Eye Spy

Smile for the camera! No model release required.

BY KEEVA JACQUES

Watch out!

Google Street View photographers are like pizza deliverers, except they want a slice of you.

anks to Google Street drivers tooling across Maine with cameras mounted on their hardtops, capturing candids of our property, nowadays we can all “see ourselves as others see us.” Bad hair day?

Lawn not mowed? Your former signi cant other’s car parked crazily on the lawn? Google stops time until further notice. Embrace the accidental. Nobody’s o the hook from unexpected close-ups.

“Debbie” from Kittery, an experienced Google Street View driver, has come forward to share her experience.

What kind of cars does Google use? And who pays for gas? Most of the Google cars, including mine, are Subaru Imprezas, typically the newest model. Google provides credit cards for drivers to use for gas. ese cars cost around $50 to ll and get around 400 miles on a full tank.

What is the process of becoming a Street View driver? Simple. You need to have a smartphone, a clean driving record, pass a drug and background test, and have a valid state driving license.

What do you get paid?

Base pay is $26 an hour.

How does it feel to be a part of Google’s team? It feels great to be a part of something so influential, even if I’m just a small piece. I feel like I’m helping to create something larger.

How did you get the job?

I applied through a third-party site called Adecco Sta ng. Not long a er I submitted my application, I got a call back saying I got the job. Google drivers are given instructions where to retrieve the car, and Google pays for transportation costs. Typically we’re told to pick up the car from a

WELCOME TO ME.

Just like Google Street View driver Debbie (Last Name Withheld per company policy), Giovanni da Verrazzano was on a mapping expedition when he surveyed the coast of Maine in 1524 for King Francis I of France. In fact, the First Mainers mooned Verrazzano and crew from the tops of cliffs, just as Debbie was mooned by people in their driveways while driving past in her Google car. A true Maine tradition to salute aloof and distant authority.

previous driver. I had to travel to Philadelphia and drive the Google car back to my home in Kittery.

Do you get to bring the car back home every night? Yes, the car comes home with me every night when I’m done driving. But once the job comes to an end, someone else will come get the car, so it needs to be in the same condition as when I got it.

Can you elaborate on this being a seasonal job?

The job spans 2–4 months, usually only in the spring and summer. We’re told to drive only on clear days—no rain or snow allowed—and we can drive an hour a er sunrise until an hour before sunset. Lucky for me, this means I’ll never have to shovel out my Google car during Maine winters.

How do you handle being in a car 8 hours a day? I love it! I can listen to music and podcasts all day, and I get to see some interesting places. Morbid, the true-crime podcast, is my go-to. I can take two 15-minute breaks and a 30-minute lunch break. e only downside is that I would love to bring my husband or a friend along for company, but only Google employees are authorized to be in the car.

What is your work routine as a Street View driver? I wake up at 6 a.m., make my co ee, and start driving. ere’s a small computer screen in the car that shows where I have already mapped, but for the areas I need to cover, I can take any route I want. I usually decide in the moment which areas I want to cover that day. e exibility is great.

Have you ever seen wildlife while driving?

All the time! I’ve seen deer, moose, eagles, seals, and more. I love seeing the di erent wildlife, but the scariest moments are when I’m driving and deer sprint across the street. One of my worst fears is hitting a deer. is hasn't happened, but I think about it all the time, especially when I’m driving at dusk.

What’s something only a Google Street View driver would see?

This is a job where people see your car and immediately jump, wave, strike a pose, or pull their pants down. People run out of their houses and wave their arms around, I’ve been ipped o , and strangely enough, I’ve been mooned more times than I could count. People assume when the camera ashes their way, they’ll be seen on Google Maps. But it doesn’t always work that way; Google analyzes the photos and selects the best ones. It’s certainly a crazy, funny, and strange job.

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Has anyone gotten upset with you?

Unfortunately, yes. Assuming they’ll be seen on Google Maps can be extremely uncomfortable for some people. Sometimes if I’m stuck in tra c, people in the other cars will turn away or cover their face. People have rolled down their windows and asked not to be in any photos; however, the camera is automatic, so I don’t have control. I’ve never had anyone run out of their house and ask me to stop, but I’ve de nitely gotten strange looks, especially in rural areas.

Best moment as a Street View driver?

It happens when I’m the only person driving down a beautiful road. For example, driving down the ngers of midcoast Maine, past the cli s and lighthouses, not another car in sight. I get to be alone with my thoughts for hours a day, so this means I get plenty of time for introspection.

Ah, but you’re not alone. Don’t forget us. We’re here with you, forever.

Oh, yes, exactly. Right. n