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In conflict with the above, a sign only makes sense when you stand next to the road. At the petrol station you could better show the driver on a map where you want to go and so he can show you where he can take you. You even don’t need to speak his language for that. The big problem with signs is that the driver must read it, then he must wonder if goes the same direction, than he wants to know if he likes your face and if he can stop somewhere...but than he realises that he passed you, he is now 500m away from you ...so he will decide to drive on!
If you just use your thumb the driver only has to decide if he likes you and if he can stop his car in this place.
If he is going the right way, you can find out when he stops.
Another bad idea is the use of shortcuts, because only locals know them (like HH for Hamburg).
Also, the driver can see your faraway destination city and although he doesn't want to go there, he could take you for the next 200km. Most drivers don't realise how helpful they could be with these 200km, so they drive on.
If you already have a lot of baggage you probably don't want to carry around another square meter of waterproofed cardboard in your backpack.
Use what you find and what you can put in the next garbage can! Another option is to just use normal A4 paper and a plastic map.
Some only use sometimes funny signs or at some crossroads they could be helpful and or when they're not the only hitchhiker who is standing next to the motorway.
...but it's like religion, everybody has his own idea of it! <br clear="all" />
It is possible that destination signs could increase danger as a driver can pretend to be going to your destination. This is not a problem if you are just thumbing for a lift as you can ask where the driver is going. A good compromise is to have a sign with the road name rather than your destination, this allows you to ask which direction the driver will be going.
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[[File:Signs.JPG|thumb|200px|Some more examples]]
== When not to use signs == Some hitchhikers think it could be better not to use signs at big crowded petrol stations where it's up to you to ask people, like in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Germany]] on highway [[petrol station]]s (and speaking fluent English/German). It's not very likely that holding a sign will help if you can already clearly state where you want to go (and even show it on a map) and that you are hitchhiking.
Others always have a sign. To show it to people while their still in the car and then ask them when they pass by to pay for their petrol. If they don't understand what's written on it they also ask. And I already have it with me when getting out of a car, so people sometimes ask me right away if they can take me... So it's definitely good to have it. It doesn't have any negative effects so why not use it?
== Cons of using signs == To use or not to use signs is one of the main points of debate among hitchhikers. In this paragraph, you'll find some (allegedly) negative things about the usage of signs. One reason not to take a sign is if you are [[Women hitchhiking|woman hitching]] alone and you want to have additional leverage in declining offered rides, especially as a [[Woman hitchhiking|woman hitchhiking]] alone. If someone stops you ask first "where are you going?" Even if they are going exactly where you want to go, if you are not comfortable with them, tell them the ride is not going to work, but thanks anyway. Ditch the sign, they will stop without it. A good compromise is to have a sign with the road name rather than your destination, this allows you to ask which direction the driver will be going. Another reason against using a sign might be this: The driver must read it, then he's got to work out if goes in the same direction and finally he's got to decide if he likes your face and if he can stop somewhere... but then he realises that he's already passed you and that he is now 500m away from you... so he will decide to drive on! If you just use your thumb, the driver only has to decide if he likes you and if he can stop his car in this place. Whether he is going the right way or not, you can determine when he stops.
[[File:Guaka my bithday2.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Sometimes you can use special signs]]
== Examples for Germany ==
