# Lyft Line # Kids Who Lyft A college-aged guy sits down in the front seat. After announcing that he has philosophy homework and a big research project to turn in, he gets to work. The app tells me our ride has two stops; next we will be picking up his niece at her elementary school.Continue reading “The traffic-deterring giant slug, systemic honk reform and fruit-picking through the car window with a retired bat researcher”
Category Archives: Bay Area
Hamburger passengers and my car the traveling food court: a day in the life of an Uber Eats delivery girl
The message “Order ready” flashes across the screen overhead. Giant cardboard boxes wait on the counter, quarter pounders loudly declaring themselves in the center and fries spilling out from the grease-stained edges. Condensation drips down the soft drink paper cups, mirroring the beads of sweat on employees’ foreheads. All wearing black visors, they scamper fromContinue reading “Hamburger passengers and my car the traveling food court: a day in the life of an Uber Eats delivery girl”
Therapists, Policemen, and Zebra Fish Researchers: Passengers Talk Interesting Careers
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” —Confucius Passengers here either currently worked in engaging careers, were in the process of pursuing one, or added a fresh perspective to one that most people probably already know about. One worked as a traveling psychologist and conducted appointmentsContinue reading “Therapists, Policemen, and Zebra Fish Researchers: Passengers Talk Interesting Careers”
Diamond poop clinic, Choose Your Own Adventure, and the Internet’s superfluity of biased chatter in East Oakland, CA
Many people’s negative stereotypes of Oakland as a “dangerous place” stem from biased perceptions of East Oakland. The Earl Warren Institute wrote that “Drug dealing in general, and the dealing of crack cocaine in particular in the 1980s, resulted in elevated rates of violent crime, causing Oakland to consistently be listed as one of America’sContinue reading “Diamond poop clinic, Choose Your Own Adventure, and the Internet’s superfluity of biased chatter in East Oakland, CA”
Spanish-sounding Greek guys, Belle departs the Beast on an Uber Carriage, and the old man who spurned selfie sticks
On the line-up for this week: My thoughts on Uber Carriage, a babysitter explains the concept of ride share to two young children, and an anecdote from a passenger inspires a short story about the line between altruism and boundarylessness. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lyft Quote “People think we are Spanish because the accents are similar.” —Four GreekContinue reading “Spanish-sounding Greek guys, Belle departs the Beast on an Uber Carriage, and the old man who spurned selfie sticks”
Edible ocean plants, how Lyft drivers and soccer goalies are similar, and passengers talk environmental psychology
On the line-up for today: an endearing quote about seaweed, comparisons between drivers and goalies, passengers’ experiences with environmental psychology, and a dystopian dream involving themed self-driving cars and Donald Trump running for re-election in 2034. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #Lyft Overheard “Do you eat that plant that lives underneath the water?” — A guy with an accentContinue reading “Edible ocean plants, how Lyft drivers and soccer goalies are similar, and passengers talk environmental psychology”
Ostrich tattoos, antique shops, and the Greek island hangover store in Fremont, CA
I’m in Niles, a quiet, peaceful, and little-known neighborhood of the East Bay city of Fremont. Fremonts’ overall population is 238,000, while 7,500 reside in Niles. Antique shops pepper the buildings of the district’s main road, while yellow hills running parallel to train tracks mimic the parched humps of a giant camel. Outside one store, twoContinue reading “Ostrich tattoos, antique shops, and the Greek island hangover store in Fremont, CA”
A Spanish-Speaking Crocodile Fighter, Hypervigilance as a Driver, and the Soft-spoken Jazz Mobile Operator
On the line-up for today: Spanish practice paired with 90s ‘arcade nostalgia, anxiety on the road, and a jazz-playing widow Lyft driver opens up about his methods for offering an impeccable music experience to his passengers. ~~~ # Passengers Speak Spanish : Luchador de Cocodrilos (Crocodile Fighter) “Me encantaba ese juego cuando era un niño.Continue reading “A Spanish-Speaking Crocodile Fighter, Hypervigilance as a Driver, and the Soft-spoken Jazz Mobile Operator”
Deluged Passengers and Flooded Freeways: Driving Lyft on a Rainy Day
“I like it when it rains hard. It sounds like white noise everywhere, which is like silence but not empty.” – Mark Haddon Picking people up in the rain can feel dramatic sometimes, like taking part in a scene from a rom-com. Often passengers run to the car– hoods on, umbrellas overhead. Once inside theyContinue reading “Deluged Passengers and Flooded Freeways: Driving Lyft on a Rainy Day”
Grooving octopuses, Passenger empathy, and Dave the Compliment Machine
On the lineup for today: a woman passenger reminisces on Berkeley’s days of yore, a time when a passenger really had my back, and a short story sparked by a comment made in a Lyft ride. ~~~ Berkeley High Schooler in the ’70s “The teachers didn’t have a handle on the kids at all. We’dContinue reading “Grooving octopuses, Passenger empathy, and Dave the Compliment Machine”
Lyft Tales 