Unless you have been living under a rock, or you don’t yet possess a smartphone (which would also make you qualify for the under-the-rock residence) then you have heard of Uber. The upstart that was responsible for the drastic decrease in DUI convictions, as well as the demise of the taxicab industry, Uber has essentially invented a high-tech way to legally hitchhike. With a simple search and submit maneuver executed from the app’s homescreen, you will be on your way to riding around an unfamiliar city, with a complete and total stranger.
When you take your very first Uber ride, be prepared to feel an internal back-and-forth struggle between feeling so wrong, and it feeling so right. After catching a few rides from potential psychopaths, you will begin to feel a level of comfort that you will never experience from the backseat of a yellow car driven by a man of questionable driving acumen. Once this comfort-zone is reached, your mind will be free to appreciate the various make and model vehicles you find yourself riding around town in.
Car Shopping and Uber: Two Birds, One Stone
If you are shopping for a new vehicle, the best way to experience a plethora of different models is through Uber. A market niche that the rideshare company is sorely missing out on, Uber is potentially the key that will unlock your dream car when you least expect it.
Last week, I found myself wandering the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the first time. An incredibly anticlimactic tourist trap I would urge others to avoid, was made worse by the numerous unashamed addicts lighting their crack pipes in broad daylight, on a humid Monday afternoon. I whipped out my smartphone, tapped the Uber app, and just as the overweight homeless Spiderman attempted to entrap me in his web, I summoned my Uber ride.
My driver’s name was Barry, and he picked me up in a shiny Toyota Prius, just in time to avoid Cat Woman’s third round of <em>meowing</em>. As I slipped into the front passenger seat, I couldn’t help but be amazed by my first ride in a Prius. The futuristic interior cabin felt more like a spaceship than a car, and I enjoyed the near-silent ride in awe. This particular Uber ride was brief, but the car that safely transported me away from the antics of downtown Hollywood made a serious impression.
When I arrived home that night, I realized the incredible potential that Uber has on new and used car buyers. Prior to calling my last Uber in LA, I had never once considered owning a Toyota Prius. Currently, it is a top contender for my next new car. If you are unsure of which make and model car you want, and don’t have time to visit multiple dealerships in person, why not kill two birds with one stone, and take Uber rides around town for a week? Chances are you will experience a larger variety of cars in that one week, than you would ever be able to test drive during a few hours over the weekend.
