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[[Image:Warsaw-poznan.JPG|thumb|300px|right|You'll be seeing a lot of this.]]
There are some essential things you should remember when you are going hitchhiking. [[Hitchwiki]] suggests you keep these in mind when starting your career as an enthusiastic thumber:
== [[Where to hitchhike|Be in a good, safe spot]] ==
[[Image:Amylin_hitching_northern_ca.jpg|thumb|300px|right|This looks like a good spot. You're easily visible, the drivers are slowing down at the junction, and there is a obvious place for them to stop.]]
Be in a place where the cars can see you from a distance and stop safely. You don't want to be driven over. This is maybe the biggest [[Hitchhiker's safety | danger]] in hitchhiking.
== [[Appearance|Types of clothing]] ==
[[Image:Img0080ow5.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Many hitchhiking spots are dusty. White shoes not advised.]]
Although this may seem to be a small matter, types and colour of clothing are very important. Try to wear light, even bright and colorful clothes, and have your non-thumbing hand visible since light coloured clothes inspire more trust than darker clothes. Also, if the weather permits it, try to keep your forearms visible. If people can see your hands and arms, they'll be less likely to see you as a threat, or as someone trying to conceal something. A fun and colorful clothes/hat is a great way to inspire people to pick you up!
If you have the chance, adding "Please" onto your signs could be a great idea. As well as being polite, writing "Please" in a certain language can indicate that you are a good speaker of that language, and this can be used to attract certain groups of driver who were ignoring you before. However, your main message is the destination/road number/compass direction. "Please" is an extra word for the driver to read, and trying to read that word can become a big distraction from the main message. Also, as you're clearly in a desperate position it's already accepted that you are being grateful for any assistance; once a driver stops, you can say "Please" as much as you like. Experiment with "Please" for yourself, and see what happens.
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[[Image:Carl_Nai_Maroc.jpg|thumb|327px|In the UK, road names work well.]]
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[[Image:Signs.JPG|thumb|350px|Keep the signs bold and clear!]]
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== [[Safety | Safe hitchhiking]] ==
== [[Finding accommodation]] ==
[[Image:Roads.JPG|thumb|300px|right|At night, it'll get tougher. Apart from much less traffic, people may trust you less (especially men) and you may be in more danger (especially women). Also, you're not so visible as you were before. But if someone does decide to help, they will probably help you as much as they can...]]
On longer hitchhiking trips you may need to camp along the way, if you did not receive a ride to your intended destination. Sometimes you can find a hostel or local host for the night, but just in case: bring a sleeping bag and tarp or tent with you. Make sure to bring clothes that will suit you for night weather.