I'm In A New York State Of Mind

I am a proud New York State resident of two decades now. I reside in the city of Albany, the state capital just a stone’s throw from the Empire State Plaza. From my bedroom window I can see Corning Tower which at night is lit up “New York Tough” in honor of all the health care professionals and frontline workers during the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic. Governor Cuomo spoke these very same words at the end of his daily Covid-19 press briefings. Seeing the display every evening along with the big lit up heart has helped keep my spirit stay lifted.

Living in New York has been a wonderful experience. There are so many sites to see and such diversity throughout her entirety. I have explored it all from the farmlands of North Country; a great escape for the nature lover. With Miles and miles of crisp auburn foliage rolling all the way up to the Canadian border portraying nature in all her glory. In the south there is the hustle and bustle of New York City. The melting pot of culture our country was founded on. I have enjoyed my travels over the years and truly miss my Amtrak trips to different destinations in New York.

For now travel is restricted and I patiently wait to resume my adventures but local travel is still necessary. As I have mentioned in previous stories, I stay pretty isolated not just because of Covid-19 but in addition I had major surgery in February which makes me immunocompromised. I do not go out a whole lot, mostly doctor appointments and when I do I need transportation since I do not drive. The very thought of getting on a city bus or into a taxi horrifies me but there has been one method of transportation that has been an absolute God’s send for me all year long. This has been the ride sharing service of Uber which is half of the inspiration for this story.

For Christmas this year I highly recommend buying Uber gift certificates for friends and family members. Not to low rate taxi cabs but when I compare the two, Uber winds by a landslide. Here are five reasons why I prefer Uber ride share:

1. A ride in an Uber vehicle is super clean!! This is extremely important especially with Corona virus cases spiking across the country.

2. You will not have other clients riding along with you. Often time’s cabs make other stops on their runs picking up additional customers. There is a car pooling option if selected by the customer.

3. Your ride is safe! Everyone who drives with Uber is screened before their first trip. Additionally Uber reruns these screenings annually, using technology to look for issues in between.

4. Time efficient. Much better time response than a cab. I cannot tell you how many times I have waited in excess of an hour for my cab to show up.

5. Personable drivers. I have had some of the most generous, friendliest Uber drivers in New York. Some cars have had little extras like waters, candy and additional masks available for customers.

A BRIEF HISTORY ON UBER

“Uber comes from the German word and means “above all the rest”. First launched in San Francisco in 2009 as a phone app that let people tap a button and get a ride, Uber was the creation of two entrepreneurs, Travis Kalanick and Garret camp. It is said they came up with idea during a trip to Paris a couple of year prior when they could not get a ride. Despite all of the controversy and backlash throughout the years especially from taxi companies in larger cities imposing them as a threat, it is over a decade later and Uber is going strong. 2019 statistics reported Uber operating in over 60 countries with over 7 billion trips carried out.

Other Uber Perks

Uber has some other features which you may not know about. Here is one of my favorites: Allowing others to follow your ride in real time. Sharing your real time details of your trip with loved ones or colleagues lets them know where you are every step of your trip. All you need to do is swipe into the app and tap “send status” then select who you would like to follow your trip from your contacts. This feature has always made me feel extra safe on my journeys.

Another feature of Uber is one that I use often and that is ride scheduling. On the app all you need to do is look in the box that says “Where to?” Right next to it is the word “now”. Click on here to schedule a ride. I do this for all of my doctor appointments. I get follow up messages about my trip and never have had an issue. Trips can be scheduled up to 30 days in advance.

A feature that I have yet to try is Uber Eats. Uber and Uber Eats were grouped together in the same ride sharing app but with the expansion of Uber’s food delivery service they decided a separate app was necessary, creating a separate platform. Uber Eats is a great way to get food delivery from favorite restaurants, just as easy as requesting an Uber ride.

There certainly are other great features to Uber. I just highlighted my favorites above. If you do not already have the app I suggest installing it on your phone and trying it. There are many people who do not drive or who do but cannot afford a vehicle. Also I have known drivers to put up their cars in the winter and opt for Uber simply because they wish to not drive in the snow. Then there is always the possibility when a situation might pop up and you need a reliable safe ride; you just never know. I suggest having this safe back up available on your phone.

Hopefully I have given you enough information to consider purchasing an Uber gift certificate. I think we all know at least one person who can benefit from a free ride. To think that someone you care about is in the hands of a trusted and responsible driver and that they will arrive at their destination safely is a good feeling. . My experience with Uber in New York has been wonderful with most of my drivers receiving five star ratings. I hope that this is similarly understood by people everywhere.

As for the other half of the inspiration for this story, it is in regards to the title “I’m in a New York State of mind”. It is indeed an inspiration from the Billy Joel song of the same name. Throughout the last year I have had bouts of depression due to isolating. I have longed to be other places that are on my” to do travel list.” This song has been a recurrent theme for me. When I listen to it I realize that no matter where I have been that New York State is the place where I have accomplished the most in my life both personally and professionally. It is somewhat funny too; Billy sure sings the truth. Knowing this puts my mind at ease and realizes that for now I am where I am truly meant to be.