5 Things Your Carpool Giver Wants You To Know Inculcating these habits will make sure you are a fun carpool passenger
By K.N.M. Rao
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Be it disrespectful door slammers or loud mouths on their telephones or just people with their incessant nagging for random stops, all of us have had our share of bad experiences when it comes to sharing cars. Dealing with uncooperative and inconsiderate co-passengers after a tiring day at work is not only unpleasant but also very stressful.
Here are five things you should inculcate to make sure you are a fun carpool passenger.
Showing Disregard Towards your Carpool Giver's Vehicle
The car is a prized possession for every car owner. Be mindful when you are shutting the car doors. Refrain from eating or drinking in the car which might result in spilling. In general, avoid smoking while carpooling to work. There are other occupants as well and they may not appreciate it.
Constantly Communicating with Virtual Friends
We live in a hyper connected world where we are constantly on our phones and tablets. It is polite for you to put your phones aside and talk to your co-riders as carpooling helps in professional networking.
The Ride Route is Fixed
Unlike cab services where you can request for route changes, car-pooling services come with predetermined routes based on the carpool giver's destination and there are no detours. Your pick up and drop points may not be door to door but at the nearest point on the carpool giver's route.
Be Punctual as Tardiness is Never Appreciated
It is important that you respect the carpool giver's time and be present at the pickup point a few minutes before the scheduled pickup. If you wish to cancel an existing ride, make sure to do so a day in advance so that your ride giver has enough time to schedule another.
Take the Front Seat and Greet Your Carpool Giver
You must note that the carpool giver is not your chauffeur but a working professional. So make sure you greet your carpool giver and take the front seat next to her, if it is empty.
In order to create, sustain and make the carpooling network big, it is necessary that we are well-versed with the essentials of collective commuting. It does not take a lot to ensure that we are mindful of our actions that not only have the power of creating a lasting impression but also of destroying one.