By Pendergast Law on October 18, 2016
Richard Sherman, one of the Seahawks’ most well-known players, experienced the life of a Lyft driver this summer when he donned a disguise and transported Seattle residents around town while being filmed. Rideshare companies have recently come under fire for refusing to accept liability for accidents caused by Lyft drivers. In an attempt to revive trust in Lyft, the company set up a web series with Richard Sherman.
Despite being one of the most recognizable men in Seattle, Richard Sherman was able to sneak around town undetected as a Lyft driver. He dressed as a Jamaican with a beanie, sweatshirt, and glasses and logged into the app. A dash cam filmed his interactions with passengers. When passengers entered his car, he identified himself as “Richie”and dropped hints as to his real identity. For example, he told a passenger that he recently had traveled to Hawaii and he and his colleagues had to interact with other people in their profession that they hate, referring to competing in the Pro-Bowl in Hawaii against other football teams. During another ride, in a throwback to his famous quote in which he stated, “I’m the best corner in the game,”Sherman told passengers that he was the best Lyft driver in the game. One woman called him out and said he only had one five-star rating, to which Sherman responded, “Exactly. And I was the one who fed it back to myself.”Sherman even discussed whether Beast Mode or “that Richard Sherman guy”were better. On another occasion, Sherman made a passenger cheer him on by shouting “turn left”before he would turn left onto a street. None of the Lyft passengers were able to tell he was, in fact, Richard Sherman. The web series shows the big reveal at the end of each ride, and the passengers were shocked and speechless.
While Richard Sherman’s Lyft web series shows a lighthearted side of the rideshare industry, it does little to overcome the scrutiny placed on companies like Lyft and Uber. Recently, the family members of a passenger who was killed in a fatal Lyft car accident sued the company, and Lyft received negative press coverage for trying to duck responsibility. In another lawsuit, a Lyft driver dumped a woman in the middle of a busy intersection, and she was forced to cross oncoming traffic in order to reach safety. She was struck by a hit and run driver and sued Lyft.
Were you injured in an accident caused by a Lyft driver? Though Lyft advertises its $1 million insurance policy, it is notorious for trying to avoid liability. To discuss your accident for free with a skilled Seattle Lyft accident attorney, call Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. today at 888-539-9211.