I read about a way to traveling places in europe w/ locals in their car - but lost the web site - can you help?
it's called ride sharing. You can Google the subject between specific cities.
I think that riding a train would be a more normal way to get from place to place. Trains can be quiet inexpensive in some countries.
Blabla car is OK but it's hit and miss. It entirely depends on you finding someone who happens to be going at the same place on the same day from your location who is going where you want to go. For reliable transportation on a schedule, your cheapest option is a bus. There are bus companies that sell seats starting very cheaply (even for as little as 5 euros) and then getting more expensive as more seats are sold on that bus.
Who screens the locals for rapists, criminals, etc?
Who screens the travelers for rapists, criminals, etc?