2008 Woodie Awards
Keep ride home sober, safe
Nick Payne
Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: Opinion
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I am really frustrated with the taxi system in Hattiesburg.
My friends and I are constantly struggling over who will drive and where we are going. These days, finding a volunteer designated driver is harder than locating a parking spot on campus.
I have been in Hattiesburg for over five years now and have had my struggles with the police and beer. For those of you that know me, please hold your laughter at that understatement.
There has been a problem with taxi-cabs and late night transportation in this city for a long time. My problem has been waiting over an hour for a pick-up, not having a cab show and running into constant busy signals when calling one of the TWO taxi services here in the Burg.
From what my bartender friends tell me there is a new company in town that students have dubbed "Safe Ride." They base their operations from the Shell station across from Mugshots Grill and Bar, and they are equipped with a large SUV. They that run Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, will pick you up almost anywhere in the Hattiesburg area and charge $3 per person. Even better, they arrive in about 10 to 15 minutes after you call, so there is no waiting around or praying that your ride actually shows up.
This is a revolutionary company to the Southern Miss students. While drinking and driving is never condoned and highly illegal, people still pile into their cars after a long night in the bar trying to make it home. Incidents on 4th Street and the corner of Lincoln Road and 40th Avenue come to mind when remembering how these trips home have failed.
"Safe Ride" runs late into the night and does its best to leave no person stranded. There is no telling how many lives this service has or potentially will save.
There is finally a solution to the pre-bar dilemma. No more debates over who is driving or what car to take. No more begging people at the bar to take you home. No more gambling on which one of your friends you think is the least drunk. "Safe Ride" is following a trend that has been in place in hundreds of college towns across the country but that has been slow to bleed into Hattiesburg.
My friends and I are constantly struggling over who will drive and where we are going. These days, finding a volunteer designated driver is harder than locating a parking spot on campus.
I have been in Hattiesburg for over five years now and have had my struggles with the police and beer. For those of you that know me, please hold your laughter at that understatement.
There has been a problem with taxi-cabs and late night transportation in this city for a long time. My problem has been waiting over an hour for a pick-up, not having a cab show and running into constant busy signals when calling one of the TWO taxi services here in the Burg.
From what my bartender friends tell me there is a new company in town that students have dubbed "Safe Ride." They base their operations from the Shell station across from Mugshots Grill and Bar, and they are equipped with a large SUV. They that run Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, will pick you up almost anywhere in the Hattiesburg area and charge $3 per person. Even better, they arrive in about 10 to 15 minutes after you call, so there is no waiting around or praying that your ride actually shows up.
This is a revolutionary company to the Southern Miss students. While drinking and driving is never condoned and highly illegal, people still pile into their cars after a long night in the bar trying to make it home. Incidents on 4th Street and the corner of Lincoln Road and 40th Avenue come to mind when remembering how these trips home have failed.
"Safe Ride" runs late into the night and does its best to leave no person stranded. There is no telling how many lives this service has or potentially will save.
There is finally a solution to the pre-bar dilemma. No more debates over who is driving or what car to take. No more begging people at the bar to take you home. No more gambling on which one of your friends you think is the least drunk. "Safe Ride" is following a trend that has been in place in hundreds of college towns across the country but that has been slow to bleed into Hattiesburg.
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