Map: Find Local Casual Carpool Spots

If there's anything East Bayers are good at, it's getting in cars with a couple of strangers. 

Every day, for more than 30 years, people all over the East Bay commute into San Francisco through a self-organized network of casual carpoolers. A list of locations, frequently asked questions and information on etiquette is available on ridenow.org. 

The two nearest spots for drivers and riders from El Cerrito and Kensington are

• in El Cerrito on Eastshore Boulevard north of Potrero Avenue, just south of Orchard Supply Hardware, not far from the del Norte BART station (If you park in the Orchard Supply lot, you could get a ticket)
• in Albany on Pierce Street south of Central Avenue, across the street from the Pacific East Mall

The spots are most active between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., with some carpools, such at the one near del Norte BART, often running earlier and going later due to the high volume of participants.

Passengers are typically dropped off at Fremont and Mission Streets (or nearby) in San Francisco, according to ridenow.org. The evening pick-up spots for returning to the East Bay are marked by destination on Beale Streets between Howard and Folsom streets, according to ridenow.org.

Don't forget to give your driver a buck for the toll — stingy riders are a frequent topic on the discussion board.

Charles Burress contributed to this article.

Do you use the casual carpool? What are the pros and cons? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.