Why is the UK so obsessed with “stranger danger” that we’d rather go broke than share a car?

Genuinely curious... not trying to sell anything, not pushing an agenda.

With the cost of living being what it is, I’ve been thinking a lot about the way we travel in the UK. We’ve normalised spending £250–£350 a month on petrol, insurance, parking, etc… and then doing it all alone, in a 5-seat car with 4 empty seats.

Meanwhile, buses are packed, late, freezing, or cancelled… and everyone’s stressed.

But here’s the cultural bit that fascinates me:

Even though sharing a ride would literally cut people’s commuting costs by half or more, most of us won’t even consider it because of the unwritten rule:

“Never get in a car with a stranger.”

It’s such a British thing. We’ll:

- stand in the rain
- pay more for petrol than food
- sit alone on the motorway every day
- complain about traffic, buses, and bills

…all because the idea of sitting next to a stranger feels weird.

I’m not saying it’s wrong - I’m saying it’s an interesting cultural phenomenon.

Is it safety?
Is it pride?
Is it awkwardness?
Is it just habit?
Is it fear of someone else’s awkwardness?
Or is it trust - or lack thereof - in the UK?

Because other countries treat shared travel completely normally.

What do you think?

Is it purely “stranger danger”, or is there something deeper in UK culture that makes us avoid shared travel even when it could save a fortune?