<p>It’s pretty common for students at my son’s college to get rides back & forth from campus using Craiglist for ride sharing - it’s a 5 hour drive and not much available in the way of public transportation. I don’t think its entirely a “stranger” situation though – my son has often done this with individuals he had not known before (both driving his car and as a passenger in theirs) – but there tends to be a day or so of back and forth phone calls and I know my son has backed out of it if anything about the situation made him uncomfortable. During those phone calls I think the basic, small talk introductions go on – they each learn a little bit about the other. So I don’t consider it to be in the same category as hitchhiking – this are new people, not old friends, but there has been at least a day or so of warming up time. </p>
<p>I did the same thing in college, only it was more low-tech, through a ride board that was literally a bulletin board in a central location on campus.</p>
<p>I would note that the fact that my kids carry cell phones makes me a lot more comfortable about everything. If I can call and check up on them, I’m happy.</p>