1
edit
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
no edit summary
Experience Nov. 2012
:I hitched from southern Oregon to Texas without any problems except one in Westmorland, CA. I was standing on the edge of the shoulder of highway 86 on the south end of this rural small community when approached by two aggrevated and aggressive Imperial County sheriffs. They asked if i knew that it was [[illegal]] to hitchhike in California. I told them it was not. Minutes of arguing later they retrieved their citation book and showed me the law shown above that you can not hitch on roadway. I asked them to show me the state definition of a roadway. This upset them. Veins bulging and spit spewing, they pointed to a business wall 40 feet away and said that's where the roadway ends. They then grabbed their [[pepper spray]] and asked if I'd be walking back to town. I complied and spent $1 for a bus to El Centro and continued on my way. Pick your battles wisely and be safe out there. ~nomadinexile
Experience Sept. 2014
DAY 1 --- I hitched from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo in one-and-half days. Took the BART from Mission St to Daly City, then the 110 bus to Pacifica. Waited about 15 minutes for a ride down Highway 1 to a beach just north of Santa Cruz. I stood in the beach parking lot for 5 minutes before getting a ride into Santa Cruz, then waited 10 minutes near the onramp to Highway 1 before I got a ride to Carmel. Carmel was a bit tricky. I waited about 2 hours before a guy told me told me it was a bad hitching spot and took me down to the gas station junction where the 1 leads to Big Sur, I waited about 45 minutes for a ride. Got to Big Sur about seven and met some surfers who showed me a safe place to hide my sleeping bag and rest for the night. All four of my rides were solo men between 25 - 60.
DAY 2 --- Quiet in the morning, but by 10am I had a ride from Big Sur to Lucia. Walked 10 mins to the next good lay-by and got a ride from a German tourist couple who were driving all the way to San Luis Obispo (we stopped off and looked at the elephants seals, and then the sea lioons in Morro Bay). I arrived in SLO by 2.30pm
A week later I hitched from Highway 1 near Lompoc to L.A. in about 5 hours. The 1 looked tough heading south, but waited about 90 mins for a young elementary school teacher who took to me to Santa Barbara. Waited on the 101 onramp at a tricky multi-lane junction, waited about 90 mins for these two Nepalese guys to take me right into downtown L.A. I set off about 4pm and arrived about 9pm.
TIPS: Always carry a big cardboard sign of your destination. Smile infectiously, and even dance (though not too much to make you look mentally ill). STAY POSITIVE - it always works out some way or the other.
== External links ==
