Streetsblog reports on a City Car Share backed proposal to enable “personal vehicle sharing,” in which car owners like you and me (but more like you because I don’t own a car*) would “make their vehicles available to a pre-screened pool of personal vehicle sharing participants during the periods of the day when their car is not in use.” The car owners would be compensated to “cover the cost of usage.”
So, obviously, this is different than City Car Share or Zipcar’s traditional sharing option, in which you “check out” a company owned-and-maintained car. This model is more like living in the dorms, when you’re the one sent out to get Little Caesars with your roommate’s car because you’re the only one who didn’t take mushrooms.
Those proposing this communal model of personal car sharing seem actualized about what a hassle implementing this might be, so their first stop is making changes to the insurance industry, after which they “could be administered through an established car-sharing service like City CarShare, or it could eventually be done through personal and professional networks like Facebook and LinkedIn” says Streetsblog.
If a co-op car model is going to work anywhere in the US, this seems like the place (pipe down, Portland), right? So, what do you think, would you participate in a program where you check out some regular Joe’s clunker? And if you’re regular Joe, would you make your clunker available to check out?
Let’s figure this one out: pick the option that applies best to your stance and situation.
*not for any holier than thou reasons — I’m just poor, have bad vision, and am very lazy. What an awesome combo.
