Casual Carpool

A free system (semi-​free now) of transportation in the Bay Area? Who would have thunk it?
In theory, casual carpool represents the fundamentals of utopia. It brings a community together from different areas and encourages interaction and socialization. It unifies people and capitalizes on their common goal (getting to work and back home safely for a very small fee). So as most theories go, this is and can be what casual carpool could be if not for human nature and the elements presented by the Bay Area.
First off, while I can take casual carpool I would not subject my wife to it on her own. There are some weirdos out there and women can be easily victimized. For the women who do casual carpool regularly… a lot of common sense, practicality, and self defense is necessary. I have yet to encounter a moment wherein someone’s life was threatened in any fashion like what I am eluding to, but the danger exists. Keep it real. Women, please be cautious and protect yourselves. Ride with buddies and never with two men, especially if they pull up together.
So I’m a cheapskate and for me this method of transportation is convenient. I’m a big dude and I’m pretty confident no one is going to try and take advantage of me. Don’t get me wrong either, there are lots of great people who pool. The greater percentage of people are awesome people. But there are A-​holes and there are some really moody, crappy people.
If you can handle yourself and don’t mind riding with strangers, then you should do it. But you do have to put up with cramped spaces, hot/​stuffy environments, bad breath, terrible conversations, bad music, terrible scents (weed, body funk), BS, horrific drivers, and crazies every now and then. For the most part you get to ride in a decent car non stop for a $ 1.25 one way. Who can beat that? It’s not the ferry and isn’t the same comforting safe place as your own vehicle but it’s reliable as long as 80 stays accident free.
I’ve met some pretty cool people here and I am in full support of keeping this system pure. But drivers who pick up, please stop picking people from the line. Take the next person (s). Keep it fair.

Who ever created this idea, was a genius…
For those of you who do not know what casual carpool is. Exclusively for the east bay folks who commute to sf for work. Ever since Caltrans created the carpool/​diamond lane, drivers who do not wish to pay full price of the toll/​bypass traffic can have a total of 3 or more people in their vehicle as FASTRAK will charge $ 2.50 vs $ 6.00 during the weekdays.
There are several locations ie: Hercules, Rodeo, Vallejo, Fairfield, El Cerrito, Oakland, Emeryville, Concord, Alameda, Berkeley etc. As for being a share rider depending on location, it is common courtesy to pay the driver $ 1.25. There is one location for drop off at 1^st & Fremont st, and one location for a ride back which is on Beale & Howard St.
It’s been 12yrs since I’ve been commuting into San Francisco and I’m glad casual carpool has been a back up for me, just in case if I can’t find a ride. I’ve saved $$$ by commuting this way-​beats taking the bus and paying for bart. I know riding with strangers can be weird, but is totally safe.
Ps. you are not obligated to talk!

Free ride to work and home– check
Different car, different, driver, different passenger, different experience everyday– check
Guarenteed to provide a good story to tell over drinks– check
To me casual carpool is like a little adventure everday. Will I get a ride? Will my driver know how to drive? Will there be conversation or silence? Will I be kidknapped? Will the car be nice or a hoopty? Will today be the day I need to use my pepperspray? Should I get in a 2-​seater with a man driving a utility van? What kind of music will they be playing? Will they have a cactus leaf in the back seat? Will their radio randomly turn up full blast mysteriously, repeatedly? Will they be listening to christian love stories on tape?
The possibilities are endless… am I paranoid? maybe, but I like to imagine all the possible scenarios it makes it more interesting!

The work day is behind us, now. Its reflection bounces off of the tall glass buildings before us and showers our faces like the lunar light on an early Autumn morning. The afternoon begins to give way to a cool evening. Just like yesterday and the day before that, last week and last month, day after day, back and forth, south to work, north back home, all and everything we’ve invested (our time mostly) seems to shine at this moment, while we’re waiting in line for our car. It’s a different car every day. We never know who it’s going to be, we just hope it’s soon. It’s as if we just found out that we’ve won the lottery when we are finally the first in line and a big car pulls up. But we don’t care if we have to sit in the back of a hatchback — We are only thinking about getting home.
No one wants the big guy in mirrored shades driving the ol’ red Ford pick up. He comes rolling up to our sad curb and the first few ladies shrug him off down the line. Edgar eventually shuffles up and into the rig, and off he goes towards I-​80, clicking in for the diamond lane. As he departs, he might stare down at those of us remaining in line with a sigh of satisfaction; we are now inferior to him who is now the passenger.
I used Casual Carpool for 3 years and never said a word to any one of you. We rarely made eye contact. I spilled my coffee on one lady by accident. I apologized profusely — She wiped it off listlessly and dragged her body a couple steps forward to catch up with the moving line of people.
To bide our time in line, we would listen to music, read a book, connect with someone in the real world via cell phone, stare up at the buildings and imagine a hot sexual happening on the 17^th floor, or find the farthest point on the horizon and just stare.
I read more books during these three years than any other time in my life. On some rides, I would help the driver stay awake by listening to anecdotes that have probably been told time and time again on those busy drives that seem to stretch out through time. If you’re not in the front with the driver, you’re the lucky one in the backseat: Your home for the hour-​and-​a-​half-​or-​so it takes to get to that Greyhound parking lot on Lemon Street in Vallejo, California.