You got to be kidding me...

Awhile back, I posted on the surprising news that car sharing was gaining traction in the market. It seems that it's continuing to prove the concept that for some urban denizens it makes sense to occasionally rent a car instead of owning one--providing it's convenient enough.

Several Zipcar sites are within easy walking distance of her home and work, Hunt said, and getting a car hasn't been a problem.

"I can't always get exactly the car I want -- I like Priuses, and they're popular,'' she said. "But I can always get a car when I want.''

[...]

Johnson and her husband, who live in a small Mission District apartment, drive to the grocery store, to pick up friends at the airport and to go hiking. They spend between $30 and $75 a month -- less than insurance used to cost when she owned a car.

Owning a car becomes vastly more economical the more it gets used, so it's not surprising that time-share ownership makes sense for people who don't drive everyday. Traditional car rentals aren't expensive either, but they're geared toward travelers and generally located well out of the way of local residents (think of the Avis "we'll pick you up!" commercials) That will probably change, and quickly, if car sharing companies keep doing well.