Missouri
Missouri is a state of the United States of America. It has a reputation among hitchhikers as having a very tolerant culture for free spirited travelers.
Contents
Roads
- Shoulders
- Very wide shoulders are usually built at the edge of towns, making it easy for people to pull over. Missouri has some of the widest shoulders in the country.
- Pedestrian Rights
- Pedestrian rights in Missouri are perhaps the friendliest in the country. Pedestrians are allowed on virtually every single road in Missouri including interstates.
- Interchanges
- Split-traffic interchanges are used occasionally. Springfield and Camdenton have a few of them. Missouri's biggest weakness lies in the construction of several major highways which bypass towns with very low traffic ramps instead of going through the middle of town, greatly extending waiting times if you are dropped off in a smaller town on a four lane highway such as US 60 and US 36. Because of this, it is often best to travel along two lane highways or wait for rides to larger towns.
Law
Missouri is unique in that they haven't even adopted the uniform vehicle code prohibiting pedestrians from soliciting rides while on the roadway. They have no state wide law addressing the solicitation of rides by pedestrians. Missouri is also one of the few states which allow pedestrians on the interstate.
Local Laws
The only city in Missouri that seems to prohibit hitchhiking is Mexico.
Mexico, Missouri law states:
Sec. 10-22. - Hitchhiking; standing on street to solicit employment or business.(a)No person in this city shall hitchhike, thumb rides or go upon the public streets and highways for the purpose of soliciting free transportation.
Experiences
Out of all the states I've hitched through, Missouri was the hardest and most unpleasant. I have never had to wait longer for rides. I crossed the state longitudinally from KC to StL via I70, then dropped down into Arkansas via I55. Nothing but long waits and weird looks. It took me five days to get out of this state! Also got picked up by a guy in the town of Minor along 55 that expected a bj for his ride down the road, forced to pull my knife. -Kieran
I've hitched most major highways in Missouri and it is one of my favorite states. The cops won't hassle you and the people are friendly. As with Colorado, although it is a great state to hitchhike in general, there is a section that is difficult to hitch. This section in Missouri is Highway 36 and all points north/east of Cameron. Thewindandrain 06:51, 12 May 2012 (CEST)
My name is Byron Motley and I have hitchhiked through many states in the USA and I rate Missouri as perhaps the most hitcher FRIENDLY state in the entire USA, the police spotted me on the interstate a number of times and they have never disturbed me!Hitching gets easier especially away from the large cities! (St. Louis and Kansas City)
Missouri has by far been one of the most difficult places for me to hitchhike. A truck driver dropped me off at a truck stop east of Columbia, and I was headed west. It took me three days just to get to Kansas City. This was standing at truck stop exits for hours, and trying to talk to people. I'm clean relatively, and it was just me and a dog. In North Carolina I barely waited thirty minutes for a ride, until scoring one all the way to Columbia. Stay away from Kansas City, it was a nightmare to get out of because it extends into Kansas. If heading west take the bus to Topeka or Lawrence on the Kansas side! User:Blisterfeet
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