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__TOC__[[ImageFile:Guaka my bithday2Sheffieldbedroomwall.jpg|thumb|400px300px|right|Sometimes you can use special [[User:Tmoon|Tmoon]]'s collection of [[signs]]]] A '''sign''' is a tool used by a [[Hitchhiker]] to communicate information to [[Picking_up_hitchhikers|drivers]]. Signs typically - but do not always - directly inform the driver of the hitchhiker's desired destination. Hitchhikers often debate about whether and how to use a sign. This article is meant to compile many of the best tips so you can develop your own technique. == When to not use a sign or not ==To use or not to use signs is one of the main points of debate among hitchhikers. There are a lot of factors to consider in whether a sign is a good idea. * Do you have time and materials to make a good one?* Are people going to be able to read it?* Is it going to be easier to just talk to drivers?  Consider this: the driver must read the sign; 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 decide to stop sooner. === At petrol stations and rest stops ===Some hitchhikers rely on gas stations and rest areas and advise talking directly to people rather than using signs. This can be more effective at big crowded petrol stations, like at [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol stations]] on motorways in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Germany]]. This obviously won't work if you don't have some mastery of the language (perhaps with an intriguing accent). Some hitchhikers think that it's not very likely that holding a signwill 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 use these stops ''with'' or signs, for example, by hold up a sign near the entrance instead of approaching people. This can be less intrusive and reduce the likelihood of being kicked off property. When using a sign at stops, the techniques from this articl on what to write generally also apply. For more info, see the articles on [[gas stations]] and [[Rest_area|rest areas]]. ==== Easier to decline rides ====One reason not to take a sign is if you want to have additional leverage in declining offered rides, especially as a [[Women 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 notgoing 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. === Packing space ===If you decided are an adept of the ultra light packing philosophy, you might not want to drag along a few extra square feet of cardboard. But then again, you're likely to find discarded cardboard anywhere you go. === With significant local traffic === Sometimes local traffic won't stop for someone travelling a long distance, because they don't realize that every little bit helps. Many hitchhikers abandon signs in these situations. There are, however, various techniques for different types traffic (see [[Signs#What_to_write|What to write]]). == What to write ==What you write on the sign should depend a lot on what kind of traffic you're seeing. Generally, a good idea is to use one the shortest abbreviation for a place that is well known by the most traffic. You can often determine where vehicles are registered by reading [[license plates]]. === Your destination ===The most obvious thing to write is the place you're going. This is most effective if you're already on a major route there with little local traffic (more drivers traveling long-distance). The place or abbreviation needs to be well-known to the drivers at your location.  === A route to your destination ===From a branching road, writing the name and possibly direction of the major highway to your destination can be more effective. Sometimes getting to the motorway can be half the battle, but once there , you'll have access to the long-distance traffic you need.  For example, to get to [[San Francisco]] from [[L.A.|Los Angeles]], you first need to get to [[I-5]], which is on the far western side of the city. If you can't find [[public transportation]], hitching with a sign saying "I-5" will be most effective because it will signal to people going to the western side of L.A. as well as long-distance drivers going to San Fran, [[Sacramento]], or [[San Diego]]. === A town closer than your destination ===This technique is useful for distance travel on highways with lots of local traffic[[#ref_1|^[1]]]. If you see lots of local license plates for local traffic, with little traffic going all the way to your destination, this is a good technique.  Consider that the drivers are several important things:also thinking, "Oh, I'm not going to <destination>. I'm only going to <locality>. I'll let someone else pick him up." The trick here is to write the next locality on the sign. This encourages the local traffic to stop. Even people who are going a few towns further than the place on the sign will now also stop, because they know they can drop you off on the way. Once you mention you are actually going to your destination, drivers typically take you as far as they're going. * Think Since locals are going to be more familiar with how well about -known place names are, it's a good idea to ask your driver what place or text 's a good town to put on the next sign. Since you'll be making many signs rapidly with this technique, it's a good idea to carry lots of cardboard or a [[Signs#Reusable_signs|reusable sign]]. === A city farther than your destination ===A similar but less common technique is to put a major, better known city, even though you aren't travelling that far. The conditions required for this to be effective are rare, but not impossible: take well known placesyou must be going to a local place, but going there on a major long-distance thoroughfare. If you become reasonably certain that the traffic is mostly distance and may not be familiar with the town you're going to, sometimes also switching to a sign for a distant city can be the right move.  === Distance ===If your direction is clear and you are just seeking to get somewhat further on that road names , a sign telling rough (and short) distance is very helpful. "20 km" works the best from [[User:Duffajfka]]'s experience, you often don't need to write another sign for your next ride and it can get you to surprising places while keeping the confidence aspect in comparison to not having any sign at all. Be aware about the local perception though, for example "KM" means the currency in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], a mile is understood as 10 km in the Nordic countries, and around Moscow the number of kilometers is generally understood as one from the centre of Moscow, not from your own location. === Misc stuff ===[[File:Guaka my bithday2.jpg|thumb|200px|[[User:Guaka|Guaka]] holding a sign that says ''My birthday today!'']] You don't have to write a place on your sign to use a sign effectively.  ==== Your nationality ====If you're hitching in a foreign country, it might be used a good thing to express your nationality on your sign[[#ref_2|^[2]]]. Drivers will think you're more interesting, or will feel sorry that someone who lives that far off has to stand by the road in his country. Also, compatriots will be more humoristic phrases (''likely to pick you up. ==== Funny stuff ====You can always put something funny, like "I don't stink"on you're sign, if you're feeling silly. A sign saying "ANYWHERE!" might get people laughing, but might not get you picked up. Sometimes, goofy things you write on your sign can discourage stopping, for example if you're perceived as a drifter or mentally ill.  ==== Nice stuff ====Often a big sign just saying ''please'' works wonders. People fall for the politeness if you can't get them to stop with a destination sign. == How to write ==Visibility is important, because you want the sign to be read from far away. That way, drivers have time to make decisions. Faster traffic requires bigger signs. Keep these things in mind:  === Abbreviations ===Often, you might use shortcuts because they need way less space on your sign. The sense of this depends on what kinds of shortcuts you use. If you just shorten a long name to a shorter, but still logically understandable one (like "Amsterdam" to "A'dam", for example), this is certainly a good idea. In some countries, you could also use the license plate shortcuts to put on a sign, e.g. Germany or Switzerland. This can also be a disadvantage - sometimes only regional+local people know them, especially if they don't really seem to make sense on the first look (like "HH" for [[Hamburg]]). ==== Airports ====* Use Airport abbreviations can also be used in some circumstances. "PHL" makes a great sign to get to [[Philadelphia]], but if you're near the city, people will think you want a lift to the same font airport. Some airport abbreviations are not widely understood, such as the route directionsMSY in [[New Orleans]].  === Design ===

Tip:=== Don't leave your sign lying around ===Make a Some people argue that leaving your sign of lying around on the street gives hitchhiking a large sheet of brightly colored paper glued bad impression. Make sure to a sheet of cardboard. Cover this take your sign with self adhesive transparent book wrap. Now you made yourself and only dispose it in a re-usable sign wich you garbage can use with a whiteboard marker (ideally one for paper and clean again with a small towelcardboard).

Another good invention is On the water proof transparet water-proof document-bags. There you can store a many sheets of paper and other hand side, some hitchhikers make sure to leave their signs you can reusebehind for following hitchhikers to use or at least to see that they're not alone in the world. Nothing falls out, you can hang them somewhere and you can use both sides. Ortlieb is one company that produces good ones.

==When not to use==Some hitchhikers think it could be better not to use signs at big crowded gas stations where it's up to you to ask people, like in [[Germany]] on highway gas stations (and speaking fluent German). It's not very likely that holding a sign will actually be helping if you can already clearly state where you want to go and that you are hitchhiking.***Photos needed***''

Others always have a sign== References =======ref 1=====I, [[User:Dr.Keith|Dr. To show it Keith]] developed the technique for using signs with local traffic (I'm probably not the only one) while tramping from [[Folkestone]] to people while their still [[Brighton]] in the car and then ask them if they pass by August 2011. After having no luck with a "Brighton" sign, I started using smaller, more local place names, to pay for their gasgreat success. If they don=====ref 2=====[[User:Nathan|Nathan]] and [[User:Rocky|Bob]], who hitched through France had great help writing 't understand what2 belges's written on it they also asktheir sign. And I already have it [[User:Guaka|guaka]] was successful with me when getting out a sign "from Holland" in both [[New Zealand]] and in several parts of the [[United States of America|United States]], once by a carDutch girl living in [[Santa Cruz]], so most people sometimes ask me right away if were happy to pick him up just because they can take me... So it's definitely good to have itthought Holland was cool (oh and one guy was smoking weed in the car). It doesn't have any negative effects so why not using it?

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