Why You Need to Start a Conversation With Your Lyft Driver
I love the concept of ride-sharing services like Lyft or Uber, and I use them all the time when I travel or feel the urge to paint the city red. But not only because they are comfortable; I love talking to drivers! And I would not trade all the stories, advice and almost head-on collisions for anything.
The perfect time to practice communicating with strangers
Talking to someone you don’t know seems to be the most awkward and difficult thing in the world – until it is. You open your mouth, say hello, pour out a few pleasantries, and before you know it, you have one of the most interesting conversations of your life. Chatting with strangers is good for you : it improves your speaking skills, lifts your spirits and, most importantly, opens the bubble in which you float.
On various Lyft and Uber rides, I chatted with a former Salt Lake City cop who was on the scene during the Los Angeles riots, and was treated to tales of lavish parties from a professional Hollywood dancer who is backing pop music. video, and spoke with a Seattle resident about the difficulties of raising four daughters in the heart of the city. It was nice to share advice with a young auto mechanic who loved to write but had no way out. I will never forget my conversation about diversity and storytelling with an independent filmmaker from Mexico. And I was shocked that night when my driver said they were big Lifehacker fans and wanted my autograph.
These conversations allowed me to turn my daily practice into something memorable and rewarding. You see, all these people gave me something: perspective. A different outlook on life and why we do those stupid things that we do in a short time here. And that is more valuable to me than the $ 18 trip to the bar. But you have to want it. I believe I can strike up a conversation with the simplest questions:
- Are you still busy?
- How long have you been living here?
- Have you been driving [service] for a long time?
- Have you heard of [where am I going]?
That’s all it takes. Most drivers will be fully involved the time I ask one or two of these questions because they are probably tired of all the jerks they usually have to deal with. However, I am well aware that as a good-natured white man six feet tall, who looks capable of protecting himself, I find it easier. I know there are creepy, terrible people out there, and that some of them are drivers that you might run into. But if someone seems nice, try it. Ask how their day is going. Besides, what else are you going to do? Looking at your phone? Careful. It is also an easy way to improve passenger ratings or maintain a flawless appearance .
It’s a great way to find hidden hotspots in the city.
During these car trips, you can not only talk about good things, but also get valuable information. Into the Yelp age! and blogs, it may seem that all interesting local places are known and cataloged, but this is not always the case. There will always be places that will fly by unnoticed, and word of mouth is the only way to get an invitation .
After one night of drinking and breaking my vocal cords in a karaoke booth, I spoke to a private chef who drives a car in his spare time. During that educational trip, he told me about many amazing restaurants and bars with holes in the wall that I would never have seen on a digital map dotted with red badges. Then, on a longer than usual city trip, I spoke to a Kentucky woman who had a penchant for visiting historic sites. As we headed towards our destination, she noted points of interest along the way that I should check out later. I don’t remember much of what I did with my friends that night, but I do remember driving to the place where the NWA played their first show, hearing strange stories about old places in Hollywood and complaining about the rent together.
This could be a great story.
As I mentioned earlier, drivers come in all shapes and sizes. Someone is rude, someone is inexplicably weird, someone doesn’t want to talk at all and should be left alone (don’t be pushy or rape), and some need your help to choose a movie to go see their mom … Enter “Enzo”.
Enzo picked me up and my friends outside the restaurant on what I can only describe as the Fast and Furious prop car. It looked cool, and so did he ( I think Lucio from Overwatch ). Almost immediately we realized that Enzo likes to go fast and has little respect for stop signs. It was intimidating as we drove through traffic jams and intersections, but it was also fun, well, I won’t get in trouble. After the usual jokes, I asked him about movies and video games, but soon Enzo’s phone rang through the speakers. It was his girlfriend and he was in trouble because he didn’t choose the movie. It was incredibly uncomfortable listening to their conversation – all the while living life a quarter of a mile at a time – but in the end Enzo got us involved in their conversation because we seemed to know about the films that were playing at the time. It was his mother’s birthday, and he and his girlfriend did not know what to see. After about 20 minutes of amazingly deep discussion about the film, we decided they should go see The Martian . As far as I know, yes, and Enzo’s mother had a wonderful birthday.
However, sometimes the drivers will be so kind and talkative that you want the car to enter your lane. After a 12-hour flight from Tokyo, I was exhausted and in no mood for anything, but my driver, an elderly Chinese man, was intent on persuading me to go to China. So much so that it seemed like he wanted me to go back in time, cancel my trip to Japan and go to China instead. He uttered countless facts about the country and almost forcibly fed me his personal supply of homemade cookies (which I didn’t eat – and neither should you, never), but all I could do was nod and say wow. ” … cool “and” yes, maybe. ” When I got out of the car and closed the door, he shouted, “Go to China!” before leaving.
These were, to put it mildly, unpleasant experiences, but now I enjoy them, because they are wonderful stories. I can get rid of them when the chat is directed in that direction or if there is a break in the conversation. Enzo almost didn’t kill me, he gave me a funny memory and finally answered my question: “How does it feel to be both fast and furious?” And this kind Chinese man may have annoyed me in my weary state after the trip, but I will never forget how pleasant it was for him to try to share his personal snack with me. Besides, now I kind of want to go to China. Well played, sir.