How to Get Picked Up: The Art of Hitchhiking

           When a driver sees a hitchhiker on the side of the road, they typically have about three or four seconds to make a judgment about that person.

           As the hitchhiker, it is critical that you make the absolute most out of this small amount of time.

            To an experienced hitchhiker, getting a ride has little to do with luck. To be successful, you must understand the psychology of what makes a hitchhiker desirable.

            The most obvious and most important aspect of successful hitchhiking is appearance.

            “If they don’t look like a local I won’t pick them up,” said John Elm. Elm is an electrical engineer from Crested Butte and has been a resident for 12 years.

            “Clothing matters. Dress like a local and look like you belong here,” he said.

            When hitchhiking here in the valley, this is a very easy step to accomplish. When travelling from Gunnison to Crested Butte, put on some snow gear. Often, the people picking up hitchhikers are going to the mountain for a day of skiing, so if you look like that is your destination as well they are more inclined to stop for you.

            Inversely, if you are waiting at the hitching post in Crested Butte, try to dress like a student. Grab a backpack, maybe a baseball cap. People in the area know that Gunnison is a college town, and students are seen as non-threatening.

            If you’re travelling out of the area, then try not to look like a bum.

            “I won’t pick up people with torn up clothes and a ratty look,” said Andy Vincent, a 20 year old business major at Western.

            “If you’re looking hobo status, you’re not getting a ride,” he said.

Almost as important as clothing is body language. Look like you care if you get the ride.

            “Eye contact is very important,” said Elm. “If someone’s standing there looking at the ground with their hands in their pockets I’m probably not going to stop.”

            At the hitching posts it is not critical to put your thumb out, but anywhere else it could make the difference between a ride and hours on the side of the road.

            Where you stand can improve your odds as well. Avoid stopping at curves in the road. Pick a long stretch of road to give the driver as much time as possible to see you. Ideally you would find the top of an incline to stand at. 
            “If they’re not in the right area it seems like they’re just walking the highway,” said Vincent. “It’s definitely more suspicious.”

            There are some useful techniques to guilt trip the drivers into stopping.

            “Some people raise their arms or shrug,” said Vincent. “It really makes you feel bad about leaving them there.”

            Even if you’re upset that someone isn’t going to stop, being rude won’t get you anywhere.

            “If they’re gonna be a dick about it then I’m not going to pick them up,” he said.

            Try to hitchhike with a purpose. Someone who looks like they are in a hurry will get picked up much sooner than someone who looks like they don’t care.

            “People tend to look a little more frantic when they’re on their way to work,” said Vincent. “They really work to get my attention. They pace around, try to flag me down and waive their arms, instead of standing there. They can really make me feel like they need to be picked up.”

            When travelling longer distances, a written sign is crucial. It lets people know that you are going to the same place as them, but more importantly it shows people that you are literate. As simple as it seems, someone who can read and write is much less likely to be insane.

            On those long rides, make sure you are prepared. Get a map, even if you know where you are going. It will let you see good spots to get dropped off along the way. It’s a lot better to only travel 50 miles and get dropped off at a gas station than to ride 100 miles and have to get out on the side of the freeway.

            Most importantly, stay positive and don’t get discouraged. You probably won’t get picked up by the first car, or the second, but eventually someone will come by that will consider stopping for you, and if you’re upset about having to wait so long you will project that through your body language.

            Trying to hitch a ride is a lot like trying to get a date. You better bring your A game, dress the part and show off those pearly whites, or that person is going to pass you up like you’re a bad disease.