Top tips for lift sharing

by Jo-ann Hodgson on 26.09.08

Lift sharing is commonplace in Cuba; it’s what makes Cuba move. Hitchhiking is encouraged by the Cuban government as a way of meeting shortages in transport and overcrowding on buses and trains. And government vehicles travelling with empty passenger seats are obliged by law to stop and pick up hitchhikers.

But we do not live in Cuba. We live in Britain, and conversely suffer from the downsides of too many cars on the road.

According to National Car Share, if everyone who drives to work on their own every day were to share with someone else just once a week, commuting car journeys would reduce by up to 20%. Which would improve the driving experience for all of us, as well as reducing emissions.

And you don’t have to think of the bigger picture to see the benefit. Sharing journeys saves money on petrol and running costs and possibly the cost and effort of parking too.

All good. But if you’re to avoid being taken for a ride, it’s best to follow some simple rules - as experienced lift-sharers have often learnt the hard way.

Lift to experience # 1

Chris Harding’s commute to and from work clocks up 23 miles. There were a number of reasons behind his decision to open his car doors to fellow commuters. “The green issue was the biggest incentive, then guilt - that I was driving in when other people were having to wait for trains and buses - and then cost-sharing,” he says.

Chris operates his shared commute as a day-by-day arrangement but has laid down some basic guidelines. “Whoever wants a lift gets in touch with me, usually by email or text,” he says. “They get to my house at 8.20am - and it’s 5pm to leave work, give or take 15 minutes. If someone needs dropping off nearer home for whatever reason I’ll also sort that out with them. And it’s £2 per person per day.”

He stresses the importance of setting ground rules before you agree to share your journey. “Make it clear that you’ll allow a certain amount of flexibility as long as it’s within reason and stick to it,” Chris says. “One of my regular passengers is often late and rather slack with giving me any money for fuel. It has caused some tension before and is still a bit of an issue.”

Lift to experience # 2

Rob Stevens used to share his commute from Brighton to Guildford with three other men in order to reduce the cost of travelling and often enjoyed the company the arrangement provided.

“Banter and venting can be a good antidote for a particularly stressful day,” he says. However, he says it can be a mixed blessing. “When you’re stuck in the car with someone else who has had a particularly stressful day and who needs to vent, it can have an impact on your morale,” he explains.

The logistics of the arrangement can also prove stressful, Rob explains: “Getting everyone to one place at the right time or doing the rounds to pick everyone up can be a pain. Travelling together means everyone has to arrive and leave at the same time, which is fine for a nine-to-five, but not ideal for an industry in which overtime is expected.”

He advises that lift-sharers work out collection points and times and make sure everyone knows them or, failing that, has a charged, switched on, functional mobile phone.

“It’s also important to shower, every day,” he says. “Do the maths; one car, four men - some of whom have to walk in excess of half an hour up fairly steep hills to reach the pickup points - and hot summer days.

“And buy a car big enough to cater for at least the number of people you’re planning on ferrying. I have particularly fond memories of one summer evening when the A23 was closed due to an accident, which coincided with five of us having to cram into a three-door Audi A3, with no opening rear windows, for the three-and-a-half hours it took to nose-to-tail queue our way into town.”

Living’s top tips for lift sharers

• Set ground rules before embarking on your lift share adventure.

• Allow for a certain amount of flexibility and stick to your guidelines.

• When getting a lift with someone else, make sure you’re on time and pay them as agreed.

• Keep frustrated work talk to a minimum.

• Make sure your mobile is switched on and working in case of any last minute changes to arrangements.

• Good personal hygiene will be appreciated.

• Don’t overload the car.

Finding your fellow lift sharers

• www.liftshare.com helps you find people with whom you can share your journey to work.
  

• www.isanyonegoingto.com can match you up with people going to the same place or event as you.
  

• www.nationalcarshare.co.uk initiates various flexible lift sharing partnerships.
  

• www.gumtree.com gives you a space to advertise your lift offer privately, find liftsharers in your area and organise lift-shares to national events.

IMAGES by FLickr users Mike Licht and Sean FitzGerald