This project seeks to bring AIDS awareness and protection directly to a population that, although diverse, is directly threatened by HIV infection. These diverse groups connected by attitudes and actions that place them into high risk categories are difficult to isolate and target for educational and prophylactic efforts. They include all economic, cultural, ethnic, sexual, age, and preference groups. As well as targeting these groups in a specific manner, this project brings the intervention to bear in a form both private and comfortable. Most important it also brings that intervention as close to the point of possible infection as feasible.
Saturday night, the bars are full. Concerts are overflowing, Men and women of all preferences and types mingle and meet. Drinks are shared, perhaps drugs are taken. Inhibitions are lowered, judgment is blurred. The problem is how to reach people at these crucial junctures. Through the mobile condom giveaway project, the taxi driver intercedes at a point either on the way to or from the bars, concerts, movie houses, and restaurants to supply information, condoms and perhaps even a moment of common sense. Using observation and experience the Cab driver hands out condoms and information under the guise of business advertising to any fares that seem likely to engage in high risk activities. These fares include, but are not restricted to young men in groups or singly who are obviously out looking for female partners, single women and housewives out looking for adventure in the bars, gay and lesbian individuals seeking partners, and professional prostitutes and their patrons. At a crucial moment such an intervention could not only bring AIDS awareness closer to the general public, but easily save lives.
For the past two years with the cooperation and support of the Santa Cruz County AIDS Program I have been implementing this condom and information giveaway program. The response has been universally positive, with over 2,500 condoms given away each year.. So far there have virtually no negative responses, with perhaps 2%-4% people declining to accept for reasons of celibacy, presupply, or permanent partnership. Following are several brief anecdotal descriptions of customer responses from early in the program which are representative of general reactions. Keep in mind that these type ofpositive responses have been repeated in various ways literally thousands of times.
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Feb 18th
9:30 pm... Picked up three fares at hotel in the beach flats and took them to the Catalyst. Shortly after picking them up I presented one of them with a condom packet containing information and my business card. They were very pleased stating that they had "hit it right this time". The condom was considered to be a good luck charm.
Feb 18th
11:00am... Picked up a young black man from the university and took him to the Blue Lagoon, on receiving his packet he offered to make calls and write letters to help support the project. He was very excited and has called me personally for cab rides several times since. He stated " Man, this is really a cab ride of the 90's"
Feb 19th
8:00pm... Picked up a mixed race couple on the east side and took them to Carnival at the civic. On receiving their packet, the man insisted on shaking my hand ( a common reaction) and promised to use it. The woman was also pleased and said she would ensure its use. They both felt the project would save lives. Later they called me back personally for a ride home, and again promised to use it.
Feb 19th
11:20pm...
Picked up two very affectionate men at the Civic Carnival celebration and took them to a motel on Ocean St. On receiving their packet one of them blessed me and said " If you save even one life, it's worth it". He tipped me extremely well and thanked me again and again. Honest to God, he had tears in his eyes.
Feb 26th
Feb 27th
2:00 am... Picked up a woman near Ocean Street who admits to being a prostitute. After giving her the packet, she said what a great idea she thought it was, she said she would tell all the other girls. She also told me that some of the other professional women she knew were HIV positive, and I should be sure to supply packets to any one I suspected might be on their way to visit one of them.
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Mar 11th
8:00 pm... Picked up a young couple on the west side and took them to the crows nest. They said they were celebrating his new job. I gave them a packet and said "Here celebrate with this". They accepted and said the certainly would. They were both very supportive.
Mar 12th
2:30 am...
Picked up a middle aged man from the Blue Lagoon and took him to his home on the west side. After he received his packet, he blessed me and shook my hand repeatedly. He became very emotional and said he would tell all his friends. He also mentioned that the packet was a very good idea because it made it unique and kept the condom in good condition. He promised to use it.
Apr 1st
11:00pm... Picked up a group of three middle aged uppermiddle class couples and took them to 99 Bottles. I gave a packet to the woman in the front seat and was immediately asked for two more. They said they wanted to give them to their teen aged children. They were very supportive.
Apr 2nd
11:00pm...
Picked up a group of 5 men going from the catalyst to Aptos. I gave a packet to the man in the front seat. He said I was "Kind". He then told me that he was recently divorced and the condom would come in handy.
Apr 8th
12:20 am... Picked up three men on the west side and took them to Crows nest. When I gave one of them a packet he said "Is this my horoscope or what?" His friends told him that now he was sure to score. He zipped it up in his shoulder pocket, and said it would be safer there.
Given the universal goodwill that greeted this limited pilot project, I come to the conclusion the this is truly an idea that's time has come. Not only is this project good for AIDS awareness, it is also good for everyone whose name is connected with it. For the Cab driver it improves his business, tips, and reputation. For the umbrella organization it shows a creative commitment to community outreach at minimal cost and of course for the customer it offers alternatives to risky and sometimes fatal behavior.
Concerning public reaction, so far it can only be described as phenomenal. The limited reactions listed here are just the smallest tip of the iceberg. It is a program simply crying out for national attention. It is simple, direct, and of course extremely current. It is fun, humorous, and effective. It spreads goodwill, and reaches a segment of people that can be reached in no other way.
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