But on Tuesday he had to take it twice.
When 20-year-old Westport florist Siobhan Patterson learned the Crusaders were in town she made a beeline for the school they were visiting.
Target: Israel Dagg. She failed on that score. He wasn't there. So the Crusaders' fan settled for Carter instead and by the end of the day she had driven the No 10 and three other players 78km to Reefton - with a quick stop to introduce them to her mum, Nicola.
It was a win-win situation.
The Crusaders were taking part in an Amazing Race-type team building exercise and they had split into groups to hitch hike back to their pre-season base at Hanmer Springs.
They had been in Westport visiting schools and doing other promotion activities ahead of their pre-season opener against the Hurricanes in Timaru on tomorrow.
Ms Patterson was happy to oblige on the Westport to Reefton leg of the hitchhike challenge.
Dressed in a Crusaders' jersey she went to St Canice's School on the expectation of meeting Dagg.
"I was a bit disappointed that Izzy (Dagg) wasn't there but when I saw Carter it was the next best thing. I waited for them and grabbed them. I gave Carter a hug and asked them where they were going.
He said: "We are going to Reefton".
I asked him if they wanted a ride and he said "sweet".
"They had to go to the bank first so I dropped them off there. I picked them up afterwards and took them around to meet my mum," she said.
Carter sat in the back with other Crusaders Shane Christie and Nepo Laulala. Midfield back Ryan Crotty sat in the front.
"Normally it takes about 50 minutes but it took us an hour. I sat on 80km and refused to go any faster or overtake. It was one of those drives where you just wanted the car to break down and no one to stop on the side of the road," said Ms Patterson.
"We had the music going and we talked about Dan's wedding, his wife, Honor and their baby. I also asked them what they thought of girls trying to get their autographs all the time and what their partners thought of it. Carter said his wife got a bit jealous about it sometimes but she was used to it," she said.
Ms Patterson who said she liked Carter's "cute dimples" and it didn't take for the Jockey jokes to start.
"Ryan said that girls didn't know anything about Carter or rugby, all they knew what he did was wear his undies with no top on. It was really funny.
The Crusaders gave Ms Patterson two pairs of rugby socks, a pair of shorts and an Adidas T-shirt, which she slept in on Tuesday night. With a wave they were off and thumbing a lift for their next leg of their journey to Hanmer Springs.
"My friends couldn't believe that Dan was in my car.
"Normally I wouldn't pick up anyone I didn't know but this was different. It was a fun car ride. It was a hot day and there were these three big rugby players in the back of the car. It was quite funny. We had lots of laughs and they were really nice.
"If Dan didn't have a wife, I would've asked him out...only because Izzy wasn't there," she said.
- Samantha McPherson of the Star
