With the release of his book Diary of an Uber Driver, Ben Phillips shared five weird and wonderful things he’s learnt from being behind the wheel and picking up total strangers.
1.“People are far more honest with strangers. My Uber car became a confessional. I think my car is a safe place for people to vent because more likely than not my passengers will never see me again. They feel at ease discussing a new flame they are dating or a colleague they are finding difficult because a stranger can’t judge you like your friends and family can. There are no pre-determined expectations when people get into my car. People have asked me if I have been in love.
2.“I learned never to judge a book by its cover – I usually have a 10-15 second window to watch my passengers walk from their front door to my car and I naturally make an assessment of the person. This assessment usually turns out to be completely wrong. I picked up a woman last week with two full sleeves and a bull-ring who researches cancer.”
3.“I learned age is no barrier. Many of my passengers are older Australians living full lives in a way most young people may not appreciate. I dropped an elderly couple to the Opera House on their fiftieth wedding anniversary and they had a better time than most of the young people that go out looking for a good time.”
4.“I learned it is important to listen to and to respect your elders. They are full of so much wisdom, knowledge and insight. Many of the most intriguing people I met in my car were older people with a story to reflect on.
5.“It’s not a bad thing to have time on your own, regardless of your age. Every week at 5pm I take a regular passenger to his local RSL Club for something he wants to do. The last time I dropped him to the RSL he quietly reminded me to, ‘stop and smell the roses’.”
Diary of an Uber Driver by Ben Phillips is out now. You can download a copy of the book here.
