Hitchhiking is considered a rather dangerous and difficult activity (especially for beginners), but the situation becomes much more complicated with the onset of winter. Some people, of course, stop traveling, but some of the cold do not seem like a good reason to stay at home. It is necessary to prepare much more carefully for hitchhiking trips in winter, because the health of the traveler will envy from this.

The first possible problem that a hitchhiker may face is planning the route more thoroughly. This criterion is very important, since it is hardly possible to change something directly on the road, and improper planning can bring many problems. The main problem is that cars are much less common in winter, and if a person is very far from civilization, there is a huge chance of not getting to the destination at all.

For this reason, the route must be calculated in such a way that even in the absence of cars or an unfortunate coincidence of circumstances, the traveler himself can get to the place where you can spend the night, even if it takes a long time. Of course, you can fully equip yourself and spend the night in nature more or less calmly, but in winter it is quite difficult, and the number of things you have to take with you will increase significantly. This option is not optimal.

It is imperative to think over possible deviations from the planned route, because situations are different (depending on the weather). There is a possibility that a person simply will not be able to move along the planned route.

Weather reports for the near future are necessarily checked in advance. If the weather can deteriorate badly, it is better to refuse either this route, or travel altogether, since it is not worth your health, and even more so your life.

During the winter hitchhiking, you will also have to change the place where the tourist will catch the car. The problem may be that, due to poor visibility, a person may simply not be noticed, or this section of the road may be unsafe. The new location needs to be chosen more carefully. In no case should you stop on the roadway or around a bend, since the driver simply will not have time to orient himself, and the braking distance in winter is much longer, not to mention the narrowness of the road. The tourist should not risk himself or the driver.

Even while waiting, it is recommended not to stand still, but to move at least a little. This will prevent the body from freezing quickly. It is recommended to throw either branches or something on which to stand under your feet. Feet will not freeze so quickly, which is especially important in winter.

You must have a hot drink. If possible, you should always replenish his stocks, because no tourist will be able to say for sure how long he will have to wait for a ride and whether the weather will deteriorate during this time .

Naturally, special attention is paid to clothing, because it should be not only warm, but also comfortable. It is important to understand that sometimes you have to stand a lot, so the body should not freeze, but at the same time, it should not sweat a lot when a tourist is getting somewhere. That is why it is recommended to pay attention to thermal underwear and clothing in general. She will warm well, and quickly remove excess moisture, which will not allow you to freeze.

It is important to take into account the time, because in winter it gets dark much faster. Accordingly, the likelihood of catching a car is significantly reduced.

Since drivers are people too, they are more likely to pick up a lonely and frozen tourist, but for this he must behave correctly and not create problems for himself or for the driver. If a person is not prepared and has no such experience, it is highly discouraged to hitchhike in winter.