Is there some benefit to talking to weird Uber drivers I've yet to discover that's comparable with 'going outside at all'?

▲

toast0 7 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Interaction with the common person is great. I wouldn't have know one could trim their toenails while driving otherwise.

▲

aworks 7 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Or that a taxi driver in Wuhan could answer his phone while shifting his manual transmission and smoking a cigarette.

	▲	toast0 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Pretty sure that's part of the taxi exam.

▲

Ferret7446 5 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

There are probably better places to interact with other people than rideshares, like at a public establishment. There's significantly less risk

▲

sublinear 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Yes. "Weird" people are somewhat rare opportunity to build certain social skills.

I enjoy the challenge of finding creative ways to guide the discussion and understand their headspace for a little while. I am not even trying to control the level of weirdness, but just keep them talking and comfortable.

Unfortunately, most of the time they're not even weird people and it was just a weird first impression. They vent for like 3 minutes and then it gets boring again.