Uber
I don’t remember my first Uber ride but I can tell you it was probably in a Toyota Camry. I would have loved to have been around when the creators of Uber first pitched their idea. It is really such an easy and ingenious way for people to earn their own cash. Uber drivers also help provide safe rides for people who are drinking.
Now not only can you catch a ride from an Uber, you can also order food and have it delivered via Uber eats. What a time to be alive! But what happens when Uber goes wrong? There are some scary stories of Uber drivers that have assaulted their passengers but there are even more scary stories of Uber drivers who have been assaulted, robbed and even killed by passengers. This story is luckily, not that.
I was 24 at the time and was spending the weekend in Boston with a friend and her girlfriend. We had a wonderful night out, ate amazing tacos, saw a comedy show and walked around experiencing the nightlife. We were also constantly getting in and out of white Ubers, they all seemed to be the same car. I even made a comment to my friends about Uber drivers having to have a Toyota Camry as a prerequisite to the job.
This made for a higher chance of getting into the wrong Uber sober, but add copious amounts of alcohol and the probability sky rocketed. If you can tell where this story is going, just wait.
Ok side note, I’ve included this graphic I found from Alan’s Metal Carports just because it lends credence to my idea that all Ubers look the same. The Toyota Camry has dominated the car market as the most popular car sold since 1997. So it makes since that the majority of Ubers may also be this same car model.
Anyway back to Boston. We were having an amazing time and ended up at a club where I met a cute Bostonion boy who told me I was brave leading with the fact that I was a die hard Yankees fan. We continued into the night talking players and stats and championships (Us 27 vs Them 9) to which he then immediately brought up 2004 which, for any Yankees fan still hurts.
The night was going so well that I barley noticed when my friend came over to tell me that her girlfriend wasn’t feeling well and she was going to take her home. I didn’t want to go yet and she could see why. She made sure I was not inebriated and asked the gentleman to see his license. She then she took a photo of it and said if I wasn’t home safe tonight she was going to the cops in the morning with his information.
Great friend btw, I hope all of you have friends like that. The guy I was talking to seemed impressed by the gesture and promised to be a gentleman and get me home safely. My friends left and I spent the rest of the night talking about my love of Hideki Matsui and my disgust of Manny Ramirez.
We were having such a great time, I didn’t even realize how many beers I had put down until I stood up and headed to the bathroom. When I almost fell over pulling my pants down I knew it was time to call it a night. I told my new friend I would love to get his number but it was time for me to get an Uber. He put his number in my phone and helped me order a ride. I was new to using the app but he, living in the city, was a professional.
Only a few minutes later my app said my car was arriving soon. A white Toyota Camry. We said our goodbyes and I went outside and got into the first white car with an Uber sign I saw. The interaction I had with the driver was mumbled. He had an accent and I just said said ‘yup’ because I didn’t hear or understand him and I soon laid my head on the window and passed out.
“Miss we are here.” In my drunken sleep and stupor I said ‘thanks’ and quickly exited the car. When I stepped out onto the side walk nothing looked familiar but then again I was in a different city and it was now dark so maybe I was just confused. I reached for my phone to check the address.
It was gone. I had left it in the Uber which was also now gone too. How did this happen? Where the heck was I? I looked around surrounded by tall buildings, the city was different at night, it was scary and I was alone without my phone.
Right as I started having a mild panic attack I heard a familiar voice coming from a familiar car. It was my Uber driver, he was back with my phone! I felt such a wave of relief and before I could say a word, he said “You forgot phone and also I think you were wrong customer”
“Where are we?” I asked
“South end” he said.
“Oh, I need the East end, I’m sorry” I said
He ended up brining me to where I needed to go and thankfully I had cash on hand to pay him for the wrong ride and the right ride. I know this was all my fault and it could have ended so much worse but just a quick PSA to make sure when your Toyota Camry Uber arrives it is in fact the correct Toyota Camry Uber.
