More on hitchhiking

Okay, okay. I said I would be writing more on this thing and I haven't exactly lived up to that. Well, now I'm back to write about my favorite thing. Hitchhiking.

Hitchhiking is why I get excited every morning. In fact, hitchhiking is hands down my favorite part of living in the Bay Area. So, what is it exactly?

Truth be told, what I do is not called hitchhiking. It's called casual carpooling and there are rules.

Rule 1: The first rule of casual carpooling is, you do not talk about casual carpooling.

Wait, wait. That's not right. Let's start again.

Rule 1: There are no rules.

Nope. Again!

Rule 1 (For real): Do not talk to the driver unless the driver speaks to you.

Rule 2: The driver chooses what the car listens to. If the driver likes Barry Manilow, you sit there and you like it. If the driver likes Korn, you smile and nod. If the driver selects NPR, you breathe a sigh of relief.

Rule 3: The driver must own an expensive car with leather seats.*

Rule 4: The driver needs at least two other people in the car to use the HOV lane and not have to pay the toll (now you know why they take us!) but may take additional people if the line of carpoolers is long and it's late. Note: If you drive a two-seater car then you can ride in the HOV lane with just one person. Cool for you, but sometimes a wee bit sketchy for the ladies.

Rule 5: Everybody wins (Yay!).

So that's why I love the Bay.

* This isn't actually a rule but it's almost always the norm at my pick-up spot. I hope I haven't jinxed it now... I love those leather seats.