does anyone really use couchsurfing?

I found out about couch surfing so I had a detailed look at its site. I think that it seems like a really good idea if all goes well. However there could be safety worries in some situations. If I let a someone from couch surfing sleep on my couch I don't know that person. I would want to let references from other couch surfers that had that man or lady stay with them. I wouldn't want to let a new couch surfer stay with me because I wouldn't have a way of seeing if they were a normal person. I love to meet other travelers and chat to them. I think that couch surfing is suitable for a single person or a couple if the follow safety rules. However I am a lady with a disabled son and a baby girl. I prefer to stay in a locally owned guest house. I look at accommodation listings in travel guide books. These give me an idea of safety and pricing like if I can afford to stay there. I traveled around the world when I was 20 years old and that was when Australia had a backpacker murderer. I didn't take the risk of a lift in a car there. When I was in the Maldives on a lonely beach in my mid thirties I was attacked. I know how to be safer now when I travel.

Hi Kingparker, Well that's different. Here "couchsurfing" is usually teens that have been kicked out of their parents homes or don't want to be there because of the rules and all. They end up couch-surfing and staying at different friends places...whoever will have them. They are usually in trouble with the law and looking for a free ride with no rules. I've had a few of them in my place and I will never ever allow it again. They were friends of my daughter's when she was younger. As for it being used for people who are travelling well, it all sounds good and would save someone a lot of money. I'm not sure I'd trust it.

I first heard couchsurfing through this site and joined it myself. I have tried welcoming some to dine with me and some to stay at my place and it was quite a good experience. I admire them for their courage in venturing to stay in a strangers house. Actually, the guests and hosts are not total strangers as the site explains it better, you can actually check their profile, other's evaluation of them, and decide who to accept and where to stay. There are also references, verification, vouching, and recommendations from actual acquaintances as safety features. I have joined this site for close to two years now and have met quite a number of friendly people. As the site put it, "Participating in Creating a Better World, One Couch at a Time."

I personally have never done this. I just don't think it's for me. Like you said, there is a factor of safety involved. But even if it was absolutely 100% safe, I have a lot of social anxieties and I would not enjoy staying with a stranger. But I did read an article in a magazine about this, and a lot of people had a lot of positive experiences. They liked staying with someone in a foreign country that would show them around and give them a local perspective on the country. I believe that is a more enriching way to travel, but it's not for everyone!

I have heard about the site before, but I haven't used it myself. When my husband and I were planning our trip around Europe, Switzerland was one of the countries that we wanted to visit. Accomodation is really expensive there, so we thought about using couchsurfing instead, but we didn't have enough time to visit Switzerland, and we never actually used the site. We might try it another time though. I am not sure about the safety, it is one of the things that we have also thought about. I heard that many people have had very positive experiences with couch surfing - cheap vacation, many new friends etc, but as a woman I wouldn't use that kind of accomodation if I were travelling on my own, because I would be worried about my safety.

I'have heard about this thing but I didn't know the name. I think that it would be great to have this possibility - to travel with less expenses. And also when you go to a foreign country it's allways better if you have local people to show you interesting things. I hope one day to use the coachsurfing.