If Jack Kerouac Were Alive, He Could Hitch a Ride Online
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

Looking for a ride to Monsey, N.Y., or to make a quick trip to Lansing, Mich., over Thanksgiving break? Hitching a ride on the streets of New York is illegal, so today’s hitchhikers are sticking out their thumbs with posts on craigslist.org.
Motivated by many of the same needs that inspired their predecessors, virtual hitchhikers say they lack funds, desire companionship or the sheer thrill of an adventure, and sometimes act out of pure desperation.
The craigslist.org New York ride board gets about 25 posts a day, with about an even number offering and soliciting rides. Most posters are looking to team up for shorter drives to destinations along the Northeast corridor, but some seek cross-country travel companions.
The ride board generally yields results only for travelers with flexibility when it comes to destinations and departure dates. Often, the going rate for passengers is the ability to cover at least half of gas expenses. They may not have to be gifted conversationalists, but passengers are often vetted by drivers, either in person or on the phone, to make sure they at least are not insane.
“How do I define crazy? It’s just something I’ve learned to recognize after 60 years of life,” an airplane broker, Tom Ryan, who was offering a ride to Florida from New York, said.
A production assistant, Rudy Samana, who recently sought company for a drive to Florida, said he didn’t get south of New Jersey. “The guy I was driving seemed very unstable,” Mr. Samana said. “He told me he might get a job in Florida, but he didn’t really have a plan, and he kind of wanted to latch up with me, so I just turned back around.”
Others said they had better luck. When advertising producer Grellan Harty needed a ride to Vermont last winter for a ski trip, he posted on the site. Kathy Jo Carstarphen responded because she said she was eager for companionship. The strangers had no plans to check in to a motel room in Middlebury, Vt., just hours after meeting, but were forced to do so at 2 a.m. when they got lost on their way. “We’re still good friends after sharing that experience,” Mr. Harty said.
As with real hitchhiking, safety is the primary concern when it comes to online hitchhiking, and many drivers advertise sanity as a selling point: “I’m a legitimate person who is planning on listening to books on CD for most of the trip. If you’re not crazy and you want to come along, write me,” a tour manager for a band, who identified himself only as Aaron, posted yesterday. He said he was interested in splitting gas money and wanted company on his drive to Los Angeles from New York. He said he would drive alone if no one compatible responded to his post.
Also as with hitchhiking, many people fail to find a ride online. Aaron ended up heading west alone yesterday. “In the end, I’m just leaving with ‘Moby Dick’ and my CDs,” he said. He received four responses to his post, but all of them fell through. “In the end, maybe that’s not such a bad thing,” he said.
For travelers who are more risk-averse, a new Web site, Ridester.com, which advertises itself as “the dependable way to rideshare,” offers route matching, personalized profiles, and feedback ratings for its members.