The value of a car ride from BRC to Reno

Tamino · Post by **Tamino** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:45 am

I know the all mighty dollar is frowned upon in BRC but I was wondering how much the average hitchhiking burner would "donate" in dollars for a one way ride from BRC to Reno. No hotel stays, no meals just a good old fashioned ride.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 9:56 am

Figure 200 miles round-trip at $3 a gallon, and two BJ's ought to do it.

thisisthatwhichis · Post by **thisisthatwhichis** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 10:18 am

From a Burner's perspective..... I think that sums it up nicely....

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 10:20 am

One BJ while driving around a heavily speed bumped parking lot should be fine

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 10:59 am

Tamino, seriously that's something that you have to negotiate between you and your driver.

OK, snark away!

Tamino · Post by **Tamino** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:03 am

Odd thing is I donated $55 for a ride out to the playa between 4 people. 1 didn't show and I had to do a whole lot of work getting four rented bikes onto a very small bike rack. The $55 included some extra for getting the car cleaned in Reno. I was supposed to go back with that person only they ended up leaving just before the burn. So I was hooked up with another friend and he's looking for $100 for a one way shot.

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:38 am

fork him. he's not the only one leaving.

Post by **Sham** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:40 am

$100 sounds like an aweful lot of money. It's about 1/4 tank of gas and not much wear and tear for the extra weight. $50 IMO is a fair price if you DON'T know this person and if you DO know them, they should drive you for nothing. I have offered rides in both directions to various people over the years and never even considered taking money from them.

dr.placebo · Post by **dr.placebo** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 12:30 pm

I give a free ride to the playa (from Santa Cruz) just about every year. You may well be able to find others with similar attitudes. I figure that I spent about $120 in gas for an 800 mile round trip (about 15 cents/mile), although that's only part of the actual mileage cost.

On the other hand, if you get a ride from someone who could really use the money, and you want to set a reasonable price, consider that the mileage reimbursement rate for my company as of 2008 was 36.5 cents/mile. For a 200 mile round trip that is $73. So offering $50 as your share is generous.

Someone who wants $100 for a 1-way ride is just plain greedy, and may try to rip you off in other ways.

lonestoner916 · Post by **lonestoner916** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 1:19 pm

Are you kidding? If you're paying a hundred bucks for a ride to Reno, the driver needs to give YOU the BJ! Just sayin!

Post by **AntiM** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 3:27 pm

$100? The driver must have flunked basic math.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 3:37 pm

Or really doesn't like you!

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:35 pm

If I have room, I'll always give someone a ride.....I'm goin' anyway......

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:46 pm

Actually, OP said "value" not "cost".

Post by **Sham** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:49 pm

Captain Goddammit wrote:Or really doesn't like you!

....or is a low life, slimy scumbag who has no regard for ripping off someone who needs a ride.

lonestoner916 · Post by **lonestoner916** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:27 pm

Shambala wrote:
Captain Goddammit wrote:Or really doesn't like you!
....or is a low life, slimy scumbag who has no regard for ripping off someone who needs a ride.

Or is a drug addict who needs money for his next fix!

(We could do this all day!)

lonestoner916 · Post by **lonestoner916** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:28 pm

Shambala wrote:
Captain Goddammit wrote:Or really doesn't like you!
....or is a low life, slimy scumbag who has no regard for ripping off someone who needs a ride.

Or is a just a hundred dollars away from buying his grandmother a much needed heart on the black market!

(We could do this all day!)

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:14 pm

Uglas Douglas wrote:Actually, OP said "value" not "cost".

Well if you have no other ride, the "value" is very high! But someone would still have to either be a dick or not like you to hit you for a hundred bucks for it.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 8:04 pm

I resemble that remark.

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:05 pm

Why do you assume that that there is (or should be) a 'charge' associated with giving someone a ride?

If I have room I'll stop, let 'em in, tell them immediately that I AM NOT INTERESTED IN LISTENING TO THE FUCKING CD YOU BROUGHT WITH YOU FOR THE TRIP, offer them some food and water...

..and then 20 miles outside of Gerlach tell them I want 'road head - or get their hippie ass out of my air conditioned car.'

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:07 pm

But that's just me.

Tamino · Post by **Tamino** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:41 pm

I appreciate all the advice. I'll take care of things when I see him next.

Dustdevil · Post by **Dustdevil** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:32 pm

My wife drove home by herself as she had to arrive after I did. She gave three people a ride from BRC to Walnut Creek, CA and didn't take any money from them. She was going that way and enjoyed the company. Her car does get about 38 mpg. Perhaps in a bus or large vehicle a fuel donation would be appropriate. It seems like such a waste to drive with empty seats when people need a ride.

Post by **Sham** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:28 am

Tamino wrote:I appreciate all the advice. I'll take care of things when I see him next.

Don't burn any bridges and lose your ride. Try to find someone heading to BRC that you may be able to catch a ride with that is not trying to rip you off. Once you secure a ride, just let this slug know that you have other arragements, but thank him anyway. If you have to go back later and actually need a ride, you can tell him then that everyone else only wanted $30 for gas. No hurt feelings and no insulted people.

Tamino · Post by **Tamino** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 8:59 pm

Actually he offered the ride and I said I'd chip in for gas. Now, 3 months later, I ask him how much and he says $100. I almost fell off my bar stool. So I'll just give him $20 and thank him for the ride. I'm thinking about doing the hitchhike thing next year and just give booze as a gift.

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Wed Jan 13, 2010 4:23 pm

Last year one of our crew had to leave early (Friday). Went out to the gate area with a "RENO AIRPORT" sign, got picked up right away. Don't know if he kicked in any $$ or what, but he got the ride.