Even though temps are rising, it's still winter in Minnesota so maybe you want to skip town but don't have a ride. Hitchhiking is actually illegal in some states, but is it legal in the land of 10,000 lakes?

Minnesota State Statute 169.22 states “No person shall stand in a roadway for the purpose of soliciting a ride from the driver of any private vehicle.” A roadway is defined as “a portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the sidewalk or shoulder.” If a pedestrian is off the roadway (shoulder or ditch) technically, they could still solicit a ride from a person driving a vehicle. It should also be noted that no pedestrian is allowed on or along the freeway (including shoulder or ditch).

So it is legal as long as you follow those rules. However, there's always a word of caution with picking up hitchhikers; I've seen movies like 'The Hitcher' and 'House of 1,000 Corpses', so I will not be picking up hitchhikers anytime soon. Also, don't forget about pedestrian safety, with vehicles traveling at high speeds and the possibility of impaired drivers, it doesn't make for a good mix.

Use caution, judgment and Godspeed when stopping to pick up a hitchhiker if you choose to do so. I just wouldn't recommend doing it at night while it's raining, that just has horror movie written all over it.

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