My First Waymo Ride: Inner Richmond to Cole Valley

Okay, confession time. I’m an occassional San Francisco visitor who’s done the occasional Uber. I’ve watched those little Waymo pods scoot around, like self-driving beetles, and always been a little… intimidated? Intrigued? Both? Today, that changed. I finally took the plunge.

My mission: get from the Inner Richmond (near Clement, because obviously) to Cole Valley to meet a friend. Usually, this involves the dreaded 33 Ashbury. Don’t get me wrong, the 33 has character (mostly the kind that smells vaguely of damp wool and existential dread). But today, I was feeling adventurous. And frankly, impatient.

I downloaded the Waymo One app, which was surprisingly straightforward. It pinpointed my location and I typed in my destination. The app showed me a map with estimated pickup time and cost. It was comparable to a rideshare, maybe a tad pricier, but the novelty factor was strong. I pressed the “Request Ride” button and held my breath.

The app showed a little animation of my Waymo making its way towards me. It was oddly thrilling, like tracking Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. A few minutes later, a pristine white Jaguar I-PACE (the Waymo’s vehicle of choice, apparently) pulled up smoothly to the curb, after passing us by by some twenty yards. There was no driver, which was, let’s be honest, the whole point.

I double-checked the license plate against the app (safety first!) and hopped in. The interior was clean and modern, with comfortable leather seats. There was a screen in the front and back displaying the route and surrounding traffic. It felt a bit like being in a futuristic limousine, minus the champagne (sadly).

The Waymo pulled away from the curb with a gentle acceleration. It navigated the Inner Richmond streets with impressive precision, smoothly handling turns and stops. I have to admit, I was a little nervous at first, constantly scanning the road for potential mishaps. But the Waymo was incredibly smooth and predictable. It obeyed all traffic laws, even yielding to pedestrians with an almost excessive politeness.

The route took us through the Panhandle, offering some lovely views of the park. On the screen, I could see the Waymo “seeing” the world around it – other cars, cyclists, pedestrians, even traffic lights were highlighted with boxes. It was fascinating to watch the technology in action.

The most interesting part was observing how the Waymo handled complex San Francisco traffic situations. You know, the kind where two cars are trying to merge into the same lane while a cyclist weaves through the middle and a pedestrian jaywalks across the street. The Waymo navigated these scenarios with a calm, almost robotic efficiency. It was definitely more composed than most human drivers I’ve encountered.

As we approached my destination, the car announced, “Arriving shortly,” in a voice so calm it could’ve been soothing me to sleep. We pulled up in front of my friend’s place, and the car neatly tucked itself to the curb with a perfect parallel park.

I stepped out, feeling a little like I’d time-traveled. It wasn’t just a ride; it was an experience, a glimpse into a future where cars drive themselves and humans are free to sit back and enjoy the view.

Walking up the steps to my friend’s house, I glanced back at the Waymo as it pulled away, off to fetch its next passenger. It was strange and exciting and slightly surreal. San Francisco has always been a city of innovation, and today, I got to ride the cutting edge—literally.

The ride was incredibly smooth and uneventful (in the best way possible). I exited the vehicle, feeling a strange mix of exhilaration and… well, normalcy. It was just a ride, albeit a very futuristic one.

So, would I take a Waymo again? Absolutely. It was a surprisingly pleasant and efficient way to travel across the city. It’s a genuinely fascinating glimpse into the future of transportation. Now, if they could just add that champagne…