Musings from an occasional driver for the ride sharing service, Uber
The first ride in my new incarnation as Best Uber Driver Ever was for a lady with a pre-school boy. Grandma, it turns out was going to Walmart with a puppy-dog-tail little guy. All wiggles and giggles and smiles as he slid into the back seat. He was making funny noises with his lips and Grandma wanted him to stop. He didn’t stop. He continued to make funny noises out the other end. Grandma didn’t…
People ask: are you still driving for Uber? Easy answer: nope. Long answer: maybe I’ll drive during Coachella. Why? You just can’t make money driving any more. It’s just not worth it. Except maybe during Coachella. Then it’s fun for a few hours. Conclusion: Be nice to your next Uber/Lyft driver. It’s hard to make more than a few bucks an hour.
My rider was a middle-aged woman with bright red hair. She was headed to her shift at Starbucks. I commented that she was my first non- Coachella rider. She laughed. “I worked for the guys who started Coachella , back in the early days. We had a rented storage unit with one phone on a very long cord. We would sit outside, smoke pot and try to figure out what indie bands to book. But we usually…
Homicidal The three guys in my car were scary. That’s the only word I can use to describe them. Scary dudes. I had picked them up at one of the many Coachella house parties where the crowd was dispersing. The music coming from the party was angry. My mother would not approve of how the women dressed. My father would not approve of how the men behaved. The guys were talking about frustrations with…
It was a very young couple, maybe early 20’s in my car. They were giddy with excitement about their first Coachella. She ran back into the house for her face mask, so I chatted him up. Excited? You bet. Your mind will be blown. Be careful of the heat. Be sure to drink a lot of water. Find the tent with AC to keep yourself cool. I gave him more advice than he really wanted, he listened politely.…
One of the most common requests I receive the first week of Coachella goes something like this: “I have a VIP pass, so you can drop us off at the VIP gate. Okay?” It’s never a question, more of a statement. The tone of voice is a mixture of forced confidence and insecurity from knowing that this will not happen. They think that their Jedi mind trick will convince me to escort them to the forbidden…
Two young guys discussed their strategy for the first day of Coachella: “When we get to the H&M tent, let’s pretend we don’t see anyone so we don’t have to talk to them. They are great sponsors and all, but all I want is to find Mario, get my drugs and take off.”
The lady on the phone was angry with me. She couldn’t find my car at the casino valet. The sea of 5 cars was too much for her to find my burgundy Subaru. I caught her attention thru the open passenger window. She decided to argue with me about my car. Mine was a Saturn, she insisted. It took some persuasion, but eventually she realized that she was confused, got in the back and began to sulk.…
The scene outside the Merv Griffin Estate was chaos. Crowds of people trying to get in. The road was blocked with limos and black SUVs. Two young girls were happy to find me. They had almost zero reception on their phones. Take note: T-Mobile is not your friend during Coachella . The young Aussie lass gave me an address. Their VIP Performer Passes were at another sponsored party. Their friend…
I’m driving for Uber again, trying to raise money for next year’s Burning Man. This is reminding me of the many awkward aspects of Uber. It’s awkward to be sitting in my car with three other people carrying on a conversation. They do not talk to me, they do not include me. I’m not part of the conversation. In normal life that would be rude. Or it would be equally rude for me to…
It’s been ages since I drove for Uber. So it’s time to get some practice before Coachella comes back around. I like to choose a very tedious task to do at home while I wait for a ride request. In this case, I chose credit card expense reports. Truly one of my least favorite things. In the middle of November’s Citibank card, I heard salvation with the Uber alarm. Gonna have to do this crap some…
“The high afforded us by our brain when we are productive is delicious. For me, it’s comparable to the endorphin rush after a good workout. Of course, I want more.” - Busy is an Addiction – Rands in Repose (via sluggobear )
I’m reviving stories from 2015 during the spectacle that is Coachella 2016. Just for old times sake. Without a doubt, my biggest motivation in driving for Uber is the variety of people I meet. I’m not making a ton of vacation money with this gig anymore, the Uber gold rush seems to be over. But I still have fun meeting people. Does this define me as an extrovert? Would I rather drive strangers…
When I first started driving for Uber, I did my best to assume the role they described in the minimal Uber Driver training. Looking back I now realize that their training was based on what they now call Uber Black, a high-end driver service. They wanted us to wear a suit, maybe even white gloves. Always open the door for the rider. Car should be fresh smelling but not too strong, well stocked with…
Palm Springs has been my home town my entire life. This means that I’m accustomed to a certain demographic: retired folk. When I was younger, the town was a bit older than it is now. We used to refer to the typical retired local as “q-tips”. That’s what you could see peering over the steering wheel of a classic Cadillac in the 1960s. Be warned if you are riding your bike and a Q-Tip is headed your…
Yes, I do.
(Originally posted in February 2014) Usually when I arrive at a pickup location I call the client, but sometimes I text. This time I felt like texting, there was a good song on the radio. I was pecking a message to Brittany who requested the ride, when a guy jumped into the passenger seat. I gave him a smile and said, “you don’t look like Brittany.” Often times a friend gets in the car before the…
The ride request was very close to my home, a quiet neighborhood of well landscaped yards maintained by part-time residents. It’s a typical Palm Springs neighborhood. My rider met me in the middle of his street. He was a large man dressed for an fancy evening, looking dapper in a bow-tie. He was jolly, and sighed that he had “one last charity function” then he could take a break for a few months.…
Without a doubt, my biggest motivation in driving for Uber is the variety of people I meet. I’m not making a ton of vacation money with this gig anymore, the Uber gold rush seems to be over. But I still have fun meeting people. Does this define me as an extrovert? Would I rather drive strangers around town for little pay than sit on the couch? Yep. I’m an extrovert. The two weekends of the…
The ride request was from a dicey part of town, but it was early in the evening so I didn’t think twice. When the people walked out of the dingy apartment building, I was glad for the lingering dusk light. Any later and I might have had a bit of a panic. Two very large men and two equally large women dressed in classic biker clothing headed my way. They didn’t walk so much as stride towards me. If…