BlaBlaCar

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/this-is-blablacar-frances-only-unicorn/

This is so cool to me, there's a ride-sharing app in France with a pretty unique twist. The app fosters communication among users who are looking to carpool for extended distances, and people can select "bla," "blabla," "blablabla" to indicate their level of preferred communication during the trip, and women can even indicate if they'd rather share a car with only women by selecting "ladies only." You can even select music and smoking preferences and get dropped off along the way if your destination is on the route.

I found it really interesting that the app isn't actually a ride-sharing service in and of itself -- it only enables it. No money appears to be exchanged, that responsibility seems to be left for people to handle in person. I also thought it was unique how the potential to find a more ideal driving partner now exists through an app, how technology in this case enables people to become a bit more personal (should they choose to) for a small bit of time. We were talking last class about how the advent of various technologies has made norms of interpersonal communication somewhat ambiguous at times, but encouraging communication on certain terms seems really innovative to me.  I am wondering what happens when people's ideas of "bla," "blabla," or "blablabla" differ, or to invoke last week's themes, their communication ideologies, or if the interactions between people might seem a little forced. It's always a little uncomfortable and maybe annoying when you're in the car and somebody wants to talk way more than you-- is the hope that two users will have a general idea of what comprises each of the three communication levels? However, the app appears to be doing really well so clearly some of the more consistent users have it figured out.