Advice
about hitch hiking, where you should do
it and when. We welcome your contributions.
Please check the city guides for specific
information for hitching to and from particular
locations. Please e-mail us at: italy@backpackglobe.com
WHERE
TO HITCH
In most rural areas Italians will stop for hitch hikers.
From big cities get a bus or train to the outskirts of town to get to a road
leading to a motorway (expressway).
If you've got a lift on a motorway, get dropped off at a service area rather
than in town so you are not far from the motorway, there are food and toilet
facilities and more chance of other travellers passing through.
Hitch hiking is illegal so avoid motorways and stick to entrance ramps and
service areas.
SIGNS
This is a cause for debate amongst hitchers. Some say drivers won't stop if
they don't know where you want to go. Others say it is safer not to use a
sign so you can ask the driver where they are going before you accept a
lift. A compromise is to use the name of the road you are travelling on. In
Italy try and use the Italian name for the place eg. Firenze (Florence),
Venezia (Venice), Milano (Milan).
Tips for getting a ride:
Most people that give you lifts will be people that have hitched themselves,
or couriers or truck drivers who want company. To improve your chances of
getting a lift:
- look neat and respectable.
- Face the oncoming traffic and smile.
- Choose a spot with plenty of room for the driver to safely stop and where
the traffic is not too fast. This way it is safer for cars to stop and the
driver has a chance to size you up.
- Stand confidently with your thumb out over the road.
- When a car stops ask where the driver is going to - you can still decline
the lift if you don't like the look of them.
- Do not smoke in someone else's car.
- Travel light.
- Take an international drivers licence as the driver may wish to share the
driving.
Note if it rains you've usually got less chance of people stopping
(visibility decreases and they might not want water in their car). It might
be better to make your way to a cafe or autostop and wait out the rain or
stick it out and try to use the sympathy factor.
SAFETY
Despite the bad press the most hazardous thing about hitching is the chance
of being involved in a car accident or being hit by a car if you are
standing too close to the side of the road. Here are some more tips for
safety:
- As a single female you will travel quickly but you may attract undue
attention. Travelling with a guy helps as people may perceive you as a
couple.
- Turn down the lift if you do not feel comfortable.
- Keep your luggage with you. Do not put it in the trunk.
