VANCOUVER, Wash. — A Vancouver Lyft driver has been put out of work and left with few options after her car was stuck by a loose tire Monday night and heavily damaged.
To Alisha Godson, like many Uber and Lyft drivers, her car is her bread and butter. She's been a rideshare driver for eight years, relying on the earnings to make ends meet, especially after she lost both of her parents during the pandemic and her husband got laid off.
"It's more than just a car; it's my job," she said.
While driving north on Interstate 5 to pick up a rider this week, her car was abruptly struck by a large tire on the freeway near the Delta Park exit, causing serious damage to the front of her vehicle. Like many Uber and Lyft drivers, her car is essential for her livelihood.
"A tire came rolling at my car and hit it," Godson recalled. "It bounced off my car and landed on the opposite side of the freeway."
She immediately pulled over and contacted a police, a tow truck and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), because she was concerned that the tire would continue to pose a hazard for other drivers.
Those agencies are looking into the tire's origin, but so far no one claimed responsibility. Godson has taken to social media to try to track down the person responsible, and she said one commenter did claim to have also witnessed the incident.
"Someone saw the tire go across (the median), hit my car, fly back over, and they had swerved to miss it," she said.
Meanwhile, the damage to Godson's car is extensive, rendering it undriveable.
"The whole thing is terrifying," Godson said. "If I can't work, I can't provide for my family."
Lyft declined to cover the accident due to Godson's insurance type, prompting her to seek community support through social media. She hopes to identify the person responsible for the tire and has received tips suggesting checking for a DOT number on the tire for further leads.
Unable to earn income, she has set up a GoFundMe campaign titled "Support a Lyft Driver's Return to the Road."
"I'm thankful I wasn't hurt," Godson said. "It could have been much worse."