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[[Hitchhikers]] often debate about whether to use a '''sign''' to signal possible rides your destination.
== Tips ==A '''sign''' is a tool used by a [[Hitchhiker]] to communicate information to [[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.
For example, [[User=== Design ===* Use contrasting colors:Nathan|Nathan]] and [[User:Rocky|Bob]]black on brown cardboard is not very good readable for passing drivers, who hitched through France had great help writing '2 belgesblack on white is far more readable* Use the same font as the route directions for clarity. Orderly signs suggest orderly people - but epic rides won' t depend on their signthat! * Write only the initial letter in capital. [[User:Guaka|guaka]] was successful with The human brain detects a word not only by combining a sign "from Holland" few letters, but also by recognizing the different ascenders and descenders (the heights of the different words). When writing only in both [[New Zealand]] capital letters you lose this advantage. That's why street signs respect the upper and lower case.* If you're bad in several parts of the handwriting (like [[United States of AmericaUser:EliasExplores|United States]], once by a Dutch girl living in [[Santa CruzEliasExplores]]), most ask people were happy to pick him up just because if they thought Holland was cool (oh and one guy was smoking weed in the car)can write signs for you. Workers at petrol stations are often surprisingly good artists.
==== Reusable sign =signs ===
If you already have a lot The two- or three- letter code on the first part of baggage you probably don't want to carry around another square meter of waterproofed cardboard in your backpacklicense plates represents the region where the vehicle is registered... Use what you find and what you can put also widely understood by the average German and used frequently by German hitchhikers on signs. Not every German knows the abbreviation for every locality, but it would be fair to say that the typical German knows all the major German cities as well as the abbreviations in the next garbage can!local region.
==== DonFor destinations with many foreign drivers it't leave your sign lying around ====s probably better to write out the full name. For example, there are always plenty of Polish drivers on the way from the Netherlands or Belgium that pass through Berlin, but might not understand what "B" is.
Some people argue that leaving your sign lying around on the street gives hitchhiking a bad impression. Make sure to take your sign with you and only dispose it in a garbage can (ideally one for paper and cardboard).<br>On the other hand side, Here are some hitchhikers make sure to leave their signs behind for following hitchhikers to use or at least to see that they're not alone in the world...examples:
== When not to use signs ==:HH for Hamburg (the first H means Hansestadt):B for Berlin:M for Munich:H for Hannover
If your destination is really far away, writing it discourages drivers to take you nearer. E.g., if you are in Perpinyà, For more cities and you write Valencia in your map, it is unlikely that drivers heading Girona, Barcelona, Tarragona, Castellódistricts check [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_Kfz-Kennzeichen_in_Deutschland the list at Wikipedia]. will stop For more information, leaving you hundreds of miles nearer to your destinationsee [[Germany#License_plates]].
Some hitchhikers think it could be better not to use ==== Ireland ====Flying signs at big crowded petrol stations where it's up to you to ask people, like in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Germany]] on motorway [[petrol station hitchhiking|petrol stations]] for Irish placenames (and speaking fluent appears alongside their English/Germanplacenames on road signs). It's not very likely that holding a sign will help if may net you can already clearly state where some success, though this may lead to drivers expecting you want to go (and even show it on a map) and that you are hitchhikingconverse in Irish.
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. ===== Derry/Londonderry =====If they donhitchhiking into '''Derry/Londonderry''t understand what's written on it they also ask, stick with your thumbs. And I already have it with me when getting out of a car, so people sometimes ask me right away The naming dispute may lead to some tension among you and drivers if you write what they can take me... So it's definitely good view to have itbe the wrong one. It doesn't have any negative effects so why not use it?
To use or not to use signs is one of * Some Americans might confuse the the main points of debate among hitchhikersM-states that aren't nearby (MS,ME,MO,MT,MN,MI.. In this paragraph. it can be confusing.)* ''Oklahoma'', abbreviated as ''OK'', might be perceived as just saying "OK" if youaren'll find some (allegedly) negative things about the usage of signst near it. * ''Hawaii'' is abbreviated as ''HI'', but if you're hitching there you probably don't need a sign. See [[hitchhiking_on_boats]]. * "LA", [[Louisiana]] can be easily confused with "L.A.", [[Los Angeles]]
One reason not Many states are also less-frequently referred-to take by a sign is if you want to have additional leverage in declining offered ridesthree-, four-, especially as a [[Women hitchhiking|woman hitchhiking]] aloneor five-letter abbreviation. They're widely understood too. * Mass.* Miss.* Colo.* Conn.* Wyo.* Cali. or Calif.* Mich.* Fla.* Wash.* Mont. 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* Wisc. Ditch the sign, they will stop without it* Ala. A good compromise is to have a sign with the road or 'Bama Some long city name rather than your destination, this allows you to ask which direction the driver will be going.abbreviations:
Another reason against using a sign might * [[New York City|New York]] can 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 "NYC"* [[Los Angeles]] can stop somewhere.be "L.A. ", but then he realises that hedon's already passed you and that he t get confused with LA, which is now 500m away from you]]Louisiana]]!* [[Philadelphia]] can be "Philly" or "PHL", but don't get confused with the airport. (See the section on [[Signs#Airports|Airport abbreviations]].)* [[Oklahoma City]] is "OKC".* [[Kansas City]] is "KC". 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* [[San Francisco]] is "SF". Whether he * [[New Orleans]] is going the right way "NO" or not"NOLA", you can determine when he stopsthough these aren't always understood outside the southeast.
Also, The state of [[Louisiana]] is "LA" and the driver might city of [[Los Angeles]] goes by "L.A.". You can probably see the faraway destination city on your sign, and although he doesn't want to go why there, he could take you to a place in between. Most drivers don't realise how helpful they could are situations where these two should be with these extra kilometers, so they drive onavoided.
If you 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.== Other tips ==
[[File:Guaka my bithday2=== Don't leave your sign lying around ===Some people argue that leaving your sign lying around on the street gives hitchhiking a bad impression.jpg|thumb|200px|Sometimes Make sure to take your sign with you and only dispose it in a garbage can use special signs]](ideally one for paper and cardboard).
== Examples On the other hand side, some hitchhikers make sure to leave their signs behind for Germany ==following hitchhikers to use or at least to see that they're not alone in the world...
'''Signs for hitchhiking through Germany:''' Write the following letter(s) on a card board sign when hitchhiking in Germany, because thus people can easily understand where you want to go to. It's always the number plate sign of the city you want to reach. For destinations with many foreign drivers it's probably better to write out the full name, e.g. there are always plenty of Polish drivers on the way from the Netherlands or Belgium towards Berlin, they might just not understand if you only put a big B.== Gallery ==
:HH for Hamburg (the first H means Hansestadt):B for Berlin:HRO for Rostock:M for Munich/München:DD for Dresden:H for Hannover/Hanover''***Photos needed***''
For == References =======ref 1=====I, [[User:Dr.Keith|Dr.Keith]] developed the technique for using signs with local traffic (I'm probably not the only one) while tramping from [[Folkstone, UK|Folkstone]] to [[Brighton, UK|Brighton]] in August 2011. After having no luck with a "Brighton" sign, I started using smaller, more cities local place names, to great success. =====ref 2=====[[User:Nathan|Nathan]] and districts check [http[User://deRocky|Bob]], who hitched through France had great help writing '2 belges' on their sign.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_Kfz-Kennzeichen_in_Deutschland [[User:Guaka|guaka]] was successful with a sign "from Holland" in both [[New Zealand]] and in several parts of the list at Wikipedia[[United States of America|United States]], once by a Dutch girl living in [[Santa Cruz]], most people were happy to pick him up just because they thought Holland was cool (oh and one guy was smoking weed in the car).
→What to write
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[[File:Sheffieldbedroomwall.jpg|thumb|300px|right|[[User:Tmoon|Tmoon]]'s collection of [[signs]]]]
=== What When to write =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.
* Think well about what place or text Do you have time and materials to make a good one? * Are people going to be able to put on read it? * Is itgoing 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 well known placesyour thumb, the driver only has to decide if he likes you and sometimes also road names 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 used or more humorous phrases 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 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 use these stops ''"I donwith''t stink"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 stops]]. ==== 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 "On va pas loinwhere 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 saying:with the road name rather than your destination, this allows you to ask which direction the driver will be going. === Packing space ===If you 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'ANYWHERE!re likely to find discarded cardboard anywhere you go. === With significant local traffic === Sometimes local traffic won' might get people laughing but that doesnt stop for someone travelling a long distance, because they don't mean getting picked up)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 ==* Use contrasting colors: black What you write on the sign should depend a lot on brown cardboard what kind of traffic you're seeing. Generally, a good idea is not very good readable to use the shortest abbreviation for passing 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 driversat your location. === A route to your destination ===From a branching road, black on white is far writing the name and possibly direction of the major highway to your destination can be more readableeffective. Sometimes getting to the motorway can be half the battle, but once there, you'll have access to the long-distance traffic you need. * Use For example, to get to [[San Francisco]] from [[L.A.|Los Angeles]], you first need to get to [[I-5]], which is on the same font as far western side of the route directions for claritycity. Orderly signs suggest orderly 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- but epic rides won't depend 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|<sup>[1]</sup>]]. 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! * Write the drivers are 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 initial letter in capitalnext locality on the sign. This encourages the local traffic to stop. The human brain detects a word not only by combining Even people who are going a few letters, but also by recognizing towns further than the different ascenders and descenders (place on the heights of sign will now also stop, because they know they can drop you off on the different words)way. When writing only in capital letters Once you mention you are actually going to your destination, drivers typically take you lose this advantageas far as they're going. That Since locals are going to be more familiar with how well-known place names are, it's a good idea to ask your driver what's why street a good town to put on the next sign. Since you'll be making many signs respect the upper and lower caserapidly with this technique, it's a good idea to carry lots of cardboard or a [[Signs#Reusable_signs|reusable sign]].* In general=== A city farther than your destination ===A similar but less common technique is to put a major, better known city, signs even though you aren't travelling that far. The conditions required for this to be effective are useful when rare, but not impossible: you 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 out of to, switching to a sign for a distant citycan be the right move. === Distance ===If your direction is clear and you are just seeking to get somewhat further on that road, a sign telling rough (and short) distance is very helpful. "20 km" works the best from which many roads start or if[[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]], you have a junction 15 mile is understood as 10 km ahead in the Nordic countries, and you do around Moscow the number of kilometers is generally understood as one from the centre of Moscow, not want 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 walkuse a sign effectively. ==== Your nationality ====If you're hitching in a foreign country, thus writing 'it might be a good thing to express your nationality on your sign[[#ref_2|<sup>[2]</sup>]]. Drivers will think you're more interesting, or will feel sorry that someone who lives that far off has to stand by the junctionroad in his country. Also, compatriots will be more 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.* Know your car number-plates, and you can get away with just writing a few letters - like HRO for Rostock, Germany. (see: Shortcuts)* If you're bad in handwriting (like [[User:EliasExplores|EliasExplores]]), ask people if they can write signs for you. Workers at petrol stations are often surprisingly good artists.
==How to write == Shortcuts ====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]])
==== Use your nationality on a sign Airports ====If you're hitching Airport abbreviations can also be used in some circumstances. "PHL" makes a foreign countrygreat sign to get to [[Philadelphia]], it might be a good thing to express your nationality on your sign. Drivers will think but if you're more interestingnear the city, or people will feel sorry that someone who lives that far off has think you want a lift to stand by the road in his countryairport. Also Some airport abbreviations are not widely understood, compatriots will be more likely to pick you upsuch as MSY in [[New Orleans]].
=== How to fabricate your sign =Sign-making ==
Make a sign of a large sheet of brightly colored paper glued to a sheet of cardboard. Cover this with self adhesive transparent book wrap. Now you have a re-usable sign which you can use with a whiteboard marker and clean again with a small towel.
[[File:Img_l_1306483.jpg|thumb|180px|right|[[User:MayaCova|MayaCova]] using was using a white board with considerable success.]]
If you have a chance to plan a long hitchhiking trip in advance, some find using an erasable white board as a sign to be very useful for making big, clear and reusable signs. This sign can be used a lot of times without being cleaned with alcohol, and is resistant to wind and water.
Another possibility is to make a sign out of two small white boards that children use at school. Just join them with enough string so that you can fold those boards like you would close a book. The benefits compared to a single white board are that this sign takes a smaller place when folded (so it fits better in your bag), and that you can write your destination in advance without it rubs out in your bag.
====Reusable sign combined with map====
If you're hitch-hiking long routes (exe.g. Europe), you can make a reusable sign on bad side (white) of the map. Cover the map with self adhesive tape, and you will have: a waterproof map and reusable sign. For easier cleaning use whiteboard markers.
==== Waterproof, dust-proof document bags ====
==== Print your sign ====
If you have access to a computer with a printer, you can make a quality hitch sign easily then. Since most languages read horizontally, set the page orientation to be landscape but with a size twice long as a normal A4 sheet. For a place name no longer than 9 letters, you can set the font size from 200 to 500 points to fully utilise the page size in one line; longer place names can be wrapped into two lines. Using a tiled printing software, you can print the long page to two sheets. Cut off the short tiling margin of one sheet and glue two sheets together, find a cardboard of same size and use four paper clips to pin the paper onto it, a lightweight wind-resistant hitch sign is ready to use. You don't need a waterproof sign, if you don't hitch in the rain or underwater. The plastic bag idea in previous tips will reduce contrast and introduce reflectivity. In case of that it rains, just wrap your hitch sign with the cling film from kitchen and it will work fine.
[[File:HitchhikingSignIrun.png|thumb|200px|[[User:EliasExplores|EliasExplores]] proudly showing his sign to get to Irun. ]]
[[File:Smileycardboard.jpg|thumb|200px|Even this can work great]]
[[File:Signs.JPG|thumb|200px|Some more examples]]
==== Use found scavenged materials ====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! == Sign use by country/region == === Europe ======= Germany ====
== Cons of using signs =North America ======= United States ====The [https://pe.usps.com/text/pub28/28apb.htm two-letter state abbreviations] are widely understood across the country. However:
[[Category:Equipment]]
