[pct-l] Tons of questions

[Denis Stanton]

> On 26/03/2016, at 12:05 PM, Marcus <pctl at marcusschwartz.com> wrote:
> 
> 2. I've never hitchhiked before.  Is there any etiquette I should know
> about, e.g. are hitchhikers expected to pay for gas?

Hi Marcus,

I’ll leave the gear questions to those with more experience.  I can’t resist commenting on the hitch hiking.

I have hitched to and from the PCT very successfully over the last 10 years of visiting the USA to section hike.  I’ve also given quite a few rides when I had a rental car.
The main etiquette requirement is to be patient and be friendly, smile a lot and be happy with whatever you are offered, remembering that the drivers don’t owe you anything. There is no reason why they should put themselves out and stop for you.  You chose to be stuck on the roadside asking for help.  Smile and wave whether they stop or not.  I’ve had drivers turn and come back because they liked the way I handled initial rejection.

I’ve never been asked for gas money, nor accepted it as a driver.  Last year two young men took me over 200 miles to San Francisco.  They stopped at a gas station and I forced $20 on them because they were doing me a big favour.  They reluctantly took it and went into the store.  It turned out they didn’t need gas, they had stopped to buy a Speed Stick - for me

Denis