Office Survival Tip: Carpooling
Carpooling can be a great way to save money and provide a fresh excuse for your chronic lateness. However, picking out a quality carpool requires careful planning and foresight. Much like dating and marriage; don’t rush into committed carpool relationship until you’ve spent some time assessing the situation and feel confident you can lock yourself in a small automobile with someone for several hours a week without wanting to drive your head through the passenger widow.
Once you have some potential carpool candidates picked out, you’ll want to pose some questions on their personalities and driving habits before moving forward. Depending on the strength of your social skills you may be able to flow these questions naturally into a conversation. Or, if tact isn’t your thing, just bring a clipboard and rattle them off like a census worker, whichever works for you.
5 Questions for Determining If Your Potential Carpool Is a Good Fit
- What kind of car do you drive? This may sound snobbish at first, but just wait until your new carpool buddies pull up in a Mini Cooper. Hope leg room isn’t your thing. Should’ve called pre-emptive shotgun.
- Who’s your favorite band? This may sound like trivial way to qualify a carpool, but imagine how you’re going to feel after sitting through the soundtrack to Rent for the twentieth time. If that actually sounds enjoyable to you insert whatever musical artist makes your ears bleed instead, and afterwards take a moment to consider how much it will suck for everyone else riding in the car on the day you get to pick the music.
- When do you like to wake up? If you’re not an early riser, spending your morning commute with Mr. Sunshine will be an exercise in misery. Instead try to locate someone who has an equal amount of hatred for mornings so you can drive to work in silent, companionable misery.
- What’s your driving record like? 30 minutes of fearing for your life isn’t going to do anything to lower your work-related stress level. This is going to be a hard one for you tactful people to weave into conversation without some awkwardness, but I have faith in your creativity and social skills. For you clipboard people, continue as usual.
- Does anyone else carpool with you? If the answer is yes, hunt them down and repeat questions 1-5.
Once you’ve finished surveying you should have a meaty list on the personal habits of your potential carpoolers. Use this list to make a judgment call on their carpooling worth and either move forward or rinse and repeat.
And remember, the golden rule of relationships applies here as well: in order to have a good carpool you need to be a good carpooler. So don’t forget to ask yourself the above questions as well. You may discover that you’re a very annoying person, but at least that might resolve why you’ve failed to find anyone to carpool with so far.
sharkables 
Oh the horrors of the Rent soundtrack.
Great questions… also do they smoke or drink coffee. The first for general air supply the second for the sometimes mandatory emergency coffee stop.
Always check the back seat and make certain there is not a cage.
Mmmm more great questions. The list could probably go on indefinitely… Are you obsessive compulsive about putting in overtime? Are you an air freshener abuser? Do you let your dogs ride in your car and deposit their hair all over the seats?
Car pooling sounds rough.
I stared at that illustration, cracking up, for a good minute. Great post!
Thanks!
Another question: Windows open vs. windows closed.
Good point. Although I feel like the driver should always get fully jurisdiction of the automatic windows and child safety locks (if available); it’s such a small, yet refreshing, feeling of power.
I carpool to work most days, but for me it is with my other half – lucky me:) There is enough office politics at work and do not need more on the commute into work – ha! Great post.
Lucky you! I wouldn’t suggest imposing the same questions on your spouse, they’re generally harder to avoid if you ask an overly awkward or sensitive question
And hopefully if they’re your spouse you already know the answers! The post made me think back to my car pooling days and I wish I had the list then (worked out overall but the music….) Thanks!
Sometimes surround sound is a blessing or a curse for carpooling. I found that out when everyone in the car was singing the song on the radio, including the backup vocals. Of course, if it’s a song you don’t like, it will definitely be a miserable experience. Think of questions 2 and 5 in terms of how much overlap they have!
How nice that you get to experience your own, personal surround sound without investing in a new stereo!
This is a fantastic post!!
When I first read point #1, I was a little taken back thinking that you were a bit of a snob (sorry!) and then, by the end of it, I completely agreed with you.
Great tips and congrats on being Freshly Pressed! 🙂
No need to apologize! I think that’s generally the way things progress when people first meet me.
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How many can you take, before you kill the driver?!
Haha, ahhh this made me laugh until I got the damn song stuck in my head, so thanks for that
I would only want to carpool if there was a guaranteed rule that we wouldn’t have to talk to each other.
What a great restriction to impose…If both parties agree to an awkward silence, doesn’t that by definition make it no longer awkward?
Been there, done that.
In addition to “What kind of car do you drive?” you must ask “Do you have seat belts?” and “Do you smoke in your car?”
Very true! And if you’re going to ask the seat belt question you might as well throw in “Is your car actually street legal?”
Sheesh my problem is since becoming a blogger you can never leave the house! LOL I would love to carpool someday! Even if just to the grocery store. Haha
Thanks for commenting, Dream big! One day you might find your grocery store carpooler.
Funny and informative post! Along the air freshener line…perfume or cologne abuse? Personal hygiene? And my favorite: prone to digestive difficulties?
All very insightful points. If anyone can tactfully work the digestive issue question into everyday conversation, they have my full awe and admiration for their social saviness
I can’t stop laughing at the thought of asking about digestive difficulties! If anyone manages to ask that with aplomb, I’d love to hear it.
Try to find out what their favorite food might be. If it’s burritoes, there’s your answer.
Does anyone else carpool with you?
If the answer is yes, hunt them down and repeat questions 1-5.
HAAHHha good one!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I would never opt for carpooling even with my close friends at work. There could be so many reason. At the end of the hard working day, everyone is in a rush to get to their home sweet home.
Personally the less time spent associated with the office the better, so I guess car pooling is out of the question for me.
My excuse will be that I ride a bike to work and I am far to old (and unfit) to give anyone a life on the handle bars.
I of course don’t ride a bike but I figure that carrying in a cylce helmet and bringing in a backpack will be enough to convince most that I am an eco friendly type not to be messed with.
Ahhh, that made me laugh! Great preventative action, really cuts out the whole carpool issues without any unnecessary talking.
What kind of bike, motorcycle or hood ol’ fashioned 10 speed one?
Hilarious, intelligent and informative. Thanks for the tips – will make sure to remember them if I ever need to carpool! Great post and congrats on being freshly pressed!
Why thank you Ma’am!
hiii
Great post! Reminds me, why I had to fight so often with my people.
I’m definitely an annoying person for carpooling. I’m extremely moody in the morning and need music like Rammstein or Kitty to keep me from falling asleep again. I’m often late, but hate it to be to late, so my driving might be a bit speedy and I absolutely love to shout at other people who’re killing my poor nervs with their creazy driving – like driving too slow or standing on the breaks just because of a small curve.
For some reasons, I never found someone like me (besides my mom) 😦 Just can’t imagine why …
Hey at least you’re self aware of your annoying carpool tendencies! And don’t worry, you’re not doomed to driving alone to work, you just need to find your Carpool people.
Haha! Wonderful post! Thanks for giving me a laugh! 🙂
Haha! Wonderful post! Thanks for giving me a laugh! 🙂
Also, congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
Haha, Thanks, You’re welcome, and Thanks again!
First time visitor. Great chuckles … and I would be the Mr. Sunshine type … which I know some hate early in the morning. Thanks … and congrats on Freshly Pressed.
No, no, thank you! And there’s nothing wrong with Mr. Sunshine types, you just have to keep to your own people during certain hours of the morning
Fantastic questions! I would love to add another question –
“Do you really like going to work?”
😉
Good point, really gets to the whole crux of the issue doesn’t it?
I luv going to work! Especially if I like the work & ppl I work with.. Big happy family!
Oh, how I envy you!
🙂
This made my day! You should have added are you a time Nanzi and are you consistantly a flake. Just venting on my current carpool situation. haha!
Good suggestions. Flake combined with Time Nazi sounds like a horrendous combination, and I thought Kitchenette Nazis were bad…
Congrats on being freshly pressed, but I would ask that you add another line to this, or a caveat to the musical likes/dislikes … do you sing to the music you listen to? personally I sing to most anything if we are driving a long distance, but only my hubby and son need to endure that :-).
Another good one… There’s nothing that can bring that Rent soundtrack to the next level of misery like a sing-along session!
That is seriously the best illustration I have ever seen.
Thank you! That is seriously one of the best comments I have ever gotten
Great list. I used to carpool to Manhattan with four other girls. It worked out really well. I drove, they paid me. Perfect 🙂
http://valentinedefrancis.wordpress.com
Sounds like an ideal situation! Way to work the system.
I hate when someone rolls the window down and I’m not wearing a sweater or anything…it’s really bad in the winter.
I love your blog. Very valuable stuff.
I love the cute little sharks!
I had to carpool for a short while before finding an affordable place close to work. Two unbearable parts of those rides: One of the guys spilled a whole bottle of nauseating aftershave on himself every morning. 45 minute arguments between the Christian and the Atheist.
Sounds like a blast! I don’t even know what to say about your daily theological debates other than, I’m sorry.
The picture says it all…
Hahaaha! That was pretty funny. This was the first time I read your blog, and I enjoyed it. Very well written, witty, and wholly entertaining.
Well thank you!
I think the music issue should be higher up, it can make for a torturous ride. Congrats!
Hey, feel free to re-prioritize as needed. One man’s auditory annoyance is another man’s ear chain-saw.
Hilarious post! Congrats on getting pressed!
Thanks much!
Carpooling is never been an issue with me, unless maybe if I get my sis-in-law as my carpool, because most often we ended up late in our destination. Oh dear, how I hate mentioning stopovers! 🙂
And yet another good question to consider: do you have similar tolerance for pit-stops…
If your car mates drink coffee, be sure nobody slurps a loud, irritating slurp.
Ronnie
Loud peppermint sucking can be irritating too
Or gum smacking
Nothing wrong with gum smacking, unless of course, you don’t know how to gum smack…so stop hating..,
Good one… I believe you missed the sixth and most important question, that usually dismantles a car pool team. “Can you manage to start from office/college regularly at a particular time?”
Above all, Congrats on being pressed freshly 🙂
Great graphic and awesome tips!
I used to carpool with a chain-smoker who refused to roll the windows down in the winter, resulting in the interior of the car looking much like the girl’s bathroom in high school during lunch hour. Could barely find the sink to wash my hands… After a case of asthmatic bronchitis (gee, how did I get that?) sidelined me for awhile, I found another ride.
What a horror story. I guess the capacity to appreciate the needs of others is probably kind of important trait to have in a potential carpooler too…
Five great survival tips! I don’t know if I could carpool. I never have, but if I did, I now have a better perspective on what to ask! :~ )
this is so funny and the sharks are amazing!
My car has no drivers window, stinks like a wet dog and only tunes in to some shitty gospel station. I’m the problem aren’t I?
It’s possible, can’t say any of those things are necessarily a desireable carpool situation
I used to commute 55 miles (one way) to work and longed for someone to share the ride with. Your excellent blog has made me rethink my wishes.
Thanks! I do what I can.
We had a carpool once that had an Eagles album stuck in the player….day 1 we love this! day 200 Hotel California is never allowed to be played again EVER 😦
Lol…. thats very funny cartoon, i like it thanks
Reason #49357, 8 and 9 why I do not car pool! (Thank goodness I don’t have to!)
Congrats on being FP’d!!
Great tips. Congratulations on being freshly pressed!
I’ve been looking for blogs about office life (because mine is, too), and am so glad to have found yours. I look forward to browsing around at your previous posts!
Thanks! Feel free to come back for more office-y goodness anytime!
I never thought of being green until after mniovg here from a rural area. I have used TRAX consistently since I moved here over eight years ago, and over the past few years I have found myself getting greener all the time. Salt Lake County does a great job encouraging recycling with the blue bins, and I ride my bike whenever I can even to church, to the store, to the TRAX station, wherever. Utah might be slow getting going with the green movement, but we are getting there, because more and more people are realizing that it is a win-win situation using less resources pollutes less, costs less, and creates less stress in our lives.
Very nice & interesting blog. I liked the picture very much 🙂
good post – i gave up driving to work when gas got crazy – now im CSR from home – no more driving!
Nice post there! I didn’t think of carpooling before. That gave me an idea. Thank you so much! 🙂
Wonderful questions. I’m glad I have a car.
Love these questions, very important! Another thing, are the other carpoolers morning people? If so, don’t ride with them! There’s nothing worse than sitting next to a chatty, super positive morning person on the way to work. At least for me 🙂
Question: do you believe in cologne or natural body odour? (If they’re the tree loving, save-the-earth kinds they’ll opt for the latter. I pity you.)
I think B.O vs Cologne can get way out of control on either end of the spectrum!
its nice to read when one is car pooler.. good work 🙂
More Questions:
#6 Do you take a shower at night or in the morning?
#7 Do you like breakfast drive thru and can we eat inside your car?
http://www.etronics101.com
carpool is a very wise thing to do if you go by the increase in petrol prices. An excellent post indeed.
Hi Sharkables,
On behalf of http://www.carpooling.co.uk (the UK branch of http://www.carpooling.com) we love the post!
Fantastic drawings and a very funny read!
As you say, carpooling is a little like dating and our capooling network has seen 10 marriages of our users in the last 10 years!
Our 3.4 million registered users use our site for regular carpooling to work but also one of carpooling when visiting friends or making a city trip etc.
The questions certainly give some food for thought to find the most suitable person to car share with. Within our database, users list details about themselves such as whether they smoke. Should they wish, they can also add any additional questions or criteria in the comments box, music choices seems to be a favourite topic! One way to avoid Eagles on repeat for hours!
We hope the post inspires lots of you all to capool through Europe with us.
Best wishes
Carpooling.com
i am doing my bit
Brilliant post – all too often we try to do our bit for the environment and save car park spaces but forget the long term ‘commitment’ of car pooling.
I’ve ended relationships better than I have seen some co-workers end car pooling together, it’s that bit of conversation where you try and bring up any legitimate reason why you can longer drive together as there is no nice way to say ” I hate your CD collection and your driving is terrible”
…love the bit about fearing for your life – I’ve been there when you are so glad to get to work alive…
I used to car share with a guy who drove a Mini Cooper and I had a Volvo 240 so the comfort stakes were on opposite scales. The worst journey was the day I agreed to drive his car after his office lunch time Christmas party with lots of Guinness!!
Fantastic! Fantastic 🙂
it sounds rough
Instead try to locate someone who has an equal amount of hatred for mornings so you can drive to work in silent, companionable misery.
Sounds good enough to be a best friend!
When I lived in Memphis I carpooled with a guy who was from Georgia. I said if there was ANY winter weather I would drive, even out of turn. I grew up in New Jersey and knew how to drive in snow and had a better idea how to cope with ice that he did. No arguments! Also I had a smaller car, so the idea was if I might slide off the road, it would be easier to push it back on. LOL
As a southerner I should be indignant that you could possibly drive better than myself on a snowy day. I would prove it but on snowy days I am too busy cowering in the house awaiting the thaw.
How would you prove it? Why weren’t you chasing after the snow plowers and it would’ve thawed out the road traveled much faster… Just saying.. Pls let me know what your thoughts are.
I’m recently new to the world of commutes (have always “lived where I work” so to speak). Carpooling would be nice, but I don’t think I pass many of these test questions. 1) I drive a Mini, 2) I like to belt out 80’s ballads on my way to work 3) I don’t quite have a consistent departure time due to a new puppy. and 4) I get carsick if I’m not the one behind the wheel.
Great post! Enjoyed it!
Thanks! And I’m always appreciative of people who are self-aware of their sub-par carpool qualifications! I fall into the same catagory, but for different reasons
I confess, I just came here to look at the shark drawing. I like it! 😀
(I take the bus to work)
http://tehcatspajamas.wordpress.com/
Thanks regardless! Besides, it wouldn’t be Sharkables without the sharks
Reminds of my carpooling days in Washington, DC! . . . Helpful tips!
http://arabianmusings.wordpress.com/
http://q.gs/ezQ7
Loled its same post like here??
Thanks for illustrating all the reasons I prefer to drive to work alone. Although 5 questions is not nearly enough to find a capatible car-pooler, it’s more than enough to determine I shouldn’t even bother.
Like the sharks!
Reblogged this on Diamond Hospitality's Blog and commented:
Really great information if you are in a position to carpool.
~DHSI
Love this site
I do car pooling with a neighbour for the school run… the kids hate it and have been moaning about it for the past few year.. .so if you are gonna do car pooling with kids… make sure the kids are happy with it too… otherwise it’s a nightmare…
Oh, you just added a whole nother layer of complexity with that one
These are some of the very reasons why I don’t carpool. I really don’t get going until after my second cup of Joe, so riding with Mr. or Ms. Sunshine would not be an option. Although could be made palatable with an ipod.
Congratulations on your Freshly Pressed!!!!
What’s the rule when it comes to spare change in the seat? Is it fair game if it’s not in a cup holder? I mean, if it comes down to it, I suppose I could just say it fell out of my pockets, but I’d rather take it knowing I could I wasn’t going to be judged any worse than I would be already for… you know.. picking up spare change out of someone’s car.
http://moviemisinformer.wordpress.com/
Hahah if you have the balls to nab someone else’s car change, I say go for it
I car pooled when i was working downtown.It worked until i started going out on weeknights and making on co-workers late due to my conditions the day after!!
hola zaid te invitamos a wordpress
Congrats on being freshly pressed! A brief but great read. Nice and insightful tips.
Congratulations on being freshly pressed. Keeping it brief is key in the world of ADHD etc. Much beyond 500 words and people will give up reading. Good job!
I just wish we can all work virtually already. Travelling in general is just too much wasted time.
I definitely don’t think people would enjoy carpooling with me and my Mamma Mia soundtrack. I typically like to play Souper Trouper at least 18 times.
Great post and congrats on getting freshly pressed.
Rob, The Mainland
very nice
Really funny stuff. I think the bigger danger in carpooling with someone who loves the Rent soundtrack is that it ultimately might rub off on you, and you might start loving it too. Who knows where that leads? Imagine the person you could turn into. Scary thoughts, huh?
Congrats on the Freshly Pressed!
Oh god, I didn’t even consider that. I’ve built so much of my identity on hating musical soundtracks, it might throw my whole sense so self out of wack
Hilarious! I feel like trying car pooling, just for the sake of getting to ask these questions. 🙂
Love this post 🙂 Thank you!
Great post! I change my car pool group every month .. not enough time to get into a fight with someone! Haha
Nice tactic! But you must be pretty fortunate to have such a large pool of carpoolers to fish from.
This post made me laugh out loud. I’m sooo not a morning person so carpooling is not for me.
Nice Tips. Waking up late is the thing I can not control.
OMG!!! Sharks + Office life = GENIUS! I love it already!!!
Thanks, and nice equation too, very pithy, really gets to the gist of things!
Hilarious!!!!!! I entered your blog because of the shark drawings, and it was a wonderful surprise to find such good, well written and funny material.
I guess I will be around for more.
Keep up the great work!
Love from Sweden,
/Dave
What a great comment! Thanks for reading!
Really great illustration 🙂
Ha ha sharks family, nice idea
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