Me, a Waymo, and a little adrenaline...

🚗 Have You Tried a Waymo Ride Yet?

I had to take a Waymo twice recently—once after dropping my car off at the dealership for some mysterious warning lights, and then again when it was ready for pickup. It was my first time using one of these self-driving cars, and honestly? I have mixed feelings.

On the plus side, it was actually kind of... pleasant. No worrying about whether the driver would be chatty or silent, aggressive or slow, blasting music or wearing too much cologne. Just a quiet ride—no small talk, no smells, no surprises (well, mostly).

But there were moments when I wasn’t totally at ease. One in particular: the car moved all the way over to the right lane in Santa Monica, and for a minute it looked like it was cruising straight toward a parked car. Instead of merging back, it suddenly accelerated to get ahead of another car and then merged—just in time. It made the right call, but I’ll admit, my heart was in my throat for a second.

It’s a strange thing putting your trust in a car with no human behind the wheel. There’s a weird calm to it, but also a subtle tension—like you're constantly scanning the road just in case.

I’m curious—have you ridden in a Waymo yet? What did you think? Would you do it again?