One of the things I love most about not owning a car is sharing rides with people. How often does a large group of people attend an event, each in their own private wheeled shuttle? Often many of those people live or work near each other and could easily ride together.
What’s great about needing a ride is that often the person who gives said ride is someone I would not normally sit down and have a conversation with. This adds a whole new benefit for me since I love to meet and talk to people. It’s a great way to network or build closer friendships with people.
I know you might be thinking, “But then you’re still relying on a car.” Listen, I’m not saying that no person in the world should own a vehicle. What I’m really saying is that not EVERY person in the world needs to own a vehicle. Many vehicles just sit idle all day or transport one solitary person from place to place.
The “sharing economy,” as its commonly referred, makes logical sense since most of what we own is not used regularly. Unless your job requires you to drive around all day, your car generally sits at work all day and then at home all night. Clearly this is what prompted the creation of RelayRides, Zipcar and other car sharing programs.
There is a comfy place in heaven for those who let me borrow their car without them in it. But my favorite is when we are going to the same event or place, and we can share the ride and some good conversation.
Even if you own a car, wouldn’t it make sense to carpool when you can? Don’t let the current price of gas fool you. It’s still expensive to own and operate a vehicle. Fortunately, we have choices in life and ride sharing is one of them.
