Tips for female backpackers

As much as I would like that advantage of being picked up of so fast for being a lady I would never want to trade it for the danger that they put themselves in. As sexiest as it seems the road is harsh and you need to take precautions as a female on the road. So here's some dos and don'ts to remember:

DO:

~Travel with a friend if you can. A man would be your best choice but another female works great too. A male friend can pretend to be a boyfriend or husband keeping away some of the pervs.

~Try and take a couple martial arts classes. A little bit of know how and some will power goes a long way. Also a little can of pepper spray can go a long ways and is legal in most places.

~Go to places like gas stations or truck stops. Anywhere you can stop and know the driver a bit better before hand and turn down the ride if anything seems fishy.

~Do your best to memorize the plate number and text it to a friend. If that fails text the model and color of the car to a friend. It's best to have a homebase you can keep up with as much as possible.

~Stand with confidence. Hands at your hips and when somebody pulls over make direct eye contact. They're not going to want somebody whose going to fight tooth, claw, and nail they want a victim.

~Make sure you check the childlock before you shut the car door. Go ahead and wiggle the handle just to be extra sure.

DON'T:

~Wear revealing clothing or jewelery.

~Be afraid to turn down rides. There's always the next one. You might think you're being rude or they might get upset but its your life that's being put on the line. If anything seems fishy trust yourself, don't do anything silly.

~Hitch at night. Even men like me have been mistaken for working the oldest profession in the world. I highly expect it to be common for women hitchhikers to be mistaken for prostitutes during prostitution peak hours.

~Get into a car with more than one man. I'll leave it up to you to get into a car with one man but your best bet is families and couples.

~Fall asleep in the strangers car.

I've heard to many horror stories for anyone of any gender not to be as careful as possible. I've personally never felt life threatening danger but many EMTs have told me things they've found left in a ditch in the backwoods. If you ever feel like anything is going wrong just ask to be let out and use the bathroom or eat. If they argue insist. If they still keep driving now is the time to get that can of pepper spray ready to go and get the police on the phone.

Just be safe, use common sense, and you'll do fine. Best of luck ladies.