The introduction of London's congestion charge has helped to focus the minds of motorists on alternative ways of getting from A to B.
Of course, there's public transport, cycling and - gulp - walking, but a new option is rapidly growing in popularity.
Lift-sharing is a brilliantly simple idea that helps reduce the number of cars on the road, cuts air pollution and can save you money - and stress. The country's biggest lift-sharing company is www.liftshare.com, which currently has 35,000 regular users each month.
The system works pretty much like a dating agency, but rather than finding your ideal partner, it matches you with a potential driver or passenger who is travelling in the same direction or to the same destination: all you pay is a contribution to petrol costs.
The company was launched in 1997, and its success is based on the startling fact that every day, there are 10m empty car seats on Britain's roads. "We want to encourage people to use their cars more efficiently," says Liftshare's founder Ali Clabburn.
The start of congestion charging in London has given lift-sharing a huge boost, with local councils now keen to promote its benefits by teaming up with Liftshare. "Sharing lifts is set to become an increasingly popular way of travelling in central London," says a spokesperson from North London Transport, the organisation that represents eight north London councils.
Two spin-off sites from Liftshare have also just been launched: www.villagecarshare.com aims to boost transport options within rural communities that are often poorly served by public transport.
Meanwhile, www.studentcarshare.com currently has 10,000 students signed up who regularly share lifts around the country.
London motorists wanting to reduce the cost of their daily commute as well as spread the cost of the congestion charge might want to sign up with www.londoncarshare.co.uk, a site that lists all the London boroughs, allowing you to localise the search for your perfect potential lift.
Another lift-share operation, www.shareajourney.com, is aimed at employers and other organisations wanting to organise lift-sharing. This works well for parents wanting to cooperate with the school-run if their children's school is a member, or for office commuters if their employer is a member.
One of the fastest growing lift-share sites is www.shareacar.com, which was launched in October. Already, the site has almost 15,000 users, with roughly half based in London and the south east.
Business has certainly been brisk following the introduction of the congestion charge, which has resulted in a 50% increase in members.
"The majority of our users are commuters who are either looking for a lift to work or a ride from their home to their nearest railway station where there's often a problem with parking," says Hugh Douglas-Smith, from Shareacar.
New members pay a £5 registration fee payable only by credit card, which is, in effect, a security measure. Safety is a top priority for all lift-share sites, with all offering options for women-only drivers or passengers.
If you've thought about giving up your car but still feel you need access to one occasionally, then car-sharing could be for you.
In Europe, more than 100,000 people are members of over 100 clubs, and use car-sharing as an everyday part of their transport mix.
Evidence suggests that one car-club car on average replaces five private cars, and that car-club members reduce their car mileage by half and replace this with a combination of walking, cycling and public transport.
In the UK, around 20 car-clubs now operate and all work in more or less the same way: a couple of cars are parked in a handy location close to members' homes and are then hired out, usually via a call centre, on a first-come, first-served basis.
To find out where your nearest scheme is, go to www.carclubs.org.uk, which lists all car-club schemes in the country. The site www.smartmoves.co.uk, for example, is now the biggest car-club, with 200 members and 15 cars in schemes operating in Bath, Bristol, Coventry and Edinburgh.
Earlier this week, Smart Moves rolled out its plans for car-sharing in the capital with the launch of the London City Club. Car-sharing across London is planned, starting with Kensington.
"We want to offer more Londoners the choice not to own a car but to have more convenient access to one," says Chas Ball, managing director of Smart Moves.
Membership of Smart Moves costs £140 a year, with cars costing from £2.30 an hour to hire plus 15p a mile.
There's no charge, however, for that feeling of freedom you get when you finally decide to ditch your car.
