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But will it actually get used? I like the idea but I am not sure if I would actually WANT a stranger in my car when the time actually comes.

by jpmoyn 9y ago

maeln 9y ago
I don't know where you live but in my country (France), carpooling is very popular. Waze being a very popular application here, it's very probable that they manage to take on BlaBlaCar which basicly has a monopoly when it comes to carpooling here.
- yoran 9y ago
  I've always wondered why something like BlaBlaCar does not exist in the US. Or why BlaBlaCar does not expand to the US. True, people are more used to taking domestic flights because of distances but I can think of routes, such as between NYC and Boston, where carpooling could be a good alternative to the train and cheap buses. I'm sure there are others too.
  - ghaff 9y ago
    Downtown to downtown, bus is pretty cheap though. They all advertise low-ball rates and I'm not sure what a more realistic price is but it seems to be in the range of $20-$40 or so.
- lucb1e 9y ago
  > BlaBlaCar which basicly has a monopoly when it comes to carpooling here Wait, BlaBlaCar is actually a brand and not a placeholder for "some car[pooling] company"? Because blabla is how we write "blah blah" in dutch (n.b. "bla bla" also works in dutch). Edit: Ok so it's a thing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blablacar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blablacar
empath75 9y ago
It'll 100% get used in DC to get around the $30 tolls on 66. They already have "sluglines" where people pick up strangers so they can drive on the hov lane.
- dwater 9y ago
  And this practice has been going on informally since the 70's when the first HOV lanes were opened. I have used it before and although the first few rides might feel awkward, you get used to it quickly and it's a great improvement over driving in traffic. It might have been easier to start here though because almost everyone who uses it on the route I take is going to the Pentagon, so the drivers and riders are fairly homogenous.
noer 9y ago
I hope so. Most large metro areas sponsor carpool matching programs, though they're usually administered/marketed through the worksite. A lot areas also sponsor a guaranteed ride home program too so that if you carpool to work and for some reason can't carpool home, your cab/transit fare will be reimbursed.

But will it actually get used? I like the idea but I am not sure if I would actually WANT a stranger in my car when the time actually comes.

by jpmoyn 9y ago

But will it actually get used? I like the idea but I am not sure if I would actually WANT a stranger in my car when the time actually comes.

maeln 9y ago

I don't know where you live but in my country (France), carpooling is very popular. Waze being a very popular application here, it's very probable that they manage to take on BlaBlaCar which basicly has a monopoly when it comes to carpooling here.

yoran 9y ago
I've always wondered why something like BlaBlaCar does not exist in the US. Or why BlaBlaCar does not expand to the US. True, people are more used to taking domestic flights because of distances but I can think of routes, such as between NYC and Boston, where carpooling could be a good alternative to the train and cheap buses. I'm sure there are others too.
- ghaff 9y ago
  Downtown to downtown, bus is pretty cheap though. They all advertise low-ball rates and I'm not sure what a more realistic price is but it seems to be in the range of $20-$40 or so.
lucb1e 9y ago
> BlaBlaCar which basicly has a monopoly when it comes to carpooling here Wait, BlaBlaCar is actually a brand and not a placeholder for "some car[pooling] company"? Because blabla is how we write "blah blah" in dutch (n.b. "bla bla" also works in dutch). Edit: Ok so it's a thing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blablacar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blablacar

empath75 9y ago

It'll 100% get used in DC to get around the $30 tolls on 66. They already have "sluglines" where people pick up strangers so they can drive on the hov lane.

dwater 9y ago
And this practice has been going on informally since the 70's when the first HOV lanes were opened. I have used it before and although the first few rides might feel awkward, you get used to it quickly and it's a great improvement over driving in traffic. It might have been easier to start here though because almost everyone who uses it on the route I take is going to the Pentagon, so the drivers and riders are fairly homogenous.

noer 9y ago

I hope so. Most large metro areas sponsor carpool matching programs, though they're usually administered/marketed through the worksite. A lot areas also sponsor a guaranteed ride home program too so that if you carpool to work and for some reason can't carpool home, your cab/transit fare will be reimbursed.