A local woman has raised concerns over the popular Bendigo Lifts 4 Cash Facebook page.
Golden Squareian Shelly McBelly believes if someone offers $50 for a lift from Eaglehawk to Kangaroo Flat at 11:30 pm it can look suspiciously either like a drug deal or a booty call. “What reason could someone have for needing to go to Kangaroo Flat that late? No one’s driving there for milk and bread” she said.
In a 6 month investigation, The Bendigo Standard has gathered a number of posts that can be misconstrued as both. Here are some examples.
- “Anyone want to make $100 and do a lift from St Arnaud to Bendigo?”
- “Lift from long gully to Strathdale !! $$”
- “Castlemaine to Bendigo $50”
- “Lift from Epsom to eaglehawk at around 12:15 tonight??”
- “Lift for 5 from strath to CBD”
- “Who can drive my car to my mates and back he’s about 2 hrs round trip I ain’t from here so hit me up we can chat on Grindr?”
- “Need a lift to Cooinda park in Kflat from Cal gully asap pls”
Bendigo Lifts 4 Cash (aka poor man’s Uber), has nearly 10,000 likes while local Taxi services offer a safer alternative than appearing on Highway Patrol with your driver ‘Damo’.