CAR SERVICE

I worked past 10/11pm all week and took a car service home. My ride home costs the company 100+ dollars plus tip. Frankly, sometimes these drivers don’t deserve the tip – for lack of manners/service/cleanliness and for risking the lives of their passengers.

The story that sparks this post is the driver who drove me home Friday night. I was leaving on a business trip on Monday so I had a few extra things on me including some shoes I wanted to take on the road, in addition to my usual bag and computer bag. It was also my birthday, so I had cookies and champagne to take home. My hands were full! But the driver was too busy stuffing his face with a sandwich to notice that I needed help. By the time he got out of the car, I had already opened the door and was dumping things in the back seat. I turned around and he was just watching me, still chewing on his late night dinner, and his eyes were bloodshot. He must have finished his sandwich, but the car smelled of food. I opened the windows. A minute into the car ride, the driver coughs for a minute straight. It’s not a normal cold cough. It was an “I’m choking and dying right now” type of cough. I asked him if he was okay. I was scared that he might pass out on me. He said he was okay. Coughs for another minute. I am not convinced. I make sure that I have my seat belt on. In between coughs, I hear beeping noises. I glance over at his seat belt. Undone. Thank goodness the ride was only 25 minutes, but I was scared the whole time.

Other things drivers have been guilty of:
- Seat belt (very common)
- Illegal U-turns (all the time!)
- Speeding
- Driving too slowly (One of my drivers got pulled over for driving too slowly in the passing lane)
- Aggressive driving – trying to squeeze between 2 trucks

Other things that drive me nuts
- Smell – #1 cause of nausea. I understand that people have odors, but they should also realize that if they sit in a car all day, the whole car starts to smell like their breath. Need to aerate, need to air freshen, need to febreeze.
- Getting lost – They should all have GPS, or I should pay less for a non-GPS car. OR they could simply ask me for directions.
- Talking on their Bluetooth phone – who in the world are they talking to for over 30 minutes???

So I’m pleasantly surprised when I get drivers who are “well-dressed and courteous” – the promise my car/limo company makes. These drivers open the door for me. They carry my bags and put them in the trunk. Use the GPS but also ask me what route I want to take. I step into the car, it smells fresh, and they have bottles of water and magazines for their passengers.  Makes me happy. These people deserve the tip.