I was going to say that I would not accept the ride without first meeting the people, but then I remembered that years ago I did accept a ride with an online "friend". It was a very small online support group for people who had had miscarriages and who were finally pregnant and we had a meet. We had been conversing for a long time and we really did feel that we knew each other and we had a bond with each other.
I can't say that I'd accept a ride now without first meeting the person, however, but I love meeting DISers and I hope to meet one tomorrow. Yes, I meet them in neutral places, even though I can imagine meeting in non-neutral locations after getting to know them.
My kids know that I do this and I think that they lesson that they are learning is that it's fine to meet and trust strangers as long as it's done carefully and only under certain conditions. Afterall, we meet strangers all the time and sometimes become friendly with them. How can that be ok, but it not be ok to meet someone that we first meet online?
The online part doesn't somehow make it bad, just means that a person needs to take precautions, but they are the same ones that a person needs to take with any stranger.