Where to start hitch hiking from in north London?

Interesting you think that. In contrast many women are raped or assaulted in London by taking illegal minicab's, which could be considered a kind of hitching - it's just not free, which generally speaking hitching usually is.

But the recent remake of the film "The Hitcher" is scary. That was about evil, and its not nice.

Planes and buses and cars, it is known, very occasionally crash, trains sometimes derail. People are killed. Boats sink, helicopters do crash. People get knocked down and killed when they are walking.

There is always a tiny risk with travelling anywhere.

I am sure that more people have died from plane crashes in the last twenty years in the U.K. than have died while hitchhiking. Both are well publicised and there have been a number of plane crashes, none recently though.

The risk of harm in taking minicabs at night in some British cities in recent years has been much higher than travelling any other way in the country.

That is nothing like hitchhiking.

I should probably say in the last thirty years for plane crashes in this country. There have not been any that I remember at least fifteen years ago.

This rhetoric and advice is all well and good but has anyone actually hitched long distance in this the UK within the last few years? If so was it a pleasant, enlightening or exciting experience?

I pick up hitchers. Generally only in the north and west of scotland though. I would be wary of picking someone up in London I think - probably just because the public transport is so much better there.

Last time I did any hitching myself was about 10 years ago, and that was a sponsored student thing. My time is more important than my money, so I drive or use public transport. Plus obviously there is the risk factor. Small, but unsettling.

Most brits are scared of hitchers - this makes hitching very difficult. It's just not part of the culture here any more.

I last did long distance hitch hiking in the UK in around 10 years ago. In my opinion the number of hitchers on the roads has not declined significantly since then (ie hitchers were equally thin on the ground back then).

You may well find that the lack of competition and relative novelty of seeing a hitcher on the roads works in your favour – I say go for it (if the weather picks up that is)

My top tips for UK hitching:

1. Always make yourself a destination sign. It helps people decide to pick you up, and it helps avoid a succession of short lifts.
2. Think about where you are standing – is it safe for drivers to stop? Do not stand near blind bends, on short slip roads, places with no hard shoulder etc. Drivers will not stop if there isn’t a handy place to pull over.
3. As mentioned above, motorway hard shoulders are out – it’s illegal
3. The top of motorway slip roads are prime positions, as are service stations.
4. Allow plenty of time!
5. Stay positive – no-one will pick up a scowling misery.
6. Avoid Maidenhead.

The trip will be with one male & one female which should help in the not looking like we're likely to attack the driver stakes.

Thanks for the tips, tobnac. All pretty much common sense. Don't do anything illegal and make sure you can be seen by the drivers :-)

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<hr>6. Avoid Maidenhead.<hr></blockquote>
Is that a tip for hitchhiking or life in general?!

You seem determined to hitch despite (or because of) all of the negative advise and comment. It would be interesting to know how it goes, how long it takes, the lifts you get etc, Would you post back here after and let us know how you get on?.

You'll probably do better as a couple than as 2 single hitchers. A lone driver can then be fairly sure he won't be attacked by a bloke, and won't be accused of rape by the girl (unless, of course, that is their cunning plan, in which case, he won't do it again!).

And if there are 2+ people in the car, there's more chance of conversation which lessens the journey - one of the main points of picking up hitchers. So - make yourselves attractive to potential lifts (forget the kilt if you have a woman in tow :-)).

The driver only has about 1 second to think...."Do I want to spend 2, 4, 8 hours with them in my car?"

I used to hitch lots, all round the UK. In the past year, the only hitching I've done was a morning trip around the Isle of Arran, Scotland. However, I always list any journeys I make by car on www.liftshare.com so that people needing lifts can join me. Unfortunately, no-one has ever needed a lift when / where I'm travelling.