Thanksgiving Chaos: Uber Tales, Surges & Drunk Uncles

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Thanksgiving 2024 – the ultimate test for Uber drivers. This vlog takes you through my day, from scouting for cheap gas (BJ’s was CLOSED!) to navigating the unpredictable Thanksgiving rideshare scene. I kicked off the day in Pinecrest and Kendall, reflecting on last year’s strategy and making gas tank calculations for optimal profits. Turns out, $20 rides last night gave me hope—but today? Dead zones and lowball offers galore.

As the day unfolds, I find myself stuck between declining $6 rides to Brickell and debating whether to take a $21 trip to Fort Lauderdale. The Thanksgiving madness wasn’t just on the streets—family get-togethers resulted in broken tables, belligerent drunks, and arguments spilling into my car. Did I mention the Miami Princess Hotel made a cameo? Yeah, that’s always a story.

Midway through, I tackle the inefficiencies of surge zones, theorize about Uber’s algorithm, and rant about passengers gaming the system with cancellations. We even take a quick pit stop to clean the car and activate the mango-pineapple air freshener—a must-have for any shift. Oh, and Maisie, the dog, wasn’t feeling the Thanksgiving spirit.

As the night winds down, I reflect on the challenges of balancing vlog creativity with burnout and technical issues (yes, I’m running out of hard drive space). It wasn’t the most profitable or smooth day, but hey, it’s Thanksgiving. Leave a like and let me know what your Thanksgiving chaos looked like.

Timestamps:
0:00:00 – “It’s Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving! Let’s make a vlog.”
0:00:09 – Back on the road on a beautiful Thursday afternoon.
0:00:17 – Reflecting on last year’s Thanksgiving vlog and routes.
0:01:18 – Wednesday’s $20 surge rides in Coconut Grove.
0:02:15 – Holiday airport traffic isn’t what the news claims.
0:03:01 – Comparing Uber X-only versus Tesla premiere rides.
0:04:29 – Knowing when to call it a night with gas tank strategy.
0:06:17 – BJ’s gas station is closed! Time to head to Rocket Fuel.
0:06:46 – “Rocket Fuel is a little ghetto, but worth the price.”
0:07:01 – Doctor Phil comedy routines and stand-up specials.
0:11:10 – “We have a lot to be thankful for this Halloween… uh, Thanksgiving.”
0:11:30 – Mango-pineapple air freshener: my secret weapon.
0:12:06 – Declining low-paying $8 rides to Midtown.
0:13:04 – Noticing local clientele using Uber over tourists.
0:15:01 – Dropping off at the infamous Miami Princess Hotel.
0:15:54 – Thanksgiving at the airport: a ghost town.
0:17:18 – Bad vibes at the airport; time to leave.
0:20:04 – The rise in passenger cancellations during high demand.
0:22:01 – A $5 ride to the airport sets up potential rematch rides.
0:23:17 – Declining multiple lowball offers from the airport.
0:28:07 – Accepting an $18 ride to Kendall to stay in my target zone.
0:30:07 – Observations about occasional Uber users and their quirks.
0:31:11 – Family break: “Diamond Transition, Diamond Transition.”
0:31:56 – Maisie drama: the dog that won’t go outside.
0:37:21 – Thanksgiving family arguments and broken tables.
0:38:43 – Drunk passengers: a Thanksgiving inevitability.
0:44:21 – Dealing with problematic riders as an Uber X driver.
0:50:21 – Misconceptions about rideshare from infrequent users.
0:55:13 – Gaming surge zones and strategizing short rides.
1:01:10 – Reflecting on burnout, technical issues, and hard drive woes.
1:04:10 – Wrapping up: Thanksgiving reflections and future vlog plans.