Slugging your way to work in Washington D.C.

I just found out about a way of life in Washington D.C. that I think could work in other cities: Slugging. The name sounds unflattering, but it's not meant to be. It's the name of the informal carpooling program that has been working in the D.C. area since the early 70's.

The concept is simple: Drivers and riders need each other, so this free system works for everyone. Riders need rides to work, and they wait in designated parking lots for a car going to their destination. Drivers need the riders because if they have a car with three or more people in it, they qualify to use HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes, and they can get to work much faster.

At the end of the workday, the system works in reverse. Riders get dropped off at their designated lots by whomever stops to pick them up at the designated locations in the city.