Difference between revisions of "Hitchhiking and Pandemia"

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(Respect)
(rules change all the time)
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The Covid 2019 pandemic and the public reaction to it that as of April 2021 are ongoing and don't show any concrete signs of ever ending have affected many parts of public and private life. It could be expected that they would also render hitchhiking a much more difficult and precarious way of travelling, however this is not necessarily the case. In this article we gather some information about '''hitchhiking in the times of Corona'''.
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The Covid 2019 pandemic and the public reaction to it that as of April 2021 are ongoing and don't show any concrete signs of ever ending have affected many parts of public and private life. It could be expected that they would also render [[hitchhiking]] a much more difficult and precarious way of travelling, however this is not necessarily the case. In this article we gather some information about '''hitchhiking in the times of Corona'''.
  
 
Apart from the fact that there are currently numerous rules in place to keep people from travelling, it is fairly difficult to get any reliable information about how the pandemic has affected hitchhiking itself. Only anecdotal evidence is available, and that can be quite contradictory.  
 
Apart from the fact that there are currently numerous rules in place to keep people from travelling, it is fairly difficult to get any reliable information about how the pandemic has affected hitchhiking itself. Only anecdotal evidence is available, and that can be quite contradictory.  
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Possible issues are the obligation to wear masks in public space which exists in multiple areas, and conditions that are imposed on crossing borders. However the extent to which these regulations are enforced vary, eg. in Spain and France there is little control and negotiation is often possible. When crossing borders, hitchhiking can work to your advantage if you catch a ride in a car that has the right license plates.
 
Possible issues are the obligation to wear masks in public space which exists in multiple areas, and conditions that are imposed on crossing borders. However the extent to which these regulations are enforced vary, eg. in Spain and France there is little control and negotiation is often possible. When crossing borders, hitchhiking can work to your advantage if you catch a ride in a car that has the right license plates.
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It's safe to say that rules are changing constantly and every country has their own rules.  You may have to show a negative corona test and/or vaccination status at borders. You may be forced to quarantine for a any number of days.  Wearing a face mask may be compulsory inside and even outside.  It's probably good to have some idea of the current rules when going from one country to another.
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== Respect and Safety ==  
 
== Respect and Safety ==  
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[[User:Zenit|Zenit]] has been hitchhiking on a weekly basis nearly all through 2020 and 2021. To him, it does not seem that hitchhiking has become more difficult at all, in fact he has even been picked up by some people who suffer from social isolation and needed somebody to talk.
 
[[User:Zenit|Zenit]] has been hitchhiking on a weekly basis nearly all through 2020 and 2021. To him, it does not seem that hitchhiking has become more difficult at all, in fact he has even been picked up by some people who suffer from social isolation and needed somebody to talk.
  
[[User:Warlo|Warlo]] Has hitchiked sparsely thru the pandemic and noticed no significant difference, particularly in Germany where rides are quick and plenty as usual. Also he is very surprised how up until this writing, no driver (and passengers if any) where interested in his offers to wear a mask, sit in the back, etc.
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[[User:Warlo|Warlo]] Has hitchiked sparsely thru the pandemic and noticed no significant difference, particularly in Germany where rides are quick and plenty as usual. Also he is very surprised how up until this writing, no driver (and passengers if any) were interested in his offers to wear a mask, sit in the back, etc.

Revision as of 18:57, 29 April 2021

The Covid 2019 pandemic and the public reaction to it that as of April 2021 are ongoing and don't show any concrete signs of ever ending have affected many parts of public and private life. It could be expected that they would also render hitchhiking a much more difficult and precarious way of travelling, however this is not necessarily the case. In this article we gather some information about hitchhiking in the times of Corona.

Apart from the fact that there are currently numerous rules in place to keep people from travelling, it is fairly difficult to get any reliable information about how the pandemic has affected hitchhiking itself. Only anecdotal evidence is available, and that can be quite contradictory.

Legal Problems

Do you have any information about any laws that have been passed that specifically impact hitchhiking? Post them here.

Possible issues are the obligation to wear masks in public space which exists in multiple areas, and conditions that are imposed on crossing borders. However the extent to which these regulations are enforced vary, eg. in Spain and France there is little control and negotiation is often possible. When crossing borders, hitchhiking can work to your advantage if you catch a ride in a car that has the right license plates.

It's safe to say that rules are changing constantly and every country has their own rules. You may have to show a negative corona test and/or vaccination status at borders. You may be forced to quarantine for a any number of days. Wearing a face mask may be compulsory inside and even outside. It's probably good to have some idea of the current rules when going from one country to another.


Respect and Safety

Of course it is everybody's own choice if they feel comfortable hitchhiking or travelling at all in the context of a global pandemic, even if the severity of this pandemic is debated by some people. When hitchhiking in this context, in can be respectful to ask the driver who stops for you if they would prefer you wearing a mask, sitting in the back, driving with the windows open -- the great thing about hitchhiking is that it is possible to personally negotiate the level of comfort and safety needed by everybody involved.

Considering the amount of people you come in contact with during a typical hitchhiking trip, hitchhiking can actually be a safer way of travelling than taking a train or especially a bus. It's possible to focus this fact even more by avoiding short rides and aiming for less, but longer rides.

Experiences

Zenit has been hitchhiking on a weekly basis nearly all through 2020 and 2021. To him, it does not seem that hitchhiking has become more difficult at all, in fact he has even been picked up by some people who suffer from social isolation and needed somebody to talk.

Warlo Has hitchiked sparsely thru the pandemic and noticed no significant difference, particularly in Germany where rides are quick and plenty as usual. Also he is very surprised how up until this writing, no driver (and passengers if any) were interested in his offers to wear a mask, sit in the back, etc.