I Love My Uber Drivers

I love my Uber drivers! If I could, I would live in a community of nothing but Uber drivers. They are friendly and smart. They hard-working and interesting to talk to. And, for the most part, they are unrelentingly cheerful.

In September, 2022, I sold my car. It was a cute 2015 red Juke. It was a nice car but I was tired of driving. I was tired of traffic. I was tired of people honking at me, for no reason at all.

I did the math. I drove less than 6000 miles/year and I paid a lot of money for insurance, gas, and maintenance. And then I hit a “no left turn” sign. You’re right! I hit the sign, just as I tried to turn left.

The paramedics who came were kind and helpful. One directed traffic as the other one dislodged my car from the sign post. I wasn’t hurt but I was embarrassed as I took my car to the body shop for repair. That’s when I decided I was ready to turn in my keys.

I sold my my car for $16,000.00. That’s a lot of Uber rides! So far I’ve had only one not-so-great experience. The driver yelled at me when I pointed out an easier way to take me home. I hate being yelled at. I spoke up and told him that if he wanted a tip, he’d better not yell at me. He was quiet for the rest of the way, but then he gave me a “one star” review as a rider, making sure he’d never have to drive me anywhere again.

I love that my drivers are from all over the world. They remind me of my Airbnb guests. My favorites are the drivers from Africa and Mexico. They have great stories about how they came to the United States and how their families have adjusted to being here.

I usually choose Uber Green because I like to support electric cars. And, mostly, because a lot of those cars are Teslas. Tesla has an agreement with Uber to rent cars to drivers for a nominal fee. I’ve ridden in Teslas of every color.  Often I have a different driver, with a different color Tesla, on both legs of my trip. I tell people “I traded my Nisson for a Tesla.”

I’m glad I decided to sell my car and stop driving. After sixty years behind the wheel, I love being in the passenger seat. When I reach my destination, I say goodbye to the driver with the same speech every time.

“Thank you for getting me safely to my destination. I’ve enjoyed riding with you. I will probably never see you again, but I’d be happy if I did. In the meantime, I will hold you in my heart for the rest of today.” And then I add, “Please give me five stars.”