1
 * D. It shall be unlawful for any person to travel a turnpike on foot except to leave or service a disabled vehicle, or for any person to hitchhike on a turnpike.

Turnpikes will have no pedestrian signs anyways, so this law is redundant.

Most municipalities in Oklahoma have a law prohibiting the solicitation of rides from the roadway, meaning that if you are off the paved portion of a road, you are not in violation of these codes.

Be careful in Oklahoma as cops are notorious liars and terrorists and frequently scare off hitchhikers by threatening to arrest them when they aren't breaking the law.

Federal Districts
Note:All Federal "Parks, Forests, and public land" prohibit hitchhiking under the Code of Federal Regulations Title 36 section 4.31: Hitchhiking or soliciting transportation is prohibited except in designated areas and under conditions established by the superintendent.

This is often amended by the superintendents of different Federal Districts making hitchhiking legal in places where this section is amended.

Chickasaw National Recreation Area CFR has not been amended here, so hitchhiking is illegal.

Experiences

 * Most of the drivers will gawk at you and/or your sign out of a morbid curiosity, but often will not stop to offer a ride. Recently I had to get from Oklahoma City to Amarillo, Texas on Interstate 40 (Old Route 66), and was stuck there for four days. Generally apathetic and unfriendly locals, although the truck stops extended a warm greeting during the inclement weather, as long as you don't harass the other patrons. Most rides will probably be short distances, from town-to-town, as many passersby are likely to be ranchers or farm workers.


 * I've had the opportunity to hitch through Oklahoma 5 times. Generally I have been harassed, lied to, and threatened arrest a few times by Oklahoma's finest. Rides were difficult to catch except in the Ouachita mountain regions. My most recent trip through Oklahoma found me exploring some of the smaller rural roads and logging roads in the Ouachita mountains. In this area I rarely waited longer than 10 minutes for rides, the mentality in eastern Oklahoma appears to be quite different than central and western. Thewindandrain (talk) 00:47, 18 May 2013 (CEST)


 * I met some really friendly people hitching through Oklahoma, though most were also very concerned and maybe confused about me. As a single female I was never waiting longer than twenty minutes.  I met a lot of welders.  Also got some advice from some local punks who saw me trying to hitch and waved me over.  A lot of people will wave you over to their cars out of curiosity, but usually won't be offering a ride.  So don't go out of your way in hopes of hopping in with them.  After I hopped out of a ride with a creeper trucker on the interstate it only took about five minutes for someone else to stop for me.  I even picked up a pretty decent oyster soup recipe from one of my rides :)  Most rides are short, and younger people are very curious and affectionate, many giving hugs when you hop out. - Jnadz 03:35:04, 29 March 2012 (CET)


 * Oklahoma is flat. Don't get stuck in Elk City, there's a correctional facility nearby. Head to the gas station where the Greyhound stops to get out. Otherwise, you can have a blast hitchhiking through Oklahoma. If you're in a hurry, stay on the interstate - on the highway, you'll get rides from one town to the next, short little hops that let you see everything, all these sweet little communities. Stop and get a 35 cent cup of coffee! Don't ride with a trucker through OK if you have time, meet the locals on the state highways -- it was reeeally easy for me to catch a ride on the shoulders out of towns.


 * My favorite town so far was Snyder, and if you're in Oklahoma City, stop by the Biting Sow and listen to the blues all night long.

trash:Oklahoma