Welcome to Car Week 2026, where your ride is your ticket to the spotlight and a chance at $500! Octopus is rolling out a full week of community content designed to celebrate drivers, their vehicles, and the stories that keep everything moving in rideshare. Car Week 2026 is your chance to rev up and take the checkered flag, so let’s hit the gas!
Scroll down to see the details for contest entry and livestream details.
Digital Glovebox
Whether you’re here to compete, show off, learn something new, or just enjoy the ride, there’s a spot for you in every lane.
Road Tales
Got a story that still lives rent-free in your rearview mirror? Time to put it in park and tell it right here. Submit an original story that happened to you centered around a vehicle or car-related moment in the comments section of this page (below) and earn bonus points!
This is your chance to share the moments that happened in, around, or because of a vehicle. Maybe it was a road trip that went completely off-script, a breakdown that turned into a breakthrough, or a random parking lot encounter you still think about. Funny, chaotic, meaningful, unforgettable, if a car was part of the scene, it’s fair game.
How it Works:
- Submit an original story centered around a vehicle or car-related moment
- Stories do not have to be rideshare-related
- Each entry must be your own experience
- Limit up to 3 story submissions per driver
- Earn +50 points per approved entry
- Keep it appropriate and community-friendly
Roadside Assistance
Every driver needs a reliable pit crew… even if it’s digital. Roadside Assistance is your go-to hub for trusted tools, tutorials, and resources to keep your vehicle running smoothly. Whether you’re tracking down affordable parts, learning how to fix something yourself, or just want to understand your car a little better, this is the spot.
- Rock Auto – browse for a massive selection of parts at reliably low prices. Easy-to-use catalog, quality options, and manufacturer warranties to keep your ride in top shape.
- ChrisFix – check out for step-by-step repair videos that break things down in a way that actually makes sense. Perfect for beginners and seasoned DIY drivers looking to save money and learn by doing.
- DougDeMuro – explore for deep dives, quirks, and features on all kinds of vehicles. Great for understanding what makes cars tick and what to look for on the road.
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The weirdest Uber I have done was two 6 person rides back to back. I was transporting pirates and wenches to a Pirate Convention here in Houston Texas. Best laughs I’ve had as a professional driver.
Really put the Arrrrrrrrr in rideshare.
We had many conventions here in Las Vegas. The clientele can vary depending on the type of convention.
One week, I knew something peculiar was going on.
It turns out, there was Anime Con and the Adult Video Con happening at the same time.
Coincidence? I think not!
crossover episode!
Summer of 1998. I was 15, freshly permitted, and restless. When Jerry’s parents left their ’84 Corolla in the driveway — keys on the hook — the decision made itself.
Four of us packed in. I took the wheel, hands at ten and two like that made it legal. The engine turned over on the first try. A good omen.
Milwaukee opened up ahead of us. The South Side’s neat grids, the downtown skyline, the lakefront flat and silver in the July heat. Streets we’d only ever seen from back seats were suddenly ours to claim.
Gas was 99 cents a gallon. We pooled four dollars, pumped it in, and drove everywhere — past County Stadium, along the lake, up every block we could find. Hours later, back in the driveway, we checked the gauge. Still not empty.
We sat in the quiet, engine ticking as it cooled.
No one said much. We’d done the thing — taken the wheel and pointed ourselves at the city. For one afternoon, the whole map was ours.
I handed the keys back to Jerry. He hung them back on the hook.
The summer I turned five, I believed I could fly.
My siblings jumped off my dad’s yellow Pinto and landed grinning. I watched, then climbed up myself.
I had a theory: *I could fly.* Not like a plane. More like a feeling. If I wanted it badly enough, the air would hold me.
I stood on the warm hood. The driveway looked farther down than expected. I jumped anyway.
I did not fly.
I fell face-first into cement. Two front teeth hit the driveway before I did.
I stood up. Ran my tongue across the gap. Tasted copper. My siblings went still.
I didn’t cry. Maybe I was too stunned. Maybe five-year-old pride runs on a different frequency than pain.
What I knew, crouching over my own teeth in the dust, was simple: I could not fly.
Gravity doesn’t negotiate. Cement doesn’t soften for confidence. And a Pinto hood is not a launchpad.
My mom, to her credit, only screamed a little.
The Toyota sat in the driveway, stick shift and all — a clutch pedal that felt like a test I hadn’t studied for. My brother rode shotgun, relaxed as ever.
“Feel where it grabs,” he said.
It stalled. Again. Again. Each time the engine lurched and died, he just said, “Again.”
Then I felt it — a subtle vibration through the floorboard, the faint tug of engine meeting wheels. I eased out the clutch, fed in the gas. The truck moved. Actually moved.
We rolled down the block at ten miles an hour. My brother talked me into second gear — clutch, shift, clutch, gas. Smooth.
Back in the driveway, I sat still a moment after cutting the engine. He was already halfway out.
“Not bad,” he said.
That was enough. Proud in the quiet, specific way you feel when there was no shortcut — when you had to actually do the thing to get good at it.
A few hundred feet. It felt enormous.
Un evento muy gracioso con viaje con mascota , un perro hermoso y grande , en medio del viaje el perro se montó en mis piernas mientras yo manejaba, tuve que bajar el vidrio para que disfrutara del viento, fue muy extraño y divertido a la vez.
On Thanksgiving morning of 2025, I left early that morning to Uber for some hours before celebrating the day, a ride came in which was about $90 and I was excited about the money and didn’t take note of the destination. So I accepted the ride and when I got to the pickup spot, it was a lady who came to drop off her friend to Houston and her car broke down and she had to return to Austin to celebrate with her family. I was troubled because I had never taken a rider outside Houston area and I thought of canceling but because of her situation, I had compassion on her and decided to continue the ride. Once we took off the two and a half hours journey, she crashed as she was very tired and slept throughout the journey. I got her home safely and she was very appreciative. Heading back to Houston, behold I got a rider going straight to Houston who was so kind to top my tank oop when we arrived Houston. He was a really nice guy and we discussed throughout the journey.
Best Thanksgiving ever!
One night I picked up a passenger who suddenly got really quiet halfway through the ride. I’ve learned to keep throw‑up bags in the car “just in case,” and this ended up being the night they proved their worth. I noticed him breathing a little heavier, so I grabbed a bag and handed it back just in time. Crisis avoided, car saved, and he kept apologizing the whole way. By the end we were both laughing about how that little bag turned into the MVP of the night.
I picked up a college student from a bar around 2 AM. I greeted her and tried to start a conversation, but she clearly wasn’t in the mood, so I kept the ride quiet. When we arrived, she realized she’d entered the wrong address and the real location was a 15‑minute walk away. She said she’d walk, but it was late and didn’t feel safe, so I offered to drive her to the correct spot for free. On that second ride, she relaxed, opened up, and we ended up having a great conversation. She was so grateful I didn’t let her walk alone that she tipped me well before getting out.
Around 3 AM on my last ride of a 10‑hour shift, I picked up a passenger rushing to work. The GPS took us the long way, and he stressed the whole ride thinking he’d be late. When we finally reached his job, he checked the date and realized it wasn’t Friday, it was Saturday. He was completely off. We both burst out laughing. I offered to take him home for free, but he insisted on tipping me and promised a 5‑star rating. What started as a stressful ride turned into the funniest moment of my night.
We were asked to enter our Pokemon tribute car called The Char Car in San Diego’s Holiday Bowl Parade. We printed special Pokemon cards and had a publisher donate several books and activity kits that we passed out along the parade route. It was an exhausting mile and a half, but well worth it to see the smiles of all the kids.
I drive a Pokemon-tribute car called THE CHAR CAR after everyone’s favorite and loveable Charmander, the fire-breathing dragon/salamander. My wife and I do various book nights at the San Diego Ronald McDonald House (we have hosted numerous Holiday Book Nights and May the Fourth be With You Book night) complete with free books and activity kits and even cosplay characters that will read to the children and families while passing out the books. We deliver the books in the Char Car and the kids and families are so excited they always want to pose for pictures in front of the car.
THE CHAR CAR still might be the most legendary crossover of heart, horsepower, and pure joy on the road ❤️
I picked up a cancer patient that had just undergone treatment and was heading back home 150 miles away. I adjusted the front seat so that he could relax and stretch instead of back seat. While we were driving the weather started getting ugly with very high winds. We were driving over a bridge and a very strong gust of wind pushed my car but I held on tight to steering wheel. The passenger awoke and was startled, but I calmed him down. The the next hour we drove through the mountains, canyons with high winds do him home. He was so appreciative of my calm demeaner and that I took him safely home.
ACT OF KINDNESS REMEMBERED! Four years ago, there were two ladies waiting at a bus stop on a hot summer day. That bus was not in operation due to holiday schedule. I told the ladies that I could take them to their destination free of charge, so I loaded the wheelchair into my car, provided them with refreshing bottled waters and took them to their apartment complex. Recently, during an Uber ride, I picked up one of the ladies and she was excited and she remembered my kindness. Her friend passed away early this year, but she shared her deepest appreciation for this Random Act of Kindness.
A time when life gave me lemons and I ended getting lemonade was I was doing a private ride for a man returning from India, flying through JFK. His flight landed around 6:30am, I was there shortly after. Expected him to get through customs in 30 mins, take him back to the Trenton area, where I already had a Lyft scheduled ride from there to the Philly airport lined up to getenbaxk to Philly. Looked like a perfect itinerary, except it took him 2 hours to get through customs; he said it was because of being brown, even though he’s Indian. So, I missed the scheduled ride, went online and got a ride from Princeton to Newark Airport. A couple who had just moved to the area and were going to LA to get some things. Woman took my card. I’ve gotten several thousand in business directly from and through referrals from them, even met an Academy award winning cinematographer (whole family is in show business). All from a very busted scheduled ride!
From missed timing to a full-blown life upgrade!
I remember one of the best tips I ever gotten as an Uber was so random: picked up a guy in a rundown part of the city. Guy I picked up appeared to be on something, and so I was like, “Here we go,” and steeled myself for the ride. We had a couple moments small talk and then he said, “Hey man, this is for you!” and handed me $100. I graciously thanked him, and then he asked, “Is that the biggest tip you ever gotten?” And I honestly answered, “No,” so he gave me some more twenties, stopping only when I said he had exceeded my tipping high. “I want to be the best and most memorable ride you have!” Then he asked if receiving that meant I was going to call it a night. I was like, “No, I have a couple bills I still have to catch up. I had hope to see my (ex-wife’s) daughter to hang out. He asked me how much the bill was, I told him, and he proceeded to give me several hundred more to take care of it. ” You better go and visit your daughter! ”
She was happy when I told her the story later!
a story (almost) worth more than the tip itself!
My dad used to own a beautiful red 1972 Corvette Stingray convertible. For my 22nd birthday my parents asked me if there was a gift I wanted and I told them that letting me borrow the Corvette for a few days would be a great birthday present. So on my birthday my dad showed up at my house with the Corvette and tossed me the keys. I put several hundred miles on the car cruising around over the next couple of days and took my roommates and many of my friends for rides. The weather was great so the top was down the whole time. When I had to give the car back, my mom asked, “So, did you get a lot of attention from girls while you had the car?” I thought for a minute and replied, “No. Not even once. But every time I stopped somewhere, some guy came over and wanted to talk about the car. I’m pretty sure classic cars attract guys, not girls.” My mom got a kick out of that and I enjoyed cruising in a Corvette convertible for several days. It was a good birthday.
Nothing draws a crowd of men like a classic Stingray!
Proof that sometimes the best upgrades aren’t under the hood
“I was just trying to eat my takeout in peace in a grocery store parking lot when a guy in a full, pristine tuxedo knocked on my window. He wasn’t looking for a hand-out; he was looking for a jump-start to get to his own wedding. His vintage convertible had decided that three blocks from the church was the perfect place to die.
There I was, in my mustard-stained hoodie, fumbling with jumper cables while a frantic groom checked his watch every ten seconds. When his engine finally roared back to life, he hugged me—expensive cologne meeting my fast-food smell—and peeled out with a shout of thanks. Every time I park in that lot now, I wonder if they made it to ‘I do’ on time.”
wedding day rescue!
I once had a passenger on my car that I caught rolling a joint while in my car. She tried to deny it but I caught her red-handed and there was some proof in my seat when she got out. I had to go vacuum my car out.
Some rides really test your patience…and your vacuum.
So back in let’s say 2014 me and my friends took a cross country road trip to cali. About 6 hours in we were on i10 in Texas and something started flying all around my vehicle. We don’t like things flying lol. We couldn’t figure out what it was so I hit the shoulder and everyone is us dove out trying to get away lol. Still laugh about it till this day.
Nothing like a mystery mid-drive chaos moment to turn a road trip into a lifelong comedy classic!
Picked up a student late at night around 2am. Started the trip and he was going to Newark International AirPort. That is a 4 hour ride from where I picked him up. Out of curiosity I asked why so far that late at night? He stated his grandfather was very ill and only had days to live. Being an International student, it was the fastest flight he could get back to his home country. So off to Newark we went. Just hope he made it home in time.
A ride that turned into something truly meaningful, hoping he made it home when it mattered most.
Did a four day road trip from New York to Las Vegas Nevada stopping at countless scenic and touristy spots along the way. Once in a lifetime never forget moment moment in time. Especially driving through the Rockies and into Utah! Amazingly gorgeous terrain.
That’s the kind of epic journey that sounds like it turns every mile into a postcard picture!
Mid Covid, I got a HUGE ride going from Gulf Shores AL to the NW corner of Hammond LA. 2am & just about to time out. Turns out it was a Lady on a Girls Weekend & her son had been rushed to the hospital. She didn’t drive & everyone was intoxicated. 4 other drivers had canceled on her. Scooped her up & she was all over the map emotionally. I was able to get her calm, made many stops for her &, by the time we arrived, she was settled & able to focus. The tip from her husband was, let’s say, spectacular!
A clutch, late-night save that turned chaos into calm and proved just how powerful a steady driver can be. Well done
That’s awesome !!
In 2023, while enroute to pick up, I was in the left lane with a late model truck in the left turn lane. Light turned & he tried to cut in front of me. Loosing control, hit the center divide & bounced back. He was ejected. In shock, I watched as the truck, still in gear ran his body over. 8yrs & this is the freakiest thing I’ve ever seen.
Whoa, that’s an incredibly intense and haunting moment to witness… Glad you made it through something so heavy.
Who can forget driving someone who appeared to be very down on his luck a medium distance (about 30 miles) and after a friendly back and forth handed a crisp $100 tip from a stack of them lol. Never judge a book by its cover!
Nice! Proof that the road loves a good plot twist
I’ll never forget the time I drove across the Chesapeake bay bridge and tunnel system in a thunderstorm. You couldn’t pay me any amount of money to do that again. Psychological nightmare
No way, not me! That’s the definition of white-knuckle driving, sheesh!
I still can not forget the time that 30 seconds away from destination passenger leaned over and whispered to boyfriend I’m going to be sick, and then threw up all over my backseat 🙁
The universe said “nope!”