In pursuit of the previous post about the cheerful and laid-back hitchhiking in Thailand. Inspired, so to speak.
I had a chance to hitchhike, look at the roads of France from the hitchhikers. And what can I say – there is hitchhiking, although it is slowly being replaced by covoiturage.
The content of the article
- 1 blablacar
- 2 Hitchhiking in French
- 3 Hitchhiker’s Guide to Autobahn or Regular Road?
- 4 Language Barrier in France
Contents
Blablacar
Covoiturage is a type of movement when the driver and passengers are thrown off the gas and to pay for the roads. there is special sites for this, where you can find each other, like Blablacar. And ^ this is so popular that offers Drivers are snapped up like burning cakes. I could not leave Grenoble in this way, everything was already taken. Some drivers even earn this way, put the price higher than the cost of road, and drive there and there.
Now in Russia it is already there, the site is the same – BlaBlacar. Service Came to us from Europe and has exactly the same name.
Hitchhiking in french
The first time I went to the track, as usual, I got up with raised hand waiting for the car. And it was like that for 1.5 hours. Strange because hitchhiking in Europe should be much more developed than in Russia, and even thought it was upset, because in front of me they still waited 800 km.
However, at the next stop, I met French hitchhiker, and he taught me to stop right, in French. BUT It consisted in a small theatricalization of their actions. Need to to wave hands, smile, laugh, make fun, turning in drivers, wave them a sign, and a little dance. Unusually a bit, but much more fun and warmer. All the same November is already cold for hitchhiking.
In France, in the course of the sign, where you need to write the name of the city, where are you driving. Or even better than those settlements that meet along the road. Thereby more likely to get the right the driver.
In fact, there are also completely opposite situations proving that hitchhiking in France is alive. I picked up the car, in which already had 3 people, and yes even a dog. However, they called their friends to find out if they would go to the city Lyon, and will they take me.
France. Hitchhiker’s Guide to Europe
Hitchhiking on the highway or a regular road?
Since in France there are toll and free roads, the style movement on them is different.
Toll roads are highways that pedestrians navigate it is forbidden, which means you cannot stand on the side of the road either. And drive constantly special machines checking whether everything is in order on road, including the presence of pedestrians. Only valid places are gas stations, parking lots, and road payment points (Peage). But in fact, really only stand on the last, so as parkings and refueling are rare.
Restrictions are related to the safety of people. There is even such joke: a pedestrian on the autobahn does not live longer than 15 minutes. Her to us told a man who once worked in the road service and picked us up, just straight on the autobahn.
Piazhi located at the entrances and exits on the highway. Accordingly, only entries are needed. Here lies the main disadvantage movement on the highway. All traffic passes by you. So how are you just standing at the entrance to the autobahn from some settlement, and not straight on the road. And if this item full fart, and cars there 1.5 per hour, that is all the chances to hang there for a long time. So learn to dance! Good hitch – dancing hitchhiker!
Moving on free roads is very similar to the situation in Russia. Stand on the curb as much as you want and wait for the car. But on long distance the french usually drive it Autobahn, and therefore there will likely have to be content in short dashes, or hope for a driver who wants to to save. There is another small minus of this option – the network roads are very extensive, without a good and detailed map go to hell on horns. And also a lot of small and not very small settlements along the road. In this regard, autobahns win – straight road with normal speed limits, without cities, without traffic lights, and with drivers traveling far.
Language barrier in france
It so happened that none of the drivers that brought me up spoke english. More precisely, one said, but very bad. there is the opinion that the French of principle do not like to speak English language, even if he is known. I have not come across this yet, but it’s a fact that not everyone knows English, despite the fact that it is Europe, there is.
Therefore, only one English is not enough, you need to own more sign language, have google translate on your smartphone. Not be superfluous learn at least a few phrases in french.
I hope someone will find this information useful. hitchhiking in Europe, and in particular France. And even though I have a couple of times hung out for a couple of hours on the road, I am very pleased with the trip and experience gained.
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