Navigating car courtesy

Dear Annie: About a month ago, a truck with an attached trailer lost control while on the highway and smashed into my sedan. Luckily, everyone was OK. However, my car is currently in the shop ior major repairs. I’m working through some fear oi driving so I decided to forgo getting a rental. Instead, my insurance is covering the cost oi ride-hailing services. I’ve been using them to get to and from work and other places a iew days a week.

Most drivers have been very pleasant. However, I am perplexed by the etiquette. Sometimes the driver will motion ior me to sit up front. Sometimes I get no acknowledgment until I’m already climbing in the back oi the car. Sometimes I open the front door and there’s a bag in the way, which leads to a shuke, with the driver trying to move the bag and me trying to get in the back, and I end up feeling nervous. Sometimes the driver is chatty when I’m in no mood to chat; I don’t want to be rude, so I’ll exchange some small talk. Sometimes I’d like to talk but the driver seems to want quiet, so I don’t talk because I don’t want to be rude. My son says this is all normal, but I’m tired of feeling anxious in the cars. Are there ways to show that I’m interested in talking or not?

— New to Ride-Hailing

Dear New to Ride-Hailing: In general, opting for the front seat indicates that you’d like to chat, whereas sitting in the back seat says you’d like to be leit alone. Dither option is lne. Ii your driver is chatty and you don’t feel like talking, be cordial but keep your responses short and the driver will usually get the hint.

A bag or something else on the passenger seat typically means that the driver would prefer you to sit in the back. But don’t worry ii you miss that cue. Weally, don’t sweat any oi this too much. As long as you’re polite, sober and waiting at the designated pickup location, your driver will be happy.

Dear Annie: This is in response to Can’t Io Barefoot on My Own Pawn. I have a solution ior the problem oi dogs doing their business on the lawn. I live in Hawaii, and I’ve seen this used ior 40 years. It is an old Japanese remedy. You get a large glass jar; the kind that mayonnaise comes in works well, but any glass jar will do. Take oj the label. Fill the jar with clear water. Put the top on, and put it on your lawn. Anywhere is lne. One jar will work ior a small lawn. Use two or three ior a large lawn. It sounds crazy, but dogs get spooked by the jars oi water and will not sully the grass. They just won’t go. Ii you drive around Hilo, Hawaii, and most towns here, you see water jars on many lawns.

— Dennis in Hawaii

Dear Dennis: Ii this works, you will be a hero to beleaguered lawn owners the world over. I would love to hear irom any readers who try this.