Comments on: WRAP SoberRide FAIL

By: BW

BW — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:03:47 +0000

Exactly, Tiffany. Who do the complainers think this program is aimed at? The homeless? The obvious goal is to provide an alternate option for those who might consider trying to drive home just to save a few bucks. People (rich, poor, or otherwise) are not going to go out, get hammered, and then suddenly think “I wonder if there’s a free cab ride program going on tonight?”. Anyone using this option is planning ahead and being responsible – this is what the program is for. If you’re out getting 3 or 4 drinks at a bar on NYE, you can afford a cab ride.

By: Tiffany Bridge

Tiffany Bridge — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:52:04 +0000

I’m not getting all this mock outrage over a person who can afford a cab ride trying to get a free one. Um, you guys? Who do you think is out partying on New Years’ Eve? If they can’t scrape together 10 bucks for a cab ride, their consumption is probably limited also.

By: We Love DC » Blog Archive » SoberRide Update

We Love DC » Blog Archive » SoberRide Update — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:13:17 +0000

[...] has been atwitter with comments on my WRAP SoberRide FAIL post and today WRAP President Kurt Erikson wrote a great response piece for me to share with [...]

By: Ben H. Rome

Ben H. Rome — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:16:29 +0000

Um, ian, even I – a diehard ex-Chicagoan – wouldn’t dare walk 10-15 minutes in the sub-freezing temps and high winds we had that night. Especially if inebriated. So I’d say yeah, Metro was not accessible for that particular evening.

By: LW

LW — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:15:06 +0000

If I might jump in with my own story….a few years ago on St. Patrick’s Day, I also tried to take advantage of the SoberRide program. (Yes, I admit I was just trying to milk the system and get a free taxi ride, but that’s besides the point.) I called, they gave an ETA of 20-30 minutes, and I waited for an hour and a half and never heard anything from them. I was on Capitol Hill, so I decided to venture out and see if I could find a taxi on my own. I was able to flag one down in about 2 minutes.

By: Rebecca S

Rebecca S — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:09:10 +0000

Most of you are completely missing the point of Katie’s article. It is not about the fact that she did not get a free ride. It is about why this program that claims to have a high success rate failed for her and it sounds like others as well that night.

They failed because they told Katie that they would provide her with a taxi and that it would arrive within a stated time. If the program had told her they were too flooded with requests and could not offer her a ride, that would be one thing. But they told her they could pick her up.

Now luckily Katie was able to find other means of transportation to get home that night. But what Katie is really questioning is the program in general. Yes she found a responsible way home that night, but if it failed for her who else did it fail for? And what if it failed for someone who did not make as responsible of decisions in the end? The program claims to have a high success rate but where is that really evident?

Some people have poked fun of Katie for actually believing she could get a free taxi from SoberRides to begin with. But if SoberRides is as successful as they claim to be, why are people laughing at the fact that someone would count on it to work?

By: ian

ian — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:11:48 +0000

You were in South Lincoln Park, on Capitol Hill? There are TWO Metro stations within walking distance. It takes 10 minutes to walk to Eastern Market and about 12 to get to Potomac. It’s not exactly close but hardly “not accessible” by Metro.

By: Truth

Truth — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:01:11 +0000

Hahaha! Tom pwns KMT.

By: Truth

Truth — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:58:30 +0000

KMT comment FAIL.

Or maybe I should say, “KMT COMMENT FAYL. THEM COMPANEES HAZ MENTLE PAYSHENT ON TEH LOOS.”

A. You can’t spell.
B. CAPS LOCK IS LAME.
C. Tom has as much of a right to comment as you.

I recommend going back on the meds and staying out from behind the wheel of a cab. You’re only reinforcing everyone’s impression that most of you are ignorant, arrogant a-holes.

By: Tom Bridge

Tom Bridge — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:56:24 +0000

Oddly, KMT, I'm one of the founding writers here. It's *our* blog. And here you are, showing up with your Caps Lock and your Righteous Indignation when all Katie wanted was the ride home that Soberide and WRAP wanted to give to all of DC. So, why do you, as an independent cabby, not participate with WRAP and Soberride?

By: KMT

KMT — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:42:16 +0000

@Tom B,Im a cabbie that knows the industry has been driving a cab for the last 40 years and know lawfully the rights of cab drivers.Now for you to come here and comment on a situation that has nothing to do with you is pointless.As I stated before cab drivers by law dont have to pick up noboby if they dont want so to you TOM mind your business,Im starting to think you’re mental for meddling in other peoples problems.This is KATIE’s blog NOT TOM BRIDGES……..

By: Tom Bridge

Tom Bridge — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:25:13 +0000

KMT. Your caps lock is broken.

Or you’re just a crazy cabbie yelling like a mental patient.

Either way.

By: KMT

KMT — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:35:19 +0000

KATIE T,WOW WHAT AN EXPERIENCE,BUT I DONT KNOW WHY YOU TOOK THE TIME OUT OF YOUR BUSY LIFE TO POST SUCH A BLOG.I WOULD HAVE LEFT, YOU KNOW YOU CANT RELY ON A FREE TAXI RIDE THE WAY THE ECONOMY IS STRUCTURED.IM A INDEPENDENT CAB DRIVER AND BECAUSE I OWN MY OWN CAB I DIDNT COME OUT AT ALL THA NIGHT.ALL THAT BLAME FOR WHAT AND WHAT ELSE ARE THEY GOING TO OFFER YOU?? THE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THEM COMPANIES HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHERE AND HOW THE CABS PICK UP PEOPLE AND IN WHAT TIME FRAME,ONCE AGAIN A TAXI CAB IS NOT A LIMOUSINE SERVICE AND DOESNT HAVE TO PICK UP A SOLE IF THEY DONT WANT TO BY LAW,SO YOU SO HAVE CALLED A LIMOUSINE COMPANY.GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR COMPLAINT!!!!!!!!!

By: John D

John D — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:15:51 +0000

Katie,just a friendly comment on your posting as to how SOBER RIDE FAILED YOU.You were quoted a ETA of 20-30 minutes and you waited why didnt you leave as a RESPONSIBLE ADULT?????????? It’s odd to me that you had MONEY in your pocket to pay for the services but yet in still you still sipped champagne and waited 1 hour longer how RESPONSIBLE OF YOU!!!!!!!!!! I really think it’s unfair that because you didnt get a FREE RIDE HOME you’re trying to sabotage WRAP/CAB COMPANIES for you IRRESPONSIBILITIES.Thats the BIG picture here.Now you have all these innocent people involved in the MESS that you created for yourself.My New Year’s Resolution to you is STOP DRINKING.All this nonsense because you didnt get a free cab ride home.PETIFUL

By: Laura

Laura — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:22:03 +0000

It’s hard to get too worked up by this “FAIL,” I have several friends who had the same game plan – get wasted and take advantage of a free cab ride home. No sympathy.

Seriously, are there anywhere near enough cabs in the area to cater to everyone who wants something for nothing? Not even close. Additionally, who’s footing the bill for the public’s alcohol binging? For sure, someone is shelling money for gas, drivers, cab time, etc. Just so folks with means (who decide to save a couple bucks) can milk the system?

I feel bad for the people who were actually willing to be responsible for their alcohol intake and PAY for a ride, and then got caught up in everyone else’s “frugality.”

By: Will

Will — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 23:16:40 +0000

@KatieT: I probably came across more harshly than intended in my comment, but I guess what I was trying to say (albeit with more tact) was that relying on any plans that allow for a single point of failure (WRAP SoberRide, for example) is silly. It sucks that they were unable to live up to their mission and provide you with a ride home, but I wouldn’t have waited an hour and a half to determine that was how things were going down. Once they said 20-30 minutes, I would have started planning my next move just in case. I’m sorry you got stuck between a rock and a hard place, but I’m glad you finally got home safely (which is ultimately the most important thing).

By: KatieT

KatieT — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 23:05:17 +0000

@Will – A lot of those options you suggested we considered and decided against. Next time we’ll obviously plan better, but I’d argue it’s not a “rookie” mistake to expect SoberRide to fail. Plus, this isn’t a post about a shortage of cabs on NYE, or mis-planning. It is a post about the failure of a service that, to be considered successful in meeting their mission, must pick people up, and what happens when they don’t. I’ll probably pull an @Billy next year. @Nora – Kurt said it might be Monday before he’s able to figure out what happened with my ride. When he does let me know, I promise I’ll update the post to let you know what he says. From the comments, it sounds like it’s actually a bigger problem than just NYE, or just our experience. @Cait – you make a great point – by the time we (and you, apparently) give up on the cab, public transportation was closed. It’s a rock and a hard place!

By: Cait

Cait — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 21:42:47 +0000

Hey, I’m the friend Nora mentioned (never got my cab on Halloween). I was disappointed with the service, mostly because by the time I gave up on the cab after several hours of waiting, the buses and Metro were no longer running and I was stuck. I was lucky in that I was somewhere I could stay the night, but it was still annoying to be told a cab was coming and then have it not show. I really hope nobody decided to drive home because their cab didn’t come.

By: Nora

Nora — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 20:32:42 +0000

Katie, could we get an update about what Kurt Erickson said? For the record, a friend of mine had the exact same experience on Halloween as one of the other commenters. She was an unpaid intern at a party outside of safe walking distance from a Metro stop at 1 in the morning, btw.

By: Kaspar Hauser

Kaspar Hauser — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:19:24 +0000

Perhaps we should add to Nelson Algren’s three rules of life:

– Never play cards with a man called Doc.

– Never eat at a place called Mom’s.

– Never sleep with a woman whose troubles are worse than your own.

– Never go out drinking if you can’t afford the cab ride home.