Considering I have only driven my car once for 25 miles in the last 3.5 weeks I would still consider myself carless. That gives me the authority to continue writing about the idiosyncrasies being carless.

I ride my bike most everywhere I go. Still, there are times when a bike is just not possible. For those times I need to call someone for a ride. One of my greatest concerns about being carless is becoming a “mooch.” A mooch, by definition, is someone that takes without giving back.

One of the first days of this experiment it was pouring rain; I had to get a ride from a coworker. Since she lives close to me I had let her know in advance that I might be asking for the occasional ride. She said, of course, that would be fine.

It was humbling to actually take her up on it. There is that nagging feeling that I’m a burden. I feel as if I am breaking into her normal pattern.

In November I will be facilitating some training sessions in Hershey (eight miles from work). It’s an easy ride, but I don’t want to take too much of my work day to gear up and ride. So I might have to borrow a company vehicle. My boss offered to drive me and he could take care of business while he’s there.

My girlfriend lives thirty miles from me. That means when we want to see each other she typically has to drive to me. Of course, I make up for it with food and sometimes gas money.

It’s just a pervasive feeling. It seems as if I am gaining a reputation of being a nuisance. It could be in my head, but it seems real.

How can I overcome this perception?

Help Fill Their Tank

I mentioned before that I am budgeting $30/mo to give to people that give me rides. I see this as one of the most effective ways to not become a mooch. Having a few dollars budgeted to give to those that drive me is a small way of showing people that I am not trying to take advantage of them.

Also, depending on the level they allow you to use thier car or drive you you could offer to take care of all of their oil changes or buy every third tank of gas.

Exchange Services

Another way to not become a burden to your fellow drivers is to exchange services. A guy that I know pretty well moved in two doors down. Two weeks ago he gave me a ride. As we got to talking he said he needed a website. I offered to make his website in exchange for being able to use his car or for rides.

Switch it Up

Have a few alternatives and vary when you call for a ride. There are actually three coworkers that live in my town. I haven’t asked the other two if they can give me occasional rides yet, but I will. This way every time it rains or snows I can call someone different.

Find the Willing

I came across a post on Craigslist. This person offers to give people rides. His daily commute home from work goes straight through my town to my girlfriend’s town. There are quite a few rideshare sites. Sometimes people have moved and will pay you to drive their car to the new home and things like that. If you are simply creative you can usually find people that are offering you their car.

Meet Half Way

Harrisburg’s bus system goes to Dillsburg and Shippensburg. Both of these towns are more than half way to towns I go to frequently. Dillsburg is halfway to some of my best friends. Shippensburg is 2/3 of the way to my parents. The buses only run during rush hours on weekdays, but if I needed to I could take the bus. Your ride would still need to make an effort to get you, but this is a way to take some of the strain off of them. Harrisburg’s buses don’t allow you to take your bike, so that makes things a bit more complicated.

Another method is to rent a car and visit those that often drive to pick you up. You get bonus points if you surprise them. They are so used to getting you that it is a nice break for them to see you without having to pick you up.

Be Grateful

Another simple way to avoid being perceived as a mooch is to simply be grateful. I have found that thanking someone goes a long way. People want to be appreciated, and if they go out of their way to give you a ride the should be.

Watch Your Mouth

I don’t mean don’t swear in some one’s car. Although that’s probably a good idea too. I have found that the words you use will significantly change a person’s attitude towards giving you a ride. It may be subliminal, but if you say “mooch” or  “bum” the person will begin to think of you as a bum. Say something like, “Can I share a ride with you?” or “Can I come along on the adventure with you?” This may go hand-in-hand with being grateful, but having a positive spin on it helps the other person feel better about giving you a ride when you text at 7:30 am asking them to come out of their way for you.

Do you find that being a mooch is even an issue? What are some ways you avoid being a mooch?