Sunday, May 22

5 Topics to Address Before You Share a Ride


You’ve found someone to share a ride with and you’re ready to go, but are you both on the same page about your expectations? To avoid conflicts during your rideshare, especially if it’s a long trip, make sure you ask the right questions before you go! Here are 5 topics to address and questions to clarify before your trip.


1.    Arrival time and flexibility
How flexible are you on your arrival time to your desired destination? Make sure you clarify the route and expected arrival time before you head off. You don’t want to end up sharing a ride with someone who wants to get to the destination as soon as possible when you want to stop by certain places that are on the way to check them out! Establish if there are any “must-sees” on the trip before you share a lift.

2.   Smoking
If you’re a smoker driving with an anti-smoker, make sure to set the expectations from the start to avoid conflicts during the trip. How many breaks will you need? Is smoking allowed in the car? You don’t want to end up in a smokers car for five hours if you can’t stomach the smell!


3.    Eating and drinking in the car
You leave work on a Friday, ready to crack open a drink with your friend to get ready for the festival you’re about to get a lift to, when you jump in the car with a mother and her young child; or maybe you skipped eating and expected to snack in the car on the long journey but end up with a super clean person who's a tad OCD about any eating in the car. 

Make sure you know what the rules are around eating and drinking in the car and what stops you’ll be taking before you skip lunch and get stuck on a 6 hour long journey. 

4.   Music
Can’t stand Rihanna but suddenly find yourself listening to ‘Work, work, work, work, work’ amongst other songs for 5 hours and wondering how you possibly got into this situation and what your life has come to? Or maybe your driver likes to blast the music so loud that your ears feel like they will never hear the same way again? Make sure you enjoy the same music and agree on the volume beforehand to avoid conflicts later on!

5.    Medical Conditions and Emergency Contacts
If you’re sharing a long ride with someone, you should both have an awareness of any possible medical conditions, such as allergies, that could come up during the trip. You don’t want to accidentally offer your passenger a home-made cookie which contains nuts resulting in an anaphylactic shock and no idea how to handle the situation or where the epi-pens are kept! Exchange emergency contact information and make sure you’re all aware of any potential medical conditions that could affect the journey.

Other things that you may want to touch upon before you join a rideshare include pets, if either of you are taking any, and any pet peeves that could present themselves on the drive. If the person you’re about to share a lift with does present any negative vibes, including asking inappropriate questions, giving vague answers to questions or lacks consistency in the details provided, it may be best to find another ride!

To make sure you have a safe trip, don’t forget to follow these 12 tips for a safe ridesharing experience as well! Ready to find a ride? Start by posting your trip here.

What questions do you usually ask to avoid conflicts during your rideshare?