And I’m Supposed to Get Around How?? What to Do If You Can’t Drive.
I haven’t driven since 2018. That’s a long time, and a lot of money to Lyft and Uber. (Logan Green and Dara Khosrowshahi, call me. I’m probably keeping your companies solvent and would like a discount!) When my neurologist first told me that I couldn't drive anymore, I thought it would just be for a few months - six months, most. Well, six months turned into eight, turned into a year, turned into - you get the picture.
I’m hoping - hoping - that with this RNS device, I’ll be able to drive next year. But, in the meantime, here are some ways that I have found helpful to get around Portland.
1. Lyft and/or Uber. I rely a lot on these two companies. One driver actually commented on how many rides I’d taken, telling me that I had the “most rides out of any customer” he’d seen. Not a compliment, but he meant well. Let’s go through pros and cons of rideshare apps.
Pros: The apps are pretty user friendly - you can track your ride, contact the driver if he/she/they are going the wrong way, the cars are generally clean, and the apps have developed “share my ride” buttons, so that you can let others know where you are. They have become safer, and the drivers are generally respectful.
Cons: The costs of taking a Lyft or Uber adds up financially. There are “peak" hours, which sometimes cost twice the amount of other times. Sometimes the cars aren’t great, sometimes the drivers can be rude, sometimes the app takes them wonky ways to get to a place, and you can either stay silent in the backseat or let them know they should go another way. If you do the latter, you are rolling the dice on getting a lower ‘rating’ if the driver thinks that Google Maps is worth more than your personal knowledge. I have also discovered, in my 6 years of riding that if the app says the rider will be there in 5 minutes, it’s probably going to be 7 or 8. You know your area better than AI does, so you know how long it takes to get from NW to SE going over bridges with traffic.
All those cons said, Lyft is my main method for getting around town. I have it in my monthly budget. I find that - except for the cost - the good outweighs the bad.
2. Walk/Biking. I live in a walkable area, and a city that is very bike-friendly. I can get to my local grocery store by foot in about 5 minutes. Our neighborhood is like a little town in itself, so I’m very lucky that way. I can also bike around (I have an e-bike, which makes it easier to keep my heart rate down) on the many bike paths in Portland.
If you live in a walkable area, this is an option. Of course, there are so many days in Portland where the weather is a deterrent to walking/biking anywhere or, if I’ve had a seizure, it’s just not in the cards, but it is another tool in my transportation arsenal.
3. Public Transportation. I used to use the bus to get to downtown - the bus stop is literally one block from my house. It took the same amount of time as driving (except for the waiting part), and I found that I could do some work or reading on the ride. Of course, COVID has taken that option away for some people, bus schedules have been pared down a bit, but it’s still a viable option if I need to get to certain areas of Portland.
4. Friends & Family. I have heard so many times “Anytime you need some help, call me.” or “I’ll totally run you to the store! You don’t have to take a Lyft!” And I love the intention behind these phrases, but let’s say I need to go to the store in the middle of the day on Monday. My list of people who promise to take me places is thin, and I know that. However, I do have some friends that I can count on to live up to their word, and you only need one or two who are happy to drive you across town to pick up your meds.
“But, Sara, I live in a rural area where they don’t have Lyft, the bus is five miles away, and the nearest grocery store is a good ten miles from my house!” Your best bet is option 4. Call on those people who have promised to help you. Maybe arrange a schedule with them - ex/Every Sunday night/Monday all day/Wednesday they will come and take you where you need to go. Don’t be shy about asking. You need help, and you deserve to get it.
Not driving is not fun. If/when I can drive again, I’m driving everywhere and will never complain about traffic because I’m behind the steering wheel of my own car. Or, if all the car companies who brag about making self-driving cars could hurry up with actual self-driving cars - ones where I can sit in the passenger seat, my kids can be in the back, and the car will just do its thing - that would be great. I’m talking to you, Elon.
