CBS News has story about Slugging

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/05/eveningnews/main706655.shtml

D.C. Drivers Slug In The Fast Lane

WOODBRIDGE, Va., July 5, 2005
(CBS) It's quitting time in Washington D.C. and commuters are lining up to catch a ride home with a complete stranger.

As CBS News Correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports, it's called "slugging." Think of it as organized hitchhiking or anonymous carpooling where you never have to drive, and it's one heck of a way to beat the high cost of fuel – up to $5,000 a year.

Domingo Gonzales is an old slugging pro. He's been doing it for 16 years.

It's a marriage of convenience.

By hooking up, both driver and slug get home quicker. Three in a car let's passengers ride in faster High Occupancy Vehicle lanes.

But there are strict rules of slugging etiquette, which you can find on a Web site: Don't talk. Don't offer money or gifts. No smoking. No eating. And slugs don't touch the radio or air conditioning.

Pam Knapp has been slugging for six years now, and it begs the question: As a woman does it make her nervous picking up two strange men?

"Well, I thought about that and my husband even mentioned that he didn't like me picking up strange men, but I've never felt uncomfortable ever," she says.

A stolen wallet is her only bad experience.

"Here, a woman can totally pick up two strangers, and, you know, everybody pretty much is 99.9 percent officer workers," says Gonzales.

Attkisson asks Knapp, "Wasn't Ted Bundy an office worker?"

Knapp laughs as those worries melt away as riders blow by bumper-to-bumper gridlock. A half-hour later they arrive safely at a commuter lot close to home where the slugging journey began this morning.

Gonzales didn't spend a penny on gas or put a mile on his own car. He may be a slug, but he knows it's the other commuters doing the gas-guzzling crawl in the slow lane.


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Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum, and I stumbled upon this thread about slugging in D.C. It's fascinating to see how people are finding innovative ways to beat the high cost of fuel. I also found a webpage with some fresh news on this topic that you might find interesting.
My family owns a small trucking business, and we have been struggling with rising fuel costs for years. It's great to see people coming together to share rides and reduce their dependence on gasoline. In fact, I think there's a lot we can learn from slugging about how to create more sustainable transportation systems.
One thing I find interesting is the strict rules of slugging etiquette. It's impressive how well-coordinated these riders and drivers are and how they can get along without any communication. It's a testament to how people can come together for a common goal, even if they are complete strangers.


Edited by mustaphamdu - 08 May 2023 at 8:23am