I'm torn. On one hand, you do have a valid point, but on the other hand...it depends on the person. That friend that let me crash in his hotel room was then at

I'm torn. On one hand, you do have a valid point, but on the other hand...it depends on the person. That friend that let me crash in his hotel room was then at most an acquaintance I knew from IRC. I mentioned my problem on an IRC channel and he offered to help out for the entire 9 days I was planning on staying. I did not go to him and ask if he had a place. After we met up in person, our friendship really developed. You could say it was just a smaller version of the HN community, as that now-friend was pretty much someone I've never met before, just another person I said hello to on IRC on a semi-regular basis. Some people wouldn't take offense to the idea of sharing a couch like this. Others may. But it's only due to the generosity and openness of certain people that an idea like couchsurfing is even possible. And well, if anyone did maybe feel like letting this guy crash on their couch, they can get to know him better beforehand, and in person. The HN community isn't totally strange..yes, you don't know everyone personally, but people here most likely share some interests. I know that if someone here asked, we had lots of interests in common, and they didn't mind sharing a couch at my house and I didn't mind them staying over that I would most likely not mind them crashing for a day or two. Especially if they did some chores around the house or something small...doing the dishes after dinner, taking out the trash. :)