Check it out: http://www.GishiGo.com

GishiGo is based on PayPal. Does a good job at filtering out all the BS that’s so very common on free anonymous websites like Craigslist and MySpace, etc. People refuse to put up the 99 cents if they are “just BS kidding” (like half the time on some websites), and they refuse to do any identification/papertrail if they are pervs. Seems there are a lot of weird ones on the “anonymous and socially open & politically active” Craigslist (that site is great since it has the eyeballs = the traffic). GishiGo seems to be good tool to use side-by-side with it!

Just a note of caution – CRAIGSLIST is just about the WORST way to rideshare possible. I’ve heard some pretty scary nightmare stories of girls who have been solicited half-way through their trip or about hippies that light up a joint while behind the wheel. I think a large part of the issue with services like CRAIGSLIST is that they are free, so their is no barrier to scum, there’s no filter.

Beyond the potential dangers, there’s really no way to easily find people going to the same place at the same time. Plus, even if you do find someone going your way, you have to ask MANY questions to truly be comfortable. Are you dealing with a smoker or non-smoker, male or female, hill-billy or rap artist. Without laundry list of questions, you’re setting yourself up for hours of awkwardness on the road.

Fortunately, there is a great Craigslist rideshare alternatives The service, Ridester.com offers free registration, and it’s free to list an offer or look for a ride. The ridester system offers a feedback rating system to create accountability and reduce flakiness. It also includes a profile with personality-revealing avatars and personal preferences such as gender, smoking & not-smoking, and even music preferences. Once a rider and driver find and approve each other, the rider pays the driver’s asking price, less a reasonable processing fee. How small is this fee? Let’s say a driver’s asking price is $25. The rider 2would pay just $27. Pretty reasonable cost to the rider, considering the advantages.