Rideshare

Go Your Own Way:Craigslist Rideshare

Craigslist’s rideshare section is basically organized hitchhiking. I posted an ad saying I’d be driving to Detroit from Troy and a guy from Rochester Hills wanted me to drive him to the airport. I agreed, but never heard back from him. I assume he walked.

After no other responses, I asked people on Craigslist for their experiences with rideshare. Rob Rowe from Ann Arbor has been doing dozens of rideshares since his days at U of M, taking them for business, pleasure or adventure. “The really long distance shares are the interesting ones,” he said. “The best experience was when I was in Denver and I needed to get back to Ann Arbor. I posted on Craigslist and got a response from a woman that co-owned a very successful restaurant in NYC and was making a culinary adventure out of her trip. She had planned stops at some great restaurants along the way, so we ate very well and had a great time. The worst experience was with a couple girls who didn’t want to chip in for gas and expenses going from Ann Arbor to Chicago. I think they either thought they could sweet talk their way there, or expected to trade something else for the ride.”

Rowe, 40, said most of the ridesharers split gas and tolls, but otherwise it’s free. “Sometimes I just want a cheap vacation,” he continued. “When I do a business trip to New York or Chicago, I’ll usually post for riders to come along. Time goes by faster when you have someone to converse with, and it’s nice to split the gas cost.”

Preparing for my rideshare, I was more than a little nervous about safety. Rowe says that as long as you’re careful, it won’t be a problem. “I’m usually pretty selective,” he explained. “I’m a pretty good judge of character and can tell if people are easy to get along with, or just too weird to be cooped up with for hours. I’ve talked to people who’ve had some creepy experiences. Any woman gets creepy responses. Most of the people I’ve rideshared with have become friends who I correspond with occasionally, or even visit sometimes. The longer trips can be bonding experiences with the right people.” RDW