I used to see a lot hanging about near the border at Villar Formosa,the border for Spain/Portugal, it was Australians, maybe on gap years, some would go to North Africa too.
It was good company when you did pick some up, share a meal at night, chat in the day.I was too polite with two Ozzy lasses, i let them sleep in my cab and used their tent by the side of the truck for the night, woke up to find half naked lasses getting out of my bed.
A weird lady i picked up in Portugal, who did not speak a word, was covered in bruises and cuts, i would imagine had a fight with the hubby, due to shipping in to the Uk i was forced to dump her on the outskirts of Paris, she did smell bad, i think she was on somthing as she slept all day on my bunk and did not move.
You do not see so many now.
You should write you’re memoirs Toby!
I’ve seen quite a few. Austrians, Germans, and Ukranians mostly.
From my experience, there is still more of them in Europe (especially France, Benelux, Germany and more East) than in UK…
Orys, they make a long journey more interesting, someone to talk to along the way.
toby1234abc:
Orys, they make a long journey more interesting, someone to talk to along the way.
I know. And it’s also a great method of travel - meeting interesting people, getting to the places you would never know about otherwise… I had my share of hitchhiking in my younger years and now to pay it back, I tend to take them when I can. 
And go 50% off on the meal bill too. 
I have been hitchhiker when I was younger and it is best happens in my life - it was great memories and fun 
Had been lifted by Turks, Serb, Czech and Russian lorry drivers also many of German people in cars - Bmw sport car, Audi and varies of cars
One problem is lots of lorry drivers start to won’t pick hitchiking due fear to have trouble with Polizei! Turks driver told me that he would love to help me but Polizei had been trouble with him in past with hitchhikers.
Sometime I stand in Autobahn Services Station (Rasthof / Rastatte) on exit slip and wait to find for a lift - could be from 10 mins to six hours to wait for lift even hundreds lorries passes!! Several Polizei car stopped and had a word with me - check with my passport and ask some simple Englisch questions ie - where did you came from or go to? then no problem and leave me alone to continue to hitchiking
orys:
toby1234abc:
Orys, they make a long journey more interesting, someone to talk to along the way.I know. And it’s also a great method of travel - meeting interesting people, getting to the places you would never know about otherwise… I had my share of hitchhiking in my younger years and now to pay it back, I tend to take them when I can.
+1
…they’ve all been murdered
There are lots of girls at the side of the road near La Jonquera, are they hitch hiking
Wilko:
There are lots of girls at the side of the road near La Jonquera, are they hitch hiking
Only if they hold a thumb up, in the old traditional ‘thumbing a lift’ fashion 