Passengers Who Get the Middle Finger From Me (As I Drive Off and Laugh)

1. Welp, I had to give someone the finger for the first time in awhile yesterday (9-3-17) and it was pretty funny. I was in a pool ride and already had 2 men in my car and was going to go yoink the 3rd passenger (a female). I've had more issues with belligerent men, but my golden rule is to respect me even if you're drunk at 8pm on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. The person called me and was being pretty rude, but I was stuck in traffic and the GPS may have had me pick up other people instead of her, which is why she may have been waiting a bit even though my GPS didn't say so. I eventually pull up next to her, blocking traffic and getting honked at, and wait for a solid 3 minutes. She calls me again, yelling into the phone and I'm like, "get in the car???" She then starts yelling at herself while my current passengers tried to flag her into the car. After a bit longer of hearing her yell at herself, the men told me to drive away from her. I agreed and drove off as she yelled "what the fuck". I laughed and they high fived each other. Bye bitch! ;) ;) ;) No rude people allowed!

Misadventures of Driving in Chicago at Night as a Young Attractive Female

1. The epic misadventures of Rebs in Maywood: I picked up some dude at about 1:30am who was likely stoned out of his mind. It was a 5min Lyft line. About 2min into the ride we get stuck at a freight train. We talked for a bit and he asked to come in the front seat. I was like sure why not. Then he starts asking me questions about sex, which is a very uncomfortable subject for me. He then starts asking me questions about me and liking black dudes/black dick and I told him I don't judge on skin color, but have never dated a black guy. We eventually get to his place and he asks to do sexual stuff and smoke with me. I don't give my passengers sexual favors and hookups aren't my jam. He then pulls out his dick like 3x asking me to do stuff with it. I tell him no it makes me feel uncomfortable. He asked what if he did the favor to me and I told him I wasn't down. He asked me to touch his dick and I said no. He asks me again and I again tell him that sexual situations make me uncomfortable. He also offered me weed and I said no. Then I mentioned sexual encounters scare me, which is mostly true, and he finally left and got the message. This was after about 10-15min of sitting outside his apartment. After all of this was over, I had super peemergency (needing to pee and get to a bathroom within a few minutes or else) and in Maywood, there's nothing open 24hrs nearby. I had no choice. For the first time in several months, I had to pee in an alley. When I was putting my shorts back on, another car came up  behind me and only my underwear were on. I jumped into the car and fled immediately. As I was jumping in the car, people were coming outside. Whoops! Glad no one saw me... I hope. Needless to say, that wasn't fun and hope stupid idiots don't harass me for sexual favors anymore while I'm focused on making money. No thanks and goodbye. I gave him 1 star!

2. The saga continues and it is fucking MONDAY MORNING... I pick up some dude named Jason at about 4:30am for an Uber pool ride from Oak Lawn/Bridgeview and bring him to Burbank for a 15min ride back to his house. He has a Mercedes and his own business. Cool. He's cute. Also cool. I tell him about my broke misadventures and how it's been slow all day and have needed to work a lot. I also told him I was creeped on 3 hours prior. This fucker offers me 100 bucks to have sex with him. As desperate as I am for money, I spent about 10min finding ways to nicely tell him no, including pulling lies out of my pocket. I then said I'm not down to meet anyone right now and he got mad and left. He got 1 star too. Goodbye turd muffin I don't feel like prostituting myself. No thanks! He also was likely drunk or on drugs... I'd rather deal with 6 loud drunks calling me Becky... I need to stop driving at night...

Cool Rideshare Drivers I've Had

1. I was going to an interview and ended up getting a ride from a nice man who was 57 years old and retired named Harold. I was going to a destination about 20-30 minutes away because I was running too far behind to take the train. Oops. I was super stressed from running around all day driving for Uber myself to get some money to pay off my student loan bill for school (eeeeewwww) and I had a phone interview right before I had to go into the city for an in person interview. He said I had a good attitude when I walked in the car and I thought he was being sarcastic because my stress levels were high; I was wrong because he was happy I had a positive attitude to try getting new jobs... though I did tell him I was stressed. He told me about his life ventures of owning businesses and his lady passing away of cancer :( Some major advice this man gave me was how life happens in baby steps and how taking all necessary steps to accomplish your goals won't happen overnight. I sometimes look at things from the big picture instead of smaller goals and he has helped wake me up to realizing that small wins are still integral to winning, as well as they are wins too! He kept giving me credit and telling me how well I was doing, which was much appreciated. I ended up doing well in the interview, but still no dice in job land. Oh well, it's the effort that counts! I wish I could have given him a nice tip, but I had no cash on me. Oops! He wanted to even make sure I was temperature wise comfortable in the car too. His friends told him he should do Uber because he likes talking to people. That's what makes a good Uber driver, right? But Uber should let me tip in the app! Not just for me receiving tips, but for men like him who I wanted to throw a couple dollars to! Lol!

More coming soon :)

The Skeptic of the Rideshare Model: Can Full Time Drivers Make a Real Profit, Especially on the New Uber System?

That moment when your skeptic has been showing about whether or not you can make a profit driving for Uber (and Lyft)... until your friend shows you a $1600+ dollar earnings week and a passenger shows you a $1900+ dollar earnings week. I think both of these people drove 50-60 hours (of being signed into the app) though. 

I've been asked by plenty of people if you can really make money by driving for a rideshare company. I tell people they can make money if they "actually drive" and get out there; I also tell people I sometimes fear the cost of repairs, gas, and other overhead may feel like it's exceeding my profits. I also have various other passions and gigs I'm trying to pursue, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle I neglected in college. 

I started driving for Uber and Lyft at the end of January, 2016 and one of my friends who I live with started driving in August, 2015. We both live in Chicago. For a few months this year, Uber was doing this promotion of "guaranteed hour rates", where you're guaranteed a certain amount of money (ex $35 dollars per hour) if you get at least 1.5 rides per hour, accept at least 80% of the rides, and stay online for the majority of the guarantee period. This is handy for days when it is very "dead", no surge, you just get a number of 10 minute or less rides, or you have to wait for your passengers for awhile. 

Now, this rate is gone and your "guaranteed hours" is now somewhere between 1.3 and 1.5 surge rate (most of the time) in a giant bubble within the central part of the city. I've also noticed that during rush hour periods (early weekday mornings 5-9am and after 4pm to about 8pm on weekdays) is less crowded and not surged anymore. What happened?

Are people becoming "slaves" to the system? Where you as a "contractor" drive and drive and drive until your car goes into the ground, but they don't care. They're taking their giant royal fee of 20-25 percent out of your check, reducing the amount of fare drivers can make behind your back, and not caring about you. Although you can write off some of your overhead at tax time, I feel like there's a giant overhead cost to driving, excluding time of waiting for passengers. For instance, if I make $200 dollars net in a day driving, I'd generally have to fill up my tank twice; that's $80 dollars straight into the gas tank. The corporate honchos don't care. They're making money! Without these guarantees, I feel like I sometimes make $15 or less an hour while wearing out my expensive car and needing more frequent maintenance. Plus, I think I have "driver's knee" now and fear causing injury to myself from driving. 

Why do you think rideshare companies keep recruiting drivers and not passengers? It's where the corporations make the brunt of their money. Don't forget about the wear and tear in your car. Chicago is notorious for lots of potholes, which destroys the suspension. What about that passenger who opens your door into a pole and scratches it? That person who spills something in your back seat? The parts you need fixed? That random ticket you acquired from a red light camera? It seems to be your losses and everyone else's gain. The vicious cycle continues.

I also drive an older car (2004 Toyota Highlander). Since my car is larger and older, my car requires even more maintenance and costs than your average 4 door sedan that's newer. I also have an independent insurance policy where it costs more to have it solo, as well as rideshare insurance costing more. I am over 25 now and have no accidents on my record (*knock on wood*), but I still feel like I pay a ton. A lot of companies reject rideshare drivers, but luckily the insurance I was on already was the only place that didn't reject me. 

It's like a facade of making a profit, but actually digging yourself into a hole of further debt. The head honchos get all the money and the drivers are the little peons to the people on their thrones.

Is the ridesharing model "really" lucrative for full time drivers? Some people make lots of money full time, but part time drivers can make an extra $200 or so dollars per week and not put as much wear and tear into your car or have to deal with as much overhead. You could do it full time, but as for me, I'm going to transition to part time!

Humans of Rideshare Drivers

Me:

I sometimes feel insecure when telling people I do Uber (and Lyft) driving full time vs. my shiny "professional" desk job. I had a job as a Web Developer which I landed right out of college. It ended up not working out and I decided I ultimately want to be a writer and performer. I couldn't find another job in time and was basically left to either quit or get fired. I chose to quit because I wanted to leave on my terms and not have my morale be crushed. One of my friends who I live with suggested rideshare driving to me because I already had a car. I had always wanted to be self-employed, but ended up having to do so sooner than planned. Anything you do, you have to act professional no matter what, but I shouldn't feel ashamed because I'm setting out to make something for myself; at least doing something to make me money. Plus I have this blog to share my stories. Web Developer and Uber driver are just titles. I need to keep telling myself this!

Least Favorite Passengers to Transport for Uber and Lyft

In no particular order with more being added as I see them:

*People who make annoying noises or chew (gum) very loudly: I literally want to cringe, especially because I am sensitive to certain sounds. It makes my ear feel like something is grinding in it. I pray the ride is over asap!

*People who smell bad: Please go take a shower. Sometimes, you may have just gotten off of work and be all smelly, but eeeeewwww. At least I can frantically Febreeze my car afterward!

*People who are in groups of more than 4 people and request a regular Uber: Hey there now, it may cost a couple extra dollars to get you an Uber XL or Lyft Plus, but how do you know I have a third row back seat? The car you get assigned to ride in is random!

*People who request for a ride that's less than a 10 minute drive and make me wait for a long time: You only get paid when you're driving. I know I'm sometimes slow at getting ready, but it matters a little more when time is *actually* money. Plus, short rides don't generate much fare and a 5 minute drive that takes 20 minutes to complete after a round of getting lost and traffic, I lose several dollars for that hour. If it's freezing, awful weather, or you actually can't walk, you're excused though!

*People who drop a pin for an address instead of giving me an actual destination: I'm still learning directions here, and giving me an address of "Monroe Harbor" with your pin being in the water isn't going to help me much. You then tell me you're at Navy Pier. I start heading in your direction and you tell me I'm going the wrong way. If I were to go the other way, I'd be heading towards the museum campus. You then tell me you're at the Navy Pier bus terminal. At least I know where that is due to misadventures of ending up there when running infinitely late for work one day. You then tell me you're by a boat dock, which ends up being all the way in the back of Navy Pier. At least I find you, but thanks for bringing a crying baby in my car...

*People who talk on the phone very loudly in my back seat: That just makes me feel awkward, so I'll blast music and think in space while driving you to your destination

*Couples who argue in my back seat. No thanks! My last relationship existed of my boyfriend trying to pick arguments with me and I don't feel like seeing anymore of that now that I'm free of his stinking leash!

*People who use my car as a furniture moving service: I'm a rideshare driver, not a UHaul truck. A few of my first days as a rideshare driver, someone wanted me to move a recliner couch that didn't fit in their car and another person wanted me to move a 65 inch TV and took their 9 year old with them. My car may be big and be able to transport things, but I guess, "we shall never deny a guest, even the most ridiculous request"... At least someone who had me move a piano gave me a tip!

*Ones who ask for me to go to the burbs: Well, those aren't too bad, but sometimes annoying when you have to drive far away from surge pricing/most riders and drive all the way back once you're done. It is a nice fair, but it was pretty funny when my very first ride was from the King Bowl in Lincoln Park to Inverness. I had 1/4 tank of gas in my car thinking I'd be ok for a bit. I awkwardly had to go to the gas station and eventually took them home. I still think that's the longest distance drive I've had to this day (almost 4 months later).

*People who request me to drop them off in a neighborhood I'd feel wary of going to: I don't want to get shot, please and thank you!

*People who spill things in my back seat or ask to have a beer while I'm driving. No thanks! Cleaning my car is expensive

*Drunkards who are SO loud where it feels like 6 people are having 5 conversations within my car. Either that, or people who begin asking me weird questions (such as preferring to smell a bag of poop or have someone unleash a smelly fart and hotbox me). Those were the types of questions my high school bullies asked me and I'm NOT down for that!

*People with whiny children...

Most Epic/Memorable Passengers and Adventures Not Involving Sloppy Drunk People

(Chicago) Passengers of Uber and Lyft (kind of like "Humans of New York") and various other memorable adventures and lessons:

*It was about 5am on Saturday night (Sunday morning) and I picked up a 35 year old man from a wedding in the suburbs since I was summoned to go there earlier and was still snagging some rides. He had a few drinks, but I knew he wouldn't cause a problem. We begin talking and he tells me he's from Oak Brook, but lives in LA right now to "pursue his dream as some kind of artist". He then tells me he is addicted to coke and got 4 DUIs :( His friends also knew he was unhappy and the poor guy seemed like a downer (probably out of depression). I suggested therapy and he said "Nirvana was his therapy", which meant he wasn't really ready for help. My heart breaks for him and I hope he finds his smile soon!

*I was driving a medical student around to her friend's house during a storm and another man walked in my car who I picked up in the same trip for a pool smelling very much like weed. After his 10 minute ride, he exited my car and the other passenger said he smelled like weed. I didn't want to point anything out, but it was funny she saw!

*It seems like every time I want to do "1 quick ride before I go home", my last ride always becomes extra lengthy. For example, on Sunday morning May 1 I wanted to do a quick one before going home on my post staying up all night driving binge (it was 8am and I had to be somewhere 40 minutes away at 10am). I was on Michigan Avenue and received a pool request... surely enough that guy would need to go to Midway Airport aka the complete wrong way of where I needed to go. I received a second request within the pool who needed to go to the south loop. Of course, my gps was spazzing out and none of the passengers were from in town. I used my best judgement to get to the south loop because I worked nearby and headed that way until the gps behaved. I then flew to Midway, rocketed home, and was 20 minutes late to where I needed to be. Oops! The proceeding Tuesday (slash Wednesday morning) it was about 12:30am and I was crashing pretty hard. I had been summoned to the burbs and stayed in the burbs until I decided it would be best to head back towards my apartment and back to the city. I left my app on and didn't get any requests until I was like 2 minutes from my place. I wanted to break 100 dollars that night and wanted a quick ride before calling it. Surely enough that person would need to go to Blue Island (like 135th and Broadway). That was a 40 minute drive and I was hoping to stay awake. My amino drink woke me up and I was able to complete the drive. I drove home after that and told myself, "no more 1 more quickie before home because that usually turns into an extra long ride".

*So here I am driving on a Friday night and my second ride of the night I get these two male passengers who are a couple years older than me in my car. They're both drunk. I'm playing Tipper (electronic music artist) in the background as I'm driving and these two people are talking about basketball and they ask me what I like to do. A few minutes later they compliment me on my music and start spitting improv rap lines. Once the ride ends one of the passengers proceeds based on my looks and music taste to ask me out. I'm extremely reluctant to date right now (moreso scared than closed off from it) and he asked for my number. I decided to give him my real number instead of a fake one to face my fears. I turn around and the dude is decent looking. Hmmmmm. Let's see what happens! But not the getting asked out by an Uber passenger. I hope this dude wasn't just desperate... lol!