Posted by Maneesh Sethi :: September 19, 2007 @ 11:47 am

One of the coolest new ideas I've seen are the new car sharing services. You might have heard of ZipCar or FlexCar---these companies are now providing a service to people who want to drive, but don't have the need, money or ability to own a car. Although this idea might sound odd (what would I do without my car all time?), it's gaining a lot of popularity.

How does this service work? These companies charge you by the hour when you use the car. They have lots of locations in major metropolitan areas (I count over fifty throughout San Francisco) and they allow you to pick up your car at their location, drive it around, and return it back. You can reserve your car so that you know yours will be in stock.

There are a lot of good reasons to consider them. Check it out.

1) No insurance premiums, gas costs, or parking fees - ZipCar and FlexCar take care of all of this for you. You don't have to pay for insurance from an external source.

2) Environmentally friendly - You are only using the car when you need it. ZipCar estimates that each of its cars takes the place of 20 other cars on the road. Good for the environment, good for traffic, good for you.

3) Sweet rides for less - Where else are you going to get to drive a new Beamer for 8 bucks an hour? Or a minivan. (Mini van, mega fun)

4) You don't have to look for parking – I hate finding parking in metropolitan cities. ZipCar and FlexCar offer parking spots only for people who use their cars.