Hitching for the Environment

While driving around San Francisco I noticed something I found quite odd. There are places along the road with ‘Ride Share’ signs. This apparently is where people can stand at this individualized bus stop to be picked up by anyone that feels like it – a sort of civically organized hitching. I can see why someone driving alone would like to avoid the insane traffic by use of the carpool lane, it just creeps me out a bit that it involves putting total strangers in the seat next to you whether you’re the driver or the guest. Isn’t this the perfect serial killer opportunity.? It certainly reduces the hassle of acquiring a victim the old fashioned way … or is my notion just paranoid?