Last I week I became a Lyft driver, the new(ish)-hipster-fist bump-pink mustache-friend with a car-ride service that is taking over San Francisco (and LA, Seattle, & Chicago). So I drive my own vehicle, which is actually Gia's 2000 Honda Civic, and let strangers who are savvy enough to download the clever app jump in/out of my car on the way to/from work, parties, bars, friends' houses, "sleepovers", therapy sessions, etc.
The real rub is that almost to-a-(wo)man they love telling you their story and hearing their drivers' story. After 80 or so passengers under my belt I have gotten a lot of questions like, "Why am are you Lyfting?, For how long? and Do I like it? But inevitably I turn it around and ask them their story. Usually easily revealed by where they are coming or going to or where they are originally from. I've only had one Lyft that was clearly not wanting to share (ironically my closest neighbor pickup), but that was at 7am on a work-day, and she was hiding something about where she lived and worked, no doubt.
You meet the most amazing people with the most amazing lives. Active, happy, successful, well-traveled, young, hip, sweet and intoxicated. I stopped living the party life long-ago and it's interesting to see it up close and personal again.
For the record, my first ever ride was Marissa in Cole Valley.
That same night I got a hug from redhead on Spruce who was going to an art show and getting out of the house, where her guy roommates hogged the remote; met a funny bicycler in Mission; a bitter Bloomies (what the kewl people call Bloomingdales) employee who is also a driver, and taught me a few tricks.
After my first weekend night had a perfect ending when got a ping at 12:30am to go to Central Ave. & Hayes, near my place. Told the guy and his two friends I loved 'em.
Saturday night, met some kewl people incl. Natalie who had a boyfriend named Rick and was on a date with Nick. She yelled at me when she thought I passed her area. Drove Marina girls home from a Ritch Street club and I called them "Mean Girls" after 2 of them bad-mouthed the 3rd upon drop-off. To quote them, "I have issues!"
Bay-to-Breakers was CRAZY TOWN, of course. I worked off-schedule and didn't stop until after locking keys in the car at Alamo Square Park. Started with 2 French girls, one really really drunk. Ended with 3 awesome foreigners (London, Hong Kong and Ireland) here on vaca, headed to a Lower Haight Bar. Then my best pickup of the day, Gia at Colleen's and Chinese takeout. Kept reminding myself to "Keep Calm and Lyft Safe."
Monday was a home game at AT&T Park and a pretty good night where I introduced my Giants journal for passengers to sign and "Lou" Seal, official mascot, on the dashboard. My first signer was Bonny, who I accidentally called Bunny as the font on the app is a bit hard to read, and a two day recent grad in Psych. at USF. A young guy was bound for a 24-hour flight to Israel that same night.
Tuesday was my first try at the morning commute and it was a bust. But regardless still interacted with young professionals headed to tech jobs in SoMa after a few cancels in the Avenues.
I've never had a job this interesting, flexible and fulfilling - at least for the time-being. And I'm actually making a living. Back at it again tonight and all weekend - and can hardly wait to rock the pink 'stache and get to know some more Lyft-ers.
