Zipcar. Join up, reserve a car, locate it at the appointed time, unlock with card. Drive away. Return. A new form of car rental or just a trendy way to litter the streets with tin?
You can do it online or over the phone. You choose the car you want – there are MINIs, BMWs, Prius’s, even pickups. Choose the time slot you want at the location you want. Reserve minutes or months in advance. Your Zipcard will only open the car you’ve reserved during the time you’ve reserved it (which means no one else can open your Zipcar during that time, either). All you do is walk to the car, hold the card to the windshield and the doors will unlock.
