Anyone tried Blablacar ?

MarkDavis · 13 Oct 2013 at 21:45

MrBlobby said:
Wow what happened to inane banal criticism with stupid pictures and statements ?

I've no idea what you''re talking about :confused:

Nexus said:
Yes its illegal to pick up hitchhikers

It's not illegal in the UK to hitch hike or pick up hitch hikers, though it is against the law to hitch hike from the side of the motorway (and there are obvious safety reasons for that).

In any event, this isn't hitch hiking - its car sharing. It's no different to if I arranged to share a car with you to say Manchester and chipped in towards the petrol costs.

[TW]Fox;25106470 said:
If I was using my car, I'd make the journey alone

Each to their own, but I think we can be too 'buttoned up' in this country. If I had 3 empty seats available, I'd happily give a lift to a couple of people in return for them chipping in a bit towards petrol costs. Everyone saves money, there's less pollution with multiple cars doing the same journey been avoid, and personally, I think its a nice community / social gesture as well.

If it wasn't for the fact I usually need a car to get around at the other end, I'd happily catch a lift with someone. Sit back and relax for a couple of hours!

MarkDavis · 13 Oct 2013 at 21:51

I declare my first BlaBlaCar car share journey.....a SUCCESS!!

Gave a lift to two girls travelling from NW London to Nottingham for a concert. Collected them en-route as it was only a 5 minute off the NCR to the M1. They were very pleasant and respectful, and TBH, I felt a bit bad taking money from them at the other end as I was going to Nottingham anyway.

That said, 300 mile round trip for and £10 each from them makes a useful dent in my petrol costs (£50?) given the ridiculous price of petrol nowadays and it saves them having to pay extortionate train fares or taking forever going by coach and having to travel via Victoria coach station etc.

All in all, a great success! Would be more than happy to do this again... :-)

Nexus · 13 Oct 2013 at 22:24

MarkDavis said:
It's not illegal in the UK to hitch hike or pick up hitch hikers, though it is against the law to hitch hike from the side of the motorway (and there are obvious safety reasons for that).

I wasn't talking about the UK though if you read my posts. I was specifically talking about British Columbia in Canada.

Howard · 13 Oct 2013 at 22:45

Tom_ed1987 said:
I .. actively avoid the general public. It's not for me

MrBlobby · 14 Oct 2013 at 08:16

[TW]Fox;25107092 said:
Are you suggesting that people who don't like the idea of lift-sharing with strangers are 'complete and utter idiots'?

Bizarre view.

I wasn't referring to this thread just other post and threads.

Muffin` · 14 Oct 2013 at 08:24

MarkDavis said:
I declare my first BlaBlaCar car share journey.....a SUCCESS!!

Gave a lift to two girls travelling from NW London to Nottingham for a concert. Collected them en-route as it was only a 5 minute off the NCR to the M1. They were very pleasant and respectful, and TBH, I felt a bit bad taking money from them at the other end as I was going to Nottingham anyway.

That said, 300 mile round trip for and £10 each from them makes a useful dent in my petrol costs (£50?) given the ridiculous price of petrol nowadays and it saves them having to pay extortionate train fares or taking forever going by coach and having to travel via Victoria coach station etc.

All in all, a great success! Would be more than happy to do this again...

I think we'd all be happy carrying young women, it's the burly men with BO issues we're worried about.

d_brennen · 14 Oct 2013 at 08:26

MarkDavis said:
I declare my first BlaBlaCar car share journey.....a SUCCESS!!

Gave a lift to two girls travelling from NW London to Nottingham for a concert. Collected them en-route as it was only a 5 minute off the NCR to the M1. They were very pleasant and respectful, and TBH, I felt a bit bad taking money from them at the other end as I was going to Nottingham anyway.

That said, 300 mile round trip for and £10 each from them makes a useful dent in my petrol costs (£50?) given the ridiculous price of petrol nowadays and it saves them having to pay extortionate train fares or taking forever going by coach and having to travel via Victoria coach station etc.

All in all, a great success! Would be more than happy to do this again...

Ok... Where'd you bury them?

Dogbreath · 14 Oct 2013 at 08:36

[TW]Fox;25106470 said:
If I was using my car, I'd make the journey alone or with friends.
If I didn't have my car or didn't want it for that journey, I'd use the train

No thanks

This pretty much sums it up. I put up with the costs of driving a car because I detest public transport. I get to drive the way I want to, listen to whatever I want to and all in relative privacy so why on earth would I want to turn my car into public transport?

Muffin` said:
I think we'd all be happy carrying young women,

Until you pick up some complete mental case that decides it would be fun to accuse you of assault. (Didn't happen to me, but someone I know very well).

In the words of Comic Book Guy: "Worst idea ever"

MarkDavis · 14 Oct 2013 at 09:28

Dogbreath said:
Until you pick up some complete mental case that decides it would be fun to accuse you of assault. (Didn't happen to me, but someone I know very well).

^ You are either Victor Meldrew or seriously catastophising, thinking of every single absurd possibility....

You realise that the same could happen with you just walking down the street, in a crowded train, standing at a bus shelter, in an office, someone coming round to look at your spare room etc.

I'd also suggest you've got this the wrong way round. Generally people would be more wary of getting into a car and being driven off into the yonder.

Muffin` said:
I think we'd all be happy carrying young women, it's the burly men with BO issues we're worried about.

You see their profiles online. a lot of the profiles are linked to Facebook pages so you can normally form a view as to what people are like. It's up to you whether you offer them a lift - there's no obligation. They can do the same with you as well depending on how much info you post.

Simian · 14 Oct 2013 at 10:10

No people seem to be going from Swindon at 5:30am to Uxbridge for 6:45am or the return Uxbridge 4pm to Swindon 5:20pm

However I'm not sure I'd want a complete stranger in my car with me!! would hamper my Singing along with my music at ear bleeding volumes and picking my nose etc...

Dogbreath · 14 Oct 2013 at 17:03

MarkDavis said:
^ You are either Victor Meldrew or seriously catastophising, thinking of every single absurd possibility....

Not at all, just relating an experience. It's not like giving a lift to a friend, these are complete strangers who you know nothing about. Anyhow, that's a secondary issue to the fact that people tend buy and drive cars because they don't like public transport.

You'd also better hope you don't get involved in an accident whilst carrying your friendly strangers. The personal injury claims would be arriving at your insurers thick and fast.

Muffin` · 14 Oct 2013 at 17:17

Dogbreath said:
The personal injury claims would be arriving at your insurers thick and fast.

That would make no odds to your renewal would it not? Or are the odds about the same as being accused of Assault?

MarkDavis · 14 Oct 2013 at 18:20

Dogbreath said:
Not at all, just relating an experience. It's not like giving a lift to a friend, these are complete strangers who you know nothing about. Anyhow, that's a secondary issue to the fact that people tend buy and drive cars because they don't like public transport.

You'd also better hope you don't get involved in an accident whilst carrying your friendly strangers. The personal injury claims would be arriving at your insurers thick and fast.

Are you completely petrified of the world? Your fears are worryingly disproportionate to the reality.

If you prefer solitude or don't like sharing with people, that's fine, but don't give crazy reasons not car share.

I don't have an issue giving someone I don't know a lift. All they're doing in accompanying me from A to B. The same thing happens when I'm sitting in a train carriage with other people. I don't have a fear of humanity. In the unlikely event that they're difficult, I'll tell them to get out of my car. But realistically, what difficulties do think there are likely to be during a 2 hour journey?

As for people supposedly buying a car because they don't like public transport, you make an assumption which isn't entirely correct. I bought a car for convenience (and load carrying capacity), so I don't have to wait for trains, travel 45mins to Kings Cross, get taxis to/from the station etc, and to have mobility at the other end. If public transport could offer the same convenience at the same or lower cost, I'd happily use public transport.

If I was involved in an accident, the last thing I'd be worried about is whether my insurers have a claim against them from my passenger. I'd be more concerned about getting out in one piece or if I've injured somebody, and if I'm at fault, my insurers are going to take the hit anyway.