<p>Barrons, bizaare things can happen, but to a certain extent you have to be cautious, and then expect the world to be a good place. But where to be cautious, and where to let go is an individual decision. </p>
<p>I’m a veteran of hitchhiking, ride boards, long waits in the LA bus station at 1 AM, mostly before the age of 20. In those days there were all sorts of ways to get around, with or without money. I had adventures en route, and lived by my wits. We were good in those days at figuring out how to get from place to place with minimal cash. Maybe I was lucky. I had my rules, and knew when to say no to a car, when to get out at a stoplight, trusted my gut. Several times I got rides from our citywide ride board, Phoenix to Seattle or Alaska with strangers. Unique experiences, once with single mom that I stayed friends with for a long time. Another time, accompanied by boyfriend, rode with Latino guys who drove me nuts with excessivly loud music, days of it. But the day I spent with their family in the California delta country was memorable.</p>
<p>Now, in our far tamer life, my kids scare the wits out of me with their HS friends and cars. All smart kids, but some are better drivers than others, and my experience with my son’s crowd is that driving while hung over, if better than inebriated, is still not a great idea.</p>
<p>My D recently went up to visit friends at another LAC, 4 hours away, with her home town buddy, who I know is not the best driver. Felt I could say nothing, though I expressed concern, as she’s at the age where I feel this stuff has to be her own decision, and would be a major rift if I raised a ruckus. It is rough on the nerves. They were fine, and she called on arrival as well as en route home. As she is at a small LAC, were she to get a ride home with another student, I’d not mind. It’s a small enough place that a bad rep would not be unknown. But winter driving would change my opinion, and I’d trust the bus far more.</p>