App for unplanned carpooling
Feb. 12th, 2016 07:37 pmWhile I am happy to give people a lift for free if it would not be much of a detour from my regular commute, I don't want to be committed to a schedule, I want the freedom for last-minute changes without inconveniencing anybody.
What I'd be open to is an app where I tell it where I'm going and when but with only a few minutes' notice and if anybody happens to want a suitable lift around then it lets me know. Obviously this wouldn't work too well for people who aren't living somewhere with other commuters going to a similar place at a similar time (but as I'm just off the A-road between the two cities, as are other villages, it's quite likely there are some) or who don't have some other transport to fall back on some days (unfortunately I tend to leave a little while after the obvious bus) but it could be useful at least sometimes and, with cellphones with data plans, GPS and mapping, it should be quite feasible.
It would work fine for shopping trips and suchlike too: at least people could save one half of the bus trip. (On Stagecoach here a return ticket is simply twice the cost of a single.) If they bring a Brompton they don't even need me to be going especially close to their destination.
I've not heard the idea from elsewhere though, let alone having seen anything like it. I wonder if I am rather unusual in feeling as though it might fit at least some of us.
What I'd be open to is an app where I tell it where I'm going and when but with only a few minutes' notice and if anybody happens to want a suitable lift around then it lets me know. Obviously this wouldn't work too well for people who aren't living somewhere with other commuters going to a similar place at a similar time (but as I'm just off the A-road between the two cities, as are other villages, it's quite likely there are some) or who don't have some other transport to fall back on some days (unfortunately I tend to leave a little while after the obvious bus) but it could be useful at least sometimes and, with cellphones with data plans, GPS and mapping, it should be quite feasible.
It would work fine for shopping trips and suchlike too: at least people could save one half of the bus trip. (On Stagecoach here a return ticket is simply twice the cost of a single.) If they bring a Brompton they don't even need me to be going especially close to their destination.
I've not heard the idea from elsewhere though, let alone having seen anything like it. I wonder if I am rather unusual in feeling as though it might fit at least some of us.