I know you said "most" but I have had plenty of conversations with cab drivers that I remember years into the future.
Two examples:
- a very elderly man picked us up in London, he was cheerful and chatty in his 1940s-war-broadcast-style accent, turns out he spent a chunk of his life as an engineer in what you might call "frontier" countries. So many stories. He had plenty of cash, but drove to chat with strangers and because he couldn't stand doing nothing.
- we got picked up in Duxton Hill in Singapore by a chap in his 60s, whose tone was a lot calmer and more attentive than your average "so where you from-aaaah?" happy taxi uncle. He made two fortunes from nothing, one per Asian boom, then retired and travelled the world with his wife for a decade. He got very bored of the luxury life, and also took up driving to meet new people and collect stories about humans. Singapore being great for this.
There's plenty of occasions where, if you spend a bit of attention on the driver, you unearth either life stories worth preserving and thinking about, glimpses of a completely different world, or just fun stories where you wonder how much was made up.
I learnt a lot about his community in a 25 minute ride with an Indonesian driver having his 8th kid (all boys, amazingly) and working Uber in his spare time from working on oil rigs. A Polish man gave me a glimpse of the harsh life as a low-earning immigrant in a major European city, their main preoccupation in life seemed to be which alcohol to buy that was the cheapest yet still relatively drinkable. A driver was missing a couple fingers and complained about how Africans and Pakistans slept 6-aside in the cabin he used to have to himself in the "golden days" of the merchant navy (I never got the story about the fingers). He also had 6 wives in as many cities (none the one he lived in now).
Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge people who do like to talk, and more power to you. I just loathe small talk, and find the signal-to-noise ratio too low to do it with cab drivers or other people you spend only a few minutes with out of circumstance. I'm just trying to provide an angle on why some people don't like talking to drivers, as the article felt like it was unduly blaming them for not entertaining the driver enough.
To be honest, when I have been forced to use a Taxi; I honestly don't want to talk to anyone. I don't want to driver. I don't talk on my cell phone. I don't talk to the person I'm usually with. I do talk to Taxi Drivers if they initiate the conversation, but don't mind driving in silence.
I figure this driver has lived enough, and the last thing he/she needs is listening to me yak on about my pathetic life. They are paid to drive--not entertain, nor provide free therapy, or expect to know anything other than how to get to my destination. (That goes double for Bartenders too!). I don't believe, since I paid for this taxi, I have the right to do, and say whatever I want in that back seat. Noise pollution is real. Uber drivers should have to listen to us yak?
This Uber driver actually sounds like he wants a little conversation? That's fine--doesn't the Uber app put a little bit of pressure on the driver with their rating system? I honestly couldn't imagine having to be nice, and chit/chatty to some snotty, ego centric, future Titan of the business world? Oh yea, what's up with expecting the driver to offer you a free beverage? "The Uber driver is there to move you--period." Get in the car, shut up, and don't look for things to criticize when you fill out that ridiculous rating system.
(I understand the need for a rating system, but it should be "Did they get me there safety?" Personally, I see no reason to make the ratings public? Uber can fire the driver if they don't move people to their destinations safety? (Maybe it's just me, but I'm tired of this whole rating thing anyways. Everyone has become a critic, and has a platform that makes it easy to tell the world what you think, or feel. Wether Uber, EBay, Businesses on Yelp; do we need public rating systems? Why can't these companies have internal rating systems? Rating systems that just fire an employee if they don't meet company standards? Ebay could ban a Seller if they are a bad Appple? Yelp could refuse to list a business that had a bunch of negative reviews? Uber could fire the driver if they had bad reviews? Call me old fashioned, but I was taught to not expect people to kiss my ass in order to get a favorable review, especially with a lousey job like working for Uber. What I'm trying to say is I'm used to just rating a service with my wallet? Especially business/services that aren't that important. When it comes to rating a Doctor, lawyer, or business that requires a contract or any other vital service, I'm all for detailed detailed reviews. A bad doctor, or lawyer can ruin you life. These two professions seem to be reviewed to least? We love to rate the service industry--the bottom rung of the service industry?
Sorry, got off track. I feel this young veteran is just venting? He sounds like he's just disenchanted with life, and his circumstances? Does he have a right to be a bit disappointed; a resounding Yes! He had PTSD. He has a mental condition that makes functioning in this brutal world difficult. He signed up to serve his country, and maybe learn a trade? The reality is the military doesn't do much for the average grunt.
I always though if I had a kid who was thinking about joining the military in order to protect their country, or learn a trade; I would drive them Tiburon, CA on a bright sunny day. I would let him/her see just how care free the 1 percenter's live. I would make them sit on a
bench, with a full view of the show. I would encourage them to listen to what these people talk about--what they complain about. I would point out the people whom drive $400,000 plus cars. I would keep them there all day. On the way home, my only question would be, "Would you risk your life for these people?"
If the guy driving for Uber reads this; I feel your pain. Try to make friends with people who care--they are out there. You are not alone with your with the horrid symptomology of PTSD. I have suffered in life with a similar affliction. I know it's difficult stomaching some people, but don't assume they are all narcisstic rich kids. Sometimes, it does seem like no one gives a dam, unless it directly benefits them, or their family/contacts in some way. Some people do care. Would you really want a woman who judged you for driving for Uber? Would you want to be around anyone who judges you on how much money you make? Sorry folks, but my generation(the 70's) didn't judge a person on how thick their wad was--we cared about how you made(ethically) your money, and just how compassionate, or caring you were. We didn't say it, but we despised the filthy lucre. The Lucre seems lionized these days? I don't get it?
As to the way we treat our veterans; well I find it appalling on all levels. America shouldn't have one homeless vet--period, unless it's by choice. We need to build low income, or free housing for these individuals on a massive scale. We did it after WW2? If the particular veteran doesn't need free room, it could go to a homeless civilian? Most veterans won't need a free room, but it should be made available?
If you respond to this post--fine. I never come back to a post. I don't think I said anything that controversial?
I know you said "most" but I have had plenty of conversations with cab drivers that I remember years into the future.
Two examples:
- a very elderly man picked us up in London, he was cheerful and chatty in his 1940s-war-broadcast-style accent, turns out he spent a chunk of his life as an engineer in what you might call "frontier" countries. So many stories. He had plenty of cash, but drove to chat with strangers and because he couldn't stand doing nothing.
- we got picked up in Duxton Hill in Singapore by a chap in his 60s, whose tone was a lot calmer and more attentive than your average "so where you from-aaaah?" happy taxi uncle. He made two fortunes from nothing, one per Asian boom, then retired and travelled the world with his wife for a decade. He got very bored of the luxury life, and also took up driving to meet new people and collect stories about humans. Singapore being great for this.
There's plenty of occasions where, if you spend a bit of attention on the driver, you unearth either life stories worth preserving and thinking about, glimpses of a completely different world, or just fun stories where you wonder how much was made up.
I learnt a lot about his community in a 25 minute ride with an Indonesian driver having his 8th kid (all boys, amazingly) and working Uber in his spare time from working on oil rigs. A Polish man gave me a glimpse of the harsh life as a low-earning immigrant in a major European city, their main preoccupation in life seemed to be which alcohol to buy that was the cheapest yet still relatively drinkable. A driver was missing a couple fingers and complained about how Africans and Pakistans slept 6-aside in the cabin he used to have to himself in the "golden days" of the merchant navy (I never got the story about the fingers). He also had 6 wives in as many cities (none the one he lived in now).
I'm going to miss the human drivers.