This afternoon, I called an Uber to take me to a friend’s house about 25-30 minutes away to watch basketball. Everything started off normally. The driver greeted me and asked how my day was going—just the usual stuff. After that, we didn’t talk much, which was fine by me. The car was clean, so I figured it’d be a smooth ride.
About 20 minutes in, I noticed the driver kept glancing at me in the rearview mirror. At first, I thought maybe he wanted to say something, but then he started taking these deep breaths. Out of nowhere, he said, “Sorry, I have to pull over.” Naturally, I asked if everything was okay, and he told me he was having a panic attack.
I stayed calm and told him, “That’s okay, man. I get panic attacks too, so I understand. I’m not in a rush—take your time.” Luckily, he managed to pull over safely in a quiet residential area. He wasn’t saying much after that, so I added, “I know when I have panic attacks, I like to be alone. Don’t worry—I’ll wait over here on the curb and play on my phone. Take as much time as you need, and let me know if you want to call someone.”
He ended up sitting there for about 20-30 minutes, just calming himself down. At one point, I offered to drive us the rest of the way so he wouldn’t have to worry about losing money from the trip. He thanked me but asked for a few more minutes, and eventually, he felt well enough to finish driving. We got to my destination without any issues.
Before I left, I tipped him and gave him my number, saying, “If you ever want to talk to someone who deals with anxiety too, just reach out.” I think the combination of fresh air, space, and knowing I wasn’t in a rush helped him feel less overwhelmed. Sometimes, just being patient and showing kindness can make all the difference for someone going through a tough moment.
My Thoughts
What this passenger did was thoughtful and considerate, giving him space to recover while offering support when needed. Honestly, more people should handle situations like this with the same level of calm and understanding. It was a great way to show empathy without adding to his stress.
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