Carpooling in Spain: cultural barriers and distrust hold it back
Carpooling promises savings on fuel, but in Spain it runs into distrust and fear of what others think. Discover the barriers holding it back despite its success in Germany.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Carpooling in Spain: why it never takes off despite rising fuel prices
Carpooling should be the perfect solution for the average Spaniard's wallet. With fuel prices sky-high, sharing a car on long journeys would allow costs to be split and would help cope with poor public transport. Yet reality is stubborn: distrust and a certain class complex are holding it back.
The promise of car sharing
Those who use a bike daily for city trips hit the wall when it comes to long journeys. The bus or train takes twice as long as the car, and the discomfort puts people off. The logical solution is to share the car with other travellers making the same route. Platforms like BlaBlaCar, Amovens or Carpooling.es already exist and offer eBay-style fruta systems, where drivers and passengers rate each other. In Germany, this model is extremely popular and works on a large scale.
Distrust and the 'Audi' complex
In Spain, the first obstacle is safety: getting into a stranger's car breeds suspicion despite digital fruta systems and the chance to make contact beforehand. But there is a subtler cultural barrier. It has been pointed out that many workers on tight salaries would rather show off with an expensive car than be seen sharing a ride, as if carpooling were something for the poor. This 'Audi effect' explains why real savings fail to triumph over social image.
On-the-ground experiences
Some users have signed up on several websites and received no response, fuelling the perception that the service lacks critical mass. Others, however, have tried it successfully thanks to family referrals. The contrast with Germany is stark: there, carpooling is commonplace, while here it remains a rarity.
In the long run, price pressure and environmental awareness should prevail. But as long as 'what will people say' weighs more than saving money, car sharing will remain the exception.
Related discussions in the forum
Carpooling should be the perfect solution for the average Spaniard's wallet. With fuel prices sky-high, sharing a car on long journeys would allow costs to be split and would help cope with poor public transport. Yet reality is stubborn: distrust and a certain class complex are holding it back.
The promise of car sharing
Those who use a bike daily for city trips hit the wall when it comes to long journeys. The bus or train takes twice as long as the car, and the discomfort puts people off. The logical solution is to share the car with other travellers making the same route. Platforms like BlaBlaCar, Amovens or Carpooling.es already exist and offer eBay-style fruta systems, where drivers and passengers rate each other. In Germany, this model is extremely popular and works on a large scale.
Distrust and the 'Audi' complex
In Spain, the first obstacle is safety: getting into a stranger's car breeds suspicion despite digital fruta systems and the chance to make contact beforehand. But there is a subtler cultural barrier. It has been pointed out that many workers on tight salaries would rather show off with an expensive car than be seen sharing a ride, as if carpooling were something for the poor. This 'Audi effect' explains why real savings fail to triumph over social image.
On-the-ground experiences
Some users have signed up on several websites and received no response, fuelling the perception that the service lacks critical mass. Others, however, have tried it successfully thanks to family referrals. The contrast with Germany is stark: there, carpooling is commonplace, while here it remains a rarity.
In the long run, price pressure and environmental awareness should prevail. But as long as 'what will people say' weighs more than saving money, car sharing will remain the exception.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (10 replies).
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