In my experience 'couch surfing' has been limited to my children or friends visiting the area.
I know few people who open their homes to strangers. Think 'serial killer'.

What I have seen is called 'bed & breakfast' or 'air bed (airb&b)'.

In a way, couch surfing could be associated with hitchhiking. 'Hitchhiking' is getting a ride from a stranger by putting out your thumb or holding a sign while standing on a highway or street. Hitchhiking is illegal in many places due to the fact so many people have been raped or murdered or just plain vanish from doing so.
Its dangerous for the hitchhiker and the host because you never actually know the person...they could be anyone.
I imagine it could be pretty much the same for couch surfing.

While it may hold true so far that it is safe, its only going to be safe until it isn't and if you survive that I would suggest you use that fortunate wisdom to make better judgements.

...

We trust verified accounts, and vice versa. As per experience, most of us interacting are also professionals whose backgrounds we have checked even before requesting to be hosted.

If we dont request for hosting, we do it to meet with other travellers or locals to help us with our itineraries or to just meet and learn from each others' cultures.

hitch hiking is way toooooo different. somehow related, but you cant background check the person youre asking to ride in.

If you dont CS or know cs, safe not to say anything anymore, as my trips have ended and i had a good experience meeting locals in both HCMC and Bkk. Just saying.

If you are out Vancouver BC way. I live in Abbotsford and have a guest room you can surf too.

Gary is lonely.

Sounds like a white male fetish post