Hitchhiking has been around for the longest time now. It is one of the most popular ways of moving from one place to another. It is also the only way if one does not have an alternative means of transport. So, what are some of the pros and cons?
Pros:
1. It is cheap: It is a cheap way to travel, sometimes even a free way to travel, if the person giving you a ride is gracious enough.
2. You will not drive yourself: It is almost certain that you won’t have to drive because nobody will trust you with his/her own vehicle.
3. Meet new people: Hitchhiking gives you an opportunity to meet a lot of different and interesting people from diverse backgrounds with different psychologies.
4. It is fun: If you’re hiking for just for the fun of traveling, it’ll give you a feeling of being free as a bird.
5. New experiences: If you are a sociable person who is interested in meeting people from different backgrounds, hitchhiking can be a very pleasant experience. For a driver to pick up a hitchhiker, he is usually friendly and open to communication. Hearing stories from people from completely different backgrounds can change your outlook on life even and teach you lessons that you may not be able to encounter if you remain in your comfort zone.
6. No money involved: Usually the point of hitchhiking is that you do not pay any money to transfer from one place to another. However, you need to be familiar with particular norms if you are hitchhiking in a foreign country since there are places where you need to pay your driver, like Nigeria or Argentina.
7. Get to places you have never been: The possibility to travel to places that you did not decide on initially is part of the fun. Someone might recommend a new destination, or take you to a new place, where you can learn new things, create special memories and simply enhance the experience of travelling!
8. It is exciting: Hitchhiking is always an exciting experience since you are doing something for the first time and meet someone for the first time.
9. It is thrilling: There is a thrill associated with hitchhiking that one can never find somewhere else. The feeling of getting to somewhere new with someone new is just a blast.
10. It is the only option: Sometimes hitchhiking is the only means of transport from where you are to where you want to be and you have no choice but to hitch a ride.
Cons:
1. Chances are slim these days: These days, with the criminal activities on the rise, chances of you getting hitched are thin as hair.
2. It is risky: There’s no way to know what level of psychotic personality you may come across. You may get mugged, conned, kidnapped, raped, and may even end up losing your life.
3. Rules: You may have to comply with standards or orders set by the vehicle owner which may be outright outlandish at times.
4. People might not stop for you: You can get stuck in the middle of nowhere without being picked up by anyone or have to walk for miles before getting picked up by anyone.
5. Some drivers do not have good intentions: The most obvious and mostly mentioned risk of hitchhiking is the danger of a driver who does not have good intentions and is not as friendly. It is best if you travel with someone who is more experienced in this area, since such people may be able to read the drivers and quickly decide if someone is good or bad news. Girls, never travel alone!
6. Theft: The possibility of a driver stealing your stuff remains, of course. Be careful and keep your trust at a minimum, because, after all, those are strangers! Don’t put your belongings in the trunk of the car and carry them with you when you stop at gas stations, for instance.
7. Possibility of delays: You may have to wait for hours in bad weather (whether it is rain or heat) until someone picks you up. Possible delays should always be predicted and even expected. If you decide to hitchhiking, you need to chill, be as calm as possible and just enjoy the journey.
8. It is dangerous: Some people end up being murdered after hitchhiking which raises the question of accountability. No one is accountable but you.
9. It is life threatening: If you do not get a ride as soon as possible, you are exposing yourself to an external danger that you may not be able to control.
10. It leads to losses: There is a high risk of loss for anyone who is hitchhiking because no one really know that you were hitchhiking.
