Hitcher FAQ
If someone stops do I have to accept the lift?
No. But please decline politely. For example “Thanks for stopping but I'm nervous about accepting a lift from men I don't know” . Use your normal social judgement about this situation. Remember most strangers are just friends you haven't met yet.
Is there a way I can ask only women drivers for a lift?
Yes. If you're using a signboard put this symbol on it.
Is it always £5 or do I have to pay more for a long distance, say to London?
It's always £5. But if you're saving a hundred pounds on a train fare you could offer the driver something towards their petrol.
How much should I offer?
A modern car costs about 15 to 20p per mile in fuel. So for a trip of 100 miles £5 or £10 per person would be appropriate. The driver mustn't accept more than it costs or it will invalidate their insurance.
Why do I have to tick boxes every time I buy tokens?
The donation must be voluntary or we have to pay VAT on it. You need only register for gift aid once but you must gift aid each donation to satisfy Inland Revenue rules.
What is gift aid?
If you are a tax payer by registering for gift aid the charities we support can reclaim the tax you have paid on the donation from the Inland Revenue. This makes your £1 donation worth £1.25p N.B. You must have paid enough tax to cover the amount reclaimed. If not the taxman can ask you for the tax reclaimed back.
So do I have to make a donation?
No. It's voluntary, but the driver may not give you the lift if you don't.
How does the driver know the lift is recorded?
Show them the last screen of the app when you record the lift..
I'm a sex worker. Can I use greenthumb.travel to record the cars I get into?
Yes. How you earn your living is your business not ours. You've as much right to be safe as anyone else. If it bothers your customers point out that the details can only be accessed by the person you nominate or the Police if something happens to you.
How accurate is the record of the start and destination of the lift?
It can be as near as 10 yards/metres. However it depends on your phone and the location. Lots of tall buildings prevent your phone getting a good signal from the GPS satellites. It can be several hundred yards/metres away. Using your phone in battery saving mode will reduce the accuracy as this usually switches off GPS. Cheaper smartphones may not use GPS for positioning. In these cases the position recorded depends on how close mobile phone masts and Wifi are.
Do you vet the drivers who give lifts?
No. If you want vetted drivers use Uber.
What if there is an accident and the drivers is uninsured?
Your claim will be paid by the Motor Insurers Bureau which is set up to deal with these situations. Click Here for more information.
I'm a pensioner and I don't have a smartphone. How can I use Green Thumb?
Take a grandchild or young friend with you. We hope to offer you a service in the future that doesn't need a smartphone but we can't do it yet.
How do I find out who gave me a lift?
We won't normally give out personal details. If something criminal has happened report it to the police and we'll tell them all we know. If it's something else, such as property left in the car contact greenthumb.travel and we'll pass a message to the driver and ask if it's OK to give you contact details. Telephone 0117 4032042 or email info@greenthumb.travel
How old do you have to be to use greenthumb?
We can't enforce a minimum age but the use of greenthumb.travel's service is not recommended or encouraged for young people under the age of 18. If you're under 18 please talk this over with your parents.
Do I need to tell you if my phone is stolen?
Yes, if you have unused tokens. Then we can cancel them and to stop someone else using them. You can ask for them back when you get another phone.
