# Is Hitchhiking ACTUALLY Illegal, or Just a Really Bad Idea?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 28, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905 "2008-05-28T17:42:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/1 "2008-05-28T17:42:42Z")
Of course, the answer will vary by jurisdiction, but my WAG is that most of the 50 states will have very similar laws. And perhaps it’s even a federal matter (hiking on the Interstate, anyway).
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### Author:  [@SpaceDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpaceDog)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/2 "2008-05-28T17:47:38Z")
According to Wikipedia it’s not illegal but [local laws may restrict it](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitchhiking).
When I really came into this thread to ask is, why “Really Bad Idea”. There are countries in the hitchhiking is common and accepted, is it really not like that in the states? Sure, I can see problems but in reality the number of nutcases out there is vanishingly small.
SD
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/3 "2008-05-28T17:52:19Z")
I am pretty sure it isn’t outlawed everywhere and Wikipedia hints at that. It may be illegal near some Interstate highways but that certainly doesn’t constitute all road, even many big ones. I have seen news stories that send out reporters to test the current state of hitchhiking in the U.S. and they seem to so fine even for long distances. It would be difficult to completely outlaw anyway. It isn’t illegal to walk beside the road in many places and some people will just stop and offer a ride. It happened to me in the U.S. Virgin Islands a month ago and I had a great time.
> **[Hitchhiking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitchhiking)**
>
> Hitchhiking (also known as thumbing, autostop or hitching) is a means of transportation that is gained by asking individuals, usually strangers, for a ride in their car or other vehicle. The ride is usually, but not always, free.
> Nomads have also used hitchhiking as a primary mode of travel for the better part of the 20th century, and continue to do so today.
> Hitchhikers use a variety of signals to indicate they need a ride. Indicators can be physical gestures or displays including written si...
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/4 "2008-05-28T17:57:23Z")
[QUOTE=SpaceDog]
According to Wikipedia it’s not illegal but [local laws may restrict it](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitchhiking).
When I really came into this thread to ask is, why “Really Bad Idea”. There are countries in the hitchhiking is common and accepted, is it really not like that in the states? Sure, I can see problems but in reality the number of nutcases out there is vanishingly small.
SD
[/QUOTE]
The U.S. has a rather large population and very aggressive news sensationalism. Hitchhiking was common up until the 1970’s. I don’t know what put the fear of God into people but it had to a mere handful of cases. The problem is circular. People are reluctant to pick up hitchhikers which makes hitchhiking more difficult so most people don’t bother. The very large size of the U.S. geographically also makes it hard to find people that are going near where you want to go and you may have to score many rides to get there especially if you want to go coast to coast. Long haul truck drivers are more likely to pick up hitchhikers than others because they get bored. A grown man is unlikely to have safety problems with professional drivers.
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### Author:  [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/5 "2008-05-28T17:57:57Z")
I had a cop in Tennessee tell me it was illegal. Don’t know how true it was though.
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### Author:  [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/6 "2008-05-28T18:01:33Z")
A classmate of my girlfriend disappeared while hitchhiking between home and college.
Just sayin’.
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### Author:  [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/7 "2008-05-28T18:02:04Z")
This site has some good summaries of specific provisions. [USA Laws on Hitching](http://www.hitchhiker.50megs.com/custom.html)
This looks pretty good too: [http://www.digihitch.com/search---0--usa-7.html](http://www.digihitch.com/search---0--usa-7.html)
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/8 "2008-05-28T18:05:20Z")
In Virginia, it’s illegal to stand or stop in any roadway for the purpose of soliciting rides. It’s also illegal to enter, as a pedestrian, any highway marked with a sign prohibiting pedestrian traffic. Most every interstate in Virginia is so marked.
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### Author:  [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/9 "2008-05-28T18:07:15Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop]
I had a cop in Tennessee tell me it was illegal. Don’t know how true it was though.
[/QUOTE]
> [@](#):
>
> 55-8-139. Pedestrians soliciting rides or business. —
>
> (a) No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose of soliciting a ride or employment from the occupant of any vehicle.
>
> (b) No person shall stand on or in proximity to a street or highway for the purpose of soliciting the watching or guarding of any vehicle while parked or about to be parked on a street or highway.
>
> (c) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
>
> [Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 38; T.C.A., § 59-839; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 113.]
[http://www.michie.com/tennessee/lpext.dll/tncode/19457/19a6e/19b2e?f=templates&fn=document-frame.htm&2.0#JD\_55-8-139](http://www.michie.com/tennessee/lpext.dll/tncode/19457/19a6e/19b2e?f=templates&fn=document-frame.htm&2.0#JD_55-8-139)
It is illegal, but only in the roadway.
> [@](#):
>
> ```
> (51) “Roadway” means that portion of a highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, **exclusive of the berm or shoulder**. In the event a highway includes two (2) or more separate roadways, “roadway” refers to any such roadway separately but not to all such roadways collectively;
>
> ```
[http://www.michie.com/tennessee/lpext.dll/tncode/19457/19a6e/19a70?fn=document-frame.htm&f=templates&2.0#](http://www.michie.com/tennessee/lpext.dll/tncode/19457/19a6e/19a70?fn=document-frame.htm&f=templates&2.0#)
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### Author:  [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/10 "2008-05-28T18:51:32Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker]
In Virginia, it’s illegal to stand or stop in any roadway for the purpose of soliciting rides. It’s also illegal to enter, as a pedestrian, any highway marked with a sign prohibiting pedestrian traffic. Most every interstate in Virginia is so marked.
[/QUOTE]
Would that mean that trudging along the road with a sign on your back saying “give me a lift?” would be legal, as long as you keep walking?
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### Author:  [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/11 "2008-05-28T19:22:05Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker]
In Virginia, it’s illegal to stand or stop in any roadway for the purpose of soliciting rides. It’s also illegal to enter, as a pedestrian, any highway marked with a sign prohibiting pedestrian traffic. Most every interstate in Virginia is so marked.
[/QUOTE]
Isn’t that just on the interstate highways? It’s been a long time since I last hitchhiked but it was mainly in VA and I never had a problem with police. I haven’t actually seen more than a handful of hitchhikers in the past 10 years though, so maybe that’s the reason.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/12 "2008-05-28T19:39:19Z")
[QUOTE=shiftless]
Isn’t that just on the interstate highways? It’s been a long time since I last hitchhiked but it was mainly in VA and I never had a problem with police. I haven’t actually seen more than a handful of hitchhikers in the past 10 years though, so maybe that’s the reason.
[/QUOTE]
It’s illegal to enter the interstates as a pedestrian for any reason. It’s illegal to stand in any roadway and solicit rides. You’re allowed to use the sidewalk or shoulder to solicit rides - but not on the interstates, where you can’t enter at all.
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### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2008, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-hitchhiking-actually-illegal-or-just-a-really-bad-idea/450905/13 "2008-05-28T19:41:01Z")
[QUOTE=iamthewalrus(:3=]
Would that mean that trudging along the road with a sign on your back saying “give me a lift?” would be legal, as long as you keep walking?
[/QUOTE]
Good question. 🙂 I can’t find any appellate cases on point in a quick search.