A lot of horror movies start like this.
An empty road
and someone like you
standing alone with their thumb up.
After hours of waiting,
a stranger pulls up
at the side of the road,
and you get into their car.
But soon,
you feel uncomfortable
as the stranger starts
driving in the opposite direction
of where they were going.
Did they just make a mistake?
Or are you in danger?
Hitchhiking was a popular form
of transportation for backpackers
in the first half of the 20th century.
But currently,
it's considered to be a dangerous activity
that law enforcement discourages.
In some parts of the world,
it's even been banned.
Police have rigorous campaigns
against picking up
hitchhikers and looking for a ride.
But in the absence of other options,
most hitchhikers do it as a last resort.
Hitchbot
was a robot developed by
students at McMaster University
in Hamilton and Ryerson University
in Toronto.
It made
its way hitchhiking across Canada,
Germany and the Netherlands
until it was beaten
beyond repair in Philadelphia.
So, what can you do
to avoid Hitchbot’s fate?
Daylight is your friend.
It will allow you a better look
at the person,
their vehicle,
and get a sense of whether riding
with them would be a good situation
or a sketchy one.
In December 2016,
just after midnight,
a college student in Santa Cruz, California,
was picked up at a bus stop
by a male driver
who was smoking marijuana while driving.
When she asked to get out of the car,
he refused to stop and let her out.
So she waited for the vehicle
to slow down at an intersection
and jumped out of his vehicle.
Fortunately, the student was not injured
and she survived to tell her story.
Hitchhiking across the U.S.
can be dangerous and illegal.
Seven states prohibit
participating in any form of hitchhiking.
And even walking on a road
is banned in 35 other states,
as is walking along side a highway.
Alaska, Wyoming,
South Dakota, Michigan and Missouri
are the only states without restrictions.
In New Zealand, Cuba,
the Netherlands, Germany and Israel,
it's legal to hitch a ride.
And they’re also considered
the safest countries for hitchhiking.
Keep your belongings with you at all times,
as that will allow you to make
a fast exit should things get dicey.
If you’re getting uncomfortable
or feel unsafe,
ask the driver to let you out.
If they refuse,
and you think you’re in danger,
get sick.
Vomit contains your DNA,
which can give police a lead
if they need to search for you.
Also,
no one is going to want
to be in a smelly,
gross vehicle for long.
So get sick.
And when the car stops,
jump out fast
and run like your life depends on it,
because it just might.
When you’re about to enter a vehicle,
take a photo of the driver.
And take a picture of the car
and its license plate.
This could serve as a record
of your whereabouts.
Then share the photos
with a family member,
a trusted friend
or post them on social media.
And tell the driver you’re doing it.
If they have bad intentions,
they won't let you get in the car
since the police
could easily track them down.
Hitchhiking is inherently dangerous.
You'll only have seconds
to determine whether to trust
a complete stranger,
and you never know who might trap you.
So, come up with your own set
of priorities and requirements
for hitchhiking that makes you feel safe,
and stick to them.
Don’t compromise your standards.
If something doesn’t feel right,
it’s worth waiting
and walking a little further.
You survived hitchhiking.
Hopefully,
you’ll be a lot more careful
of who you try to hitch a ride with
in the future.
You could’ve ended up
trapped by a serial killer,
who wants to cut your throat.
Could you survive that?
Find out here
on How to Survive.