What to do when your Uber reeks of weed, and you’re worried the driver is high
I waited in a thinning parking lot, grateful to live in a city with Uber and Lyft. I still had my wits about me, mostly, but I’d had more than two drinks over the night — no reason to risk it.
The driver pulled up. I opened the door, said hello, and settled in.
As we pulled out of the parking lot, it hit me.
The smell of marijuana is unmistakable — and powerful.
Did he smoke before picking me up? Is the driver high? And am I safe? Those are questions riders are increasingly left to answer for themselves since marijuana use is so common. Cannabis is the third most commonly used drug by people in the United States, behind nicotine and alcohol, according to a study by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
I don’t take Ubers often, but this was the second time it had happened — and friends and colleagues told me it wasn’t unusual. One said that while living in California, he rode with a driver who smoked while driving.
So, I decided to look into my options to better protect myself next time. I reached out to police, Uber, Lyft and social media. And I hope what I found out is useful to you.
‘Zero tolerance’
Durham and Raleigh police, as well as Uber and Lyft, gave essentially the same advice: If you don’t feel safe for any reason, get out of the car and report to the company you booked with.
If a rider suspects someone is driving while impaired, they should file a report with police, a Durham police spokesperson said in an email.
Uber has a “zero-tolerance policy” for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, a spokesperson said.
After a passenger reports suspected drug use, Uber suspends them from taking fares during the investigation, according to its website. They would be permanently removed if a violation is found.
All of that information is well and good, but such advice can offer little comfort in the moment — especially when a rider is already in a moving car with a stranger before sensing trouble.
POV from drivers advocate
Scent alone doesn’t prove a driver is impaired; it could linger from a previous passenger, stressed Nicole Moore, president of Rideshare Drivers United in California, in a written exchange .
“As drivers, we have no way to defend against false or mistaken complaints from passengers and can lose days of income and even our jobs for such reports,” she wrote in an email.
If the car smells, “whatever it is,” let your driver know, since they may not notice it, Moore said.
Moore is in California, one of 39 states that allow the use of marijuana, either recreationally (24) or for medical (15) use.
While marijuana is not legal in North Carolina, it’s here. I smell is everywhere, when I walk through downtown Raleigh and Durham. I even smell it in courtrooms and hallways when I am covering hearings — possibly a sign of how long its scent can linger.
Research: Some people think they drive better high
Recent research shows that many marijuana users drive high according to the AAA Foundation study.
In a survey of 2,000 cannabis users across eight states, more than half said they had driven within an hour or less of consuming marijuana, according to the study. Thirty-four percent said they believed they actually drive better while high.
There is widespread misunderstanding about the dangers of driving high, as pot slows reaction time, distorts perception and increases the risk of a car crash, the study states. But there’s no clear consensus on how long the effects last, the study states.
What are my options?
So what should I, and maybe you , do?
My husband suggested using a higher-end Uber option or requesting a female driver. A friend suggested taking a taxi. Another suggested using the chat feature to message drivers in advance, requesting “sober drivers only.”
Those are great suggestions, as well as taking a big sniff, before entering a car.
If you smell marijuana and want to avoid making an accusation, I have a gentler option.
The smell of marijuana makes my hairstylist very sick, he told me at a recent appointment. If he ever got into a car that reeked of it, he’d politely beg for forgiveness, but explain that if he got in the car, he would be sick within minutes.
It’s not a lecture. It’s not an accusation.
Just a graceful exit.
Virginia Bridges covers criminal justice in the Triangle and across North Carolina for The News & Observer. Her work is produced with financial support from the nonprofit The Just Trust. The N&O maintains full editorial control of its journalism.
