The Moocher’s Guide To Riding In Bes’s Car – Part 1
Cars. Many of us drive them. Many of us see them. Many of us get rides from other people. When giving someone a ride, I notice a different set of characteristic in some people that goes hand in hand with the similarities they express with a group of people who get a car ride. Many times, people who get car rides either do not know how to behave, or they simply do not want to care about the driver who is giving them a ride.
Today I would like to start a 4-post series of articles revolving around things that people do while getting a free car ride, things that they should not be doing. The articles focus on people who do not know me very well, or are not friends with me. Friends can also keep these points in mind to see whether or not their own other friends like the trends and behavior mentioned here, when they themselves are involved in giving or getting a car ride.
This is the first part of the series.
Part 1 – Seven things for non-friends to avoid while getting a car ride from me
You yourself may have done something that you later thought to be inconsiderate for the driver, or you may have given a ride to someone not close to you and experienced some discomfort because of the behavior of your passenger. I have given rides to many people, many of whom have acted very strange or done weird things from time to time. Some things are small, while others can be big. Starting today, I would like to draw your attention to some of such things.
- Putting your feet everywhere
So many people do this, it seems that one day someone will call me abnormal for thinking this should not be the norm. Ask the driver if you can put your feet on things other than the floor mat. Otherwise, putting your feet on the seat, the dashboard or even on the actual gearbox which the driver uses to change gears might result in the driver thinking you are riding in an air balloon. Or maybe not, as even in the air balloon you have to do your best to keep your feet on the platform.I knew someone who used to take off his shoes or slippers and put his feet on my car dashboard, the stereo area or the gearbox. I tried to focus on other things when I realize that he was not wearing any socks and his feet smelled. However, when the topic of what to eat came around, it was hard not to notice the bad smell when all you want to do is smell chicken or cheese cake and instead all you can smell is feet that were in shoes without socks for hours. It is bad for the car, it is bad for others, it is bad for me, it is bad for you. If you want a ride, please keep your feet on the floor. I am giving you a free ride, and thus you do not need to pay me back with your feet smell.
- Slamming doors or the trunk real hard
These days, the right front passenger door of my car makes a kind of a hissing and flapping sound on the outside when I’m driving fast. The sound is coming from the side rubber panels that have ripped away from the actual door, thanks for many people getting a ride and then slamming the door of the car as if it will not close unless closed with full plutonic force. Also, people think that trunks are made out of unbreakable materials, or they try to shut the trunk hard to make sure drivers can feel that the trunk has been closed.
The main guy who caused those passenger door rubber rods to flap out knows about it, and simply says “It was like that since the beginning“, when he himself said “Man, what is that sound? It wasn’t there before.” It is like giving me a gift in return for me giving you a ride: I give you a ride and you give me a damaged door.
- Changing the radio station or audio volume without asking first
This is not the rule that you see in stereotypical Hollywood movies where anyone who is black starts shooting if their car radio station is changed by someone else. If I am listening to a radio station, simply ask if you can change it or say you want to change it and then go ahead and change it if I do not object.
I was listening to an important news last year about a bridge that collapsed in the Bay Area on a station I accidentally found through the channel search feature on my radio, and the person I was giving the ride to got into the car and immediately put on a preset I had set on the radio without asking or even thinking first. He just wanted to listen to random music. I could not find that new station again, and as expected the route I took to avoid that damaged bridge was crowded, resulting in a more than 2 hour drive that spanned around 7 miles.
- Not closing car windows completely
If I am driving and I can hear wind flushing through some lightly open window, I try to close that window. “You are hearing too much.” No, I want to close the window completely. “You must have really good hearing.” No, I want to close the window completely. “You are too paranoid.” No, I want to close the window completely. I am not sure how people can sit and ignore or not hear such a sound while assuming that they have closed the window completely. The sound that the air makes squeezing in through that small layer of opening is loud enough to reach the driver, me, all the way from the passenger side; how come the passenger does not care where that sound is coming from?
In addition to hearing, you can feel the wind blowing in a little bit from the back, as the air gushes in and comes back to the front. So if you are hard at hearing or cannot hear, slowly you may get used to the change in the air in the car and realize that some window is not fully closed. If not, then I must have super powers in order to hear and feel that some window is not fully closed, and be able to pinpoint which window too. Similarly, if you open some window and I drop you, close the window and do not just leave it open. I am driving the car and unless I was part of the Fantastic Four, I have to lean at least a little bit in order to drive and roll up your window also. You did something. You undo it too when you are leaving.
- Opening different car doors without asking first
If you want to put your bags in the back, try to ask first. Simply walking up to a car you have never or rarely ridden in and trying to open the back door or the trunk or actually opening the trunk or the locks of the back doors without asking is impolite. It is like opening other people’s house doors to lodge the extra stuff you have. Maybe the driver has stuff that he/she can move, or maybe they would like you to put your stuff in some specific location. Asking first is better than opening the car openings without permission.I used to give a ride to a scary neighbor from time to time, and since day 1 he would come and start opening the doors in the entire car without asking and putting even his lightest of belongings, like his cap, in the back. A few times he would try to open the trunk and then tap hard on the trunk a few times, signaling me to open it. Make sure you pay me if I’m your slave driver. Or wait: are slaves supposed to be paid? Hmmm.
- Making the driver come to you instead of you walking to the car
What is with people who want car rides and do not walk towards the car when it is there for them? I have to drive all the way to align the car door to their feet in order for them to get in. Soon they will want me to open the door and carry them and put them into their seats also. It is as if the person getting the ride is doing the ride giver a favor.
A person I was giving a ride to, regularly during some weeks last year, never used to walk to the car. If I had trouble getting past other cars, or if there were many pedestrians and I had to wait for those pedestrians to cross, this person would not walk over even if he was only less than 20 feet away. He used to stand there looking at my car, holding his back pack and waiting for my car door to align with his right foot. I should have charged him for the limo service that he was getting.
- Putting your belongings everywhere without asking
This goes along a little bit with the point of opening extra doors or the trunk to put your stuff in: if you have a lot of stuff, it is nice to ask where to put it. Putting dirty stuff on clean things or clean stuff on dirty things usually results in clean things getting dirty, and not dirty things getting cleaned.
Someone I gave ride to long time ago would put his dirty, wet dirty bag onto the clean back seat or my books that were supposedly sitting quietly on the back seat. Once the book the bag sat on caused the first half of that small book to soak in the water. The reaction of the guy when I told him about it? “Ohhh, I guess those two don’t get along with each other.” Whether or not that made sense, I knew that cars and this guy did not get along: he did not deserve to be in a car.
7 things to avoid on your next ride with me – till the next part of this series at least
There you go. Those are the 7 things to avoid, when getting a car ride, for today. Stay tuned for the next time when 7 more horrible sins are revealed for your consideration, in case you wanted to annoy some driver while he or she was giving you a ride, or if you wanted to make sure I think agreeing to give you a ride was a bad idea.
Thanks for reading. Please let me know if you have experienced any of these points yourself, or if you have yourself done any of the above. 
Twitter: @makuahine :
( January 26th, 2008 at 7:52 am )
Yes, I hate it when people leave trash in my vehicle. Moreso, however, their belongings because I can throw away the trash but I’m obligated to hang onto their stuff to get it back to them eventually.
However, I think the worst sin is not THANKING the driver for a ride! Don’t just get out of the car and say, “bye!” Say “Thank you, I appreciate it!!”
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( January 29th, 2008 at 7:15 pm )
It’s really #2 that bothers me. I finally have a nice car that I respect … when a person slams the door, they generally don’t get another chance. Especially now, having read the damage it caused to your car.
I generally don’t mind changing the radio station, although there are a lot of times I’ll wind up giving somebody with horrible taste in music a ride … in those cases, naturally, I hate it. On that note, I tend to run a little colder than most people, so if I’m comfortable, others usually want the heat on. Which ironically means cracking my window slightly, whether I’m driving or a passenger.
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( February 1st, 2008 at 12:15 am )
Impressive article. I am glad that I’ve never acted like what you mentioned above while being given a ride.
There is supposed to be lessons for people getting a ride from others but acting rudely.
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( February 1st, 2008 at 7:07 am )
I am very cautious when I go into someone’s vehicle mainly because the driver is giving you a ride that they aren’t obligated to give. So I always keep the following points you’ve mentioned in mind. It is ver rude and disrupting..don’t want to cause the driver into any accident; otherwise, I will be in the accident no? I agree to Val.
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( February 2nd, 2008 at 6:03 am )
You’re right about all that. Call me anything but I’m not the type who offers rides. Case to case though but not if I can help it.
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( February 2nd, 2008 at 6:16 am )
My bad experience was giving a ride to a friend who turned out having 2 more people with him and did all 7 above-mentioned capital sins. Can you imagine that? They barely talk to me and they were talking and laughing at the top of their voice. No more rides with me after that.
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( February 3rd, 2008 at 9:53 pm )
lol.. I put my feet everywhere but only on my bf’s car haha.. neways… thought i’d stop by and say hi.. how you doing??.. hope you’re doing great! take care.. talk to you later!
xoxo -B
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( February 5th, 2008 at 7:44 am )
Everytime in college, when I offered a ride to someone, they would do one of these things. Leaving trash inside, changing the radio, you name it.
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( February 5th, 2008 at 12:07 pm )
I only let people ride with me who know how to give directions. That’s my pet peeve.
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( February 5th, 2008 at 9:47 pm )
I suppose I’ll never be a welcome passenger then.
I just realized that I do a lot, and I mean A LOT of those bad things mentioned. 
But I only do them as a driver though. I don’t think it carries over when I’m a passenger? ;D
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( February 8th, 2008 at 10:24 pm )
Number three is the killer for me. By that point, I am ready to drag them out the car! lol
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( February 9th, 2008 at 4:27 pm )
In my opinion, the worst thing is that a person who takes off his shoes!
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( February 12th, 2008 at 2:35 am )
I think there will be hardly .0001 % people in the world who do that stuff in the car of an unknown person.
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( February 20th, 2008 at 2:07 pm )
I really hate it too when my friend change the radio station. I was listening a funny commercial on the station then he changed it to other station.
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( February 24th, 2008 at 5:39 am )
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Best Regards & Kindest Wishes
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( March 1st, 2008 at 8:45 pm )
I am with you on this…It is amazing how little things can get you so upset when people don’t respect your personal property.
-Jon
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( March 4th, 2008 at 1:11 am )
i just dont like those rude or what do you call that nasty people or shall we say opportunistic poeple to ride on my car they are just wasting my time.For me that kind of person is just plain dirty and stupid to me……
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( March 8th, 2008 at 10:10 pm )
Now a days we all have a car but it’s also a fact that most of them we don’t know to drive a car perfectly. Its are duty to drive the car in a way that it does not become a problem for others.
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( March 12th, 2008 at 3:46 am )
I do not like when somebody turns off the heat. It is really cold on the driver’s place when riding here in Syberia
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( March 13th, 2008 at 10:46 pm )
I’ve come (over time) , to learn six little words to say to people who don’t respect my car when riding in it.
GET THE HELL OUT AND WALK ! James
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( March 15th, 2008 at 8:02 am )
Why only six Jazz Club Los Angeles ? I would like to learn more
What about couople of frazz ?
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( March 30th, 2008 at 10:40 pm )
Sounds like you have had some annoying passengers in your car. The one the gets my goat is when people put there feet up on the dash, its absolutely disgusting.
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( April 2nd, 2008 at 10:05 pm )
i so know what you mean. i just got a new crv and took a trip to LA from the bay. my friends totally messed it up. no respect for me or my new car. they even ate in the car without asking me! i’m still mad at them.
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( April 9th, 2008 at 7:15 pm )
I stopped that free taxi stuff a long time ago,when my old car broke down none of those moochers were there for me because they did have a ride to offer me, It is best dealing with people that have something in common with you, a lesson learned. Let Car-less people flock together, let people with cars flock together.
Here are my rules for taking rides from people
1. Be grateful that you are getting a ride
2. if a person gives you more than one ride offer gas money, if you show that you care that gives you more chances of getting free rides, people will only take if they have to.
3. Never get a attitude when someone offering you ride say no thank politely, they were just trying to save 15 min-1hr from waiting for public transportation
4. Say Thank you, if you start not thanking people you will not get no more rides, people will start assuming you think that they owe you something.
5. Do not only speak to a person when only when you need a ride, that really pisses me off, the next day acting is if they don’t know you.
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( July 9th, 2008 at 7:19 pm )
It really irritates me whenever someone takes a ride in a car and acts like he/she owns it. I remember a time when I gave my mom’s friend a ride in my car. It was raining then and there was mud in her legs. I would not have minded her wiping the mud off her legs, but I got was annoyed when she put her feet up the dash to wipe off the mud in between her toes! Not only that, she left the muddy tissues in the car as if she expected me to clean up after her! I was really pissed that I told my mom immediately that she find her friend a taxi when she decides to go home because I won’t give her a ride ever again.
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( July 25th, 2008 at 8:36 am )
It looks like you had a pretty tough day that time and hopefully you would have managed things out especially the car part and one with bare feet
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( January 15th, 2010 at 9:12 pm )
I strongly agree with this message, people should avoid these things. it might not sound bad to you but after all you are getting a ride and you have to do what the drives say to do.
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