Tag Archives: rides

Elevators = Our Enemies

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Here’s a random thought that’s been in my head for quite some time: Are elevators slowly killing us? Ok, maybe that’s a bit harsh. Perhaps, Are elevators messing up our bodies? (especially our knees) is a better question.

I’ve heard plenty of personal trainers and life coaches on morning shows (like the Today Show) say things like, “Health Tip! Don’t ride the elevator, take the stairs.” or “Use the opposite escalator and turn your trip into a StairMaster session.” Ok, no one has probably said that second one, but although it’s a bit dangerous, I still think it’s a good idea.

It’s not the elevator vs the stairs that I think is the problem. The main reason why I think elevators are slowly killing us (or ruining our bodies) is the intense braking. Think about any time you’ve ridden an elevator and it comes to a halt to open the doors, don’t you feel that in your knees? Especially when in a tall building.

Now in my 30s, I have many friends with “knee problems,” and I have them too. I’ve heard people say things like, “Oh, I used to play sports in high school.” Sports in high school, really? That was four years of your life — and you probably weren’t an elite athlete. How long have you been riding in elevators? Oh, and you continue to ride them today? I think we’ve found our problem, Mr. (or Mrs.) ex-high school athlete.

How many elevators do you take each day? Do you live in an apartment and ride an elevator every time you leave or come back home? Do you work in a building? Maybe it’s a skyscraper and the elevator travels 80 floors in the matter of a few seconds. Do you know how fast it’s moving? I don’t, but maybe we should google that. Those are some intense brakes for the elevator to be able to quickly stop at any given floor.

So, if you live in an apartment building and work in a different building and go out to eat lunch in another building and do even more building things each day imagine your daily elevator rides (DERs). (1) You ride down to leave your house, (2) You ride up to your office, (3) it’s lunch time and you want to leave, you go back down, (4) you go to a Nordstrom cafe, it’s upstairs, but you take the elevator, (5) you leave Nordstrom, (6) back up to your office, (7) the bathroom on your floor is broken, ride down one floor, (8) ride back up, (9) time to go home, (10) back up to your apartment, (11 & 12) take out the dog, and bring him back up.

And that’s just in one day. Twelve elevator rides later I’m sure there’s something wrong with your knees, maybe even with your inside parts from all the movement (I guess I would feel the same about planes, if I were someone who traveled by plane weekly). Who knows? I’m no scientist, but elevators are definitely going to be the downfall of humankind.

So, how can we fix this problem? I have the perfect solution. Remember when you were a kid and you would jump in the air when the elevator was braking to reach maximum air? (If you don’t know what I’m talking about then you must have been a nerd or a narc). But if we all start doing that again then we’ll be fine — also, it may even help humanity evolve so that one day we’ll all jump as high as MJ, from birth.

UBER DRIVERS aka THE WORST DRIVERS

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This week I learned a valuable lesson, and it’s not just that all Uber drivers are horrible drivers. I also figured out why all Uber drivers are horrible drivers. I don’t ride in many Ubers (I’ve probably ridden in less than ten Ubers, and zero of those were by myself). I prefer to drive my own car. Key Biscayne is way too far from anywhere in Miami to ride through all those mangroves in the back of a strange car with a stranger. It’s not that I wouldn’t feel safe, I’m a boy, I feel safe pretty much anywhere (except for rollercoasters, parasailing, shark infested waters…). It’s not a question of safety, I just don’t want to talk to a creepy driver — it would be a very awkward situation.

I enjoy driving myself around, unless I’m stuck in traffic. I like to listen to my podcasts or music while driving in my own car. When someone else drives me around, even a friend, I get annoyed by whatever they’re listening to (I may even like the music they chose, but I’m annoyed because I didn’t pick it myself). I love being in my comfy car with leather seats and even bum warmers, if needed (which I don’t because I live in Miami). That’s enough reasons for why I don’t use Uber, but I’m not trying to tell you not to use Uber, just that the drivers suck at the one thing they should know how to do — drive!

Back in the day, (B.U.) Before Uber most cars on the road that drove too slow, didn’t use their turn signal, slammed their brakes in the middle of traffic or did any other stupid thing all had one of two things in common. (1) They either had a UM license plate or sticker on their car, or (2) they were an elderly person, and sometimes they were both.

Lately, there are two new signs that may indicate you’re dealing with a horrible driver. (3) They have a Trump bumper sticker, or (4) they are an Uber driver. And some of these horrible drivers are UM-lovin’ Trump-huggin’ Elderly Uber Drivers. If you fall under all four categories you should have never been given a license to drive.

The other day, I started to thinking to myself, Hey, why are Uber drivers are so bad at driving? And I realized what the problem is. Uber drivers are so bad at driving, because they have no idea where they are going (Think about it!). Imagine if you just got into your car and started driving to no specific destination, because you were waiting for your phone to tell you exactly where to go. Most Uber drivers don’t know where they are going 90% of the time. They are just driving aimlessly, staring at their phone for a clue on where to go. Their phone that’s sticking to the windshield by that silly suction cup holder.

Uber drivers don’t know where they are going until you request them. And any time they receive a request they are either headed the wrong way or on the wrong side of the street. Picking up or dropping off the person to get a good rating is the most important thing in their life, so much so that they don’t pay attention to anyone else on the road. They are always in our way.

Uber drivers will instantly stop in the middle of traffic to drop off their passengers, and I have no shame honking at them. I have no problem giving them a good old-fashioned “Fotutazo*” for blocking my way. There are two types of drivers I don’t respect, (1) children in golf carts and (2) Uber drivers — Because they both don’t belong behind the wheel.

If you’re a LYFT driver, this also applies to you. I just used Uber because it’s like the Kleenex of driving companies, however LYFT may take over, like the whole Oreo v. Hydrox thing (If you don’t know about Hydrox, google it!)

 

*FOTUTAZO: Coming from the Cuban word Fotuto, meaning car horn.

**ADDITIONAL NOTE: Did you see the Uber driver in the title image? He’s not even watching the road, he’s laughing with his passengers. Look at the damn road, driver!