Uber experience

Joined
Dec 31, 2017
Messages
15,069
Location
SE British Columbia, Canada
Just finished three Uber rides in a week. It was a very good experience. I had to update my credit card in the system since the last card timed out and also added Pay Pal as an option.

So all you do is stand outside where the satellites can see, you hit the Uber icon and enter the name or address of the place you are going to. You make a choice on whether you’ll accept a basic car or an upgraded car, chose your payment method and submit. It comes up with the flat non negotiable price. If it sounds good to you, you accept. It comes up with the car description, driver’s first name and license plate. It also shows a map showing where the car is on a google type map and how many minutes it is away. Hop in and your phone shows the map, the same one the driver sees. If he misses a turn there is no increase in price just a change in ETA. You can automatically tip by hitting the button. At the destination you can just say goodby and walk out. No transaction required.
In all theee cases I got a newish Toyota Corrolla with a driver with a limited English vocabulary, but cheerfull and happy to be driving. If you want some reading material there is info on the driver’s safe driving experience. Totally satisfied with the service and cost. Try it out. Don’t drink and drive. ;)
 
Last edited:
Never had to use the service myself but did have two customers to whom I delivered cars to, get me an Uber to take me to the subway or bus station afterwards. Amazing how in just 5 or 10 minutes someone is there to pick you up. Not sure how or if the driver got a tip afterwards.
 
I have yet to live anywhere that has Uber or Lyft, but I've used them (mostly Lyft) when travelling and had overall good experiences. The one guy who showed up to take us from our Air B&B in Hilo to the airport was driving a Honda Fit that was a bit cluttered and not super fresh smelling, but it was tolerable for the short trip and he was friendly enough. As you mentioned the apps work very well.
 
I've probably had 100 or so uber/lyft rides in my life. The best was a guy who came over from Somalia within the month who let me drive the car from Downtown DC to National Airport in a snowstorm. He was scared sheetless. He called whoever car it was and told them he was done driving while we were on our way. He was a nice guy trying to make a buck but he was wayyyyy out of his element!
 
Never had to use the service myself but did have two customers to whom I delivered cars to, get me an Uber to take me to the subway or bus station afterwards. Amazing how in just 5 or 10 minutes someone is there to pick you up. Not sure how or if the driver got a tip afterwards.
You see what they charge? Then they want a TIP?

No.
 
We've used Uber and Lyft several times and it's always been great! I always tip the driver with cash. Usually a $20 dollar bill or so.
 
I have used Uber a bunch of times prior to the pandemic, mostly in cities while travelling on business. Its definitely hit or miss. They have killed off taxi service so that's less of an option now.

I have had several perfect rides. I have had a few not so good as well - a couple take the call and shows will arrive in X minutes, only to have it take 5x longer - presumably the driver didn't come directly there. Another driver was upset because they didn't want to go where I was going - no opportunity for a rider back or something. I guess the service doesn't tell them where your headed - which is odd. Gave me a bad rating. Presumably some drivers will only pick you up if you have a 5* review rating - so I have been told?

I haven't used it in a while, so things may have changed.
 
Good experiences so far, mainly for trips from the airport in Dallas and Gainesville, FL. Except for my last try a few weeks ago when I tried to arrange a ride from the Ford dealership to the train station, 3 miles away, which was over 40 bucks. Ummm... Not happening.
 
I’ve used Uber often when traveling. Much cleaner than a taxi. Better service too.

I got a Tesla recently for standard rate.

5A89B474-0C5A-4656-AB93-8101DBD6065B.jpeg


Nothing new. Uber has been around a long while now.
 
Our experience is hit and miss.. the Uber driver that was obsessed with cow farts was the worst. He should concentrated on a diet instead. In some spots a cab was easier and cheaper.
 
Just finished three Uber rides in a week. It was a very good experience. I had to update my credit card in the system since the last card timed out and also added Pay Pal as an option.

So all you do is stand outside where the satellites can see, you hit the Uber icon and enter the name or address of the place you are going to. You make a choice on whether you’ll accept a basic car or an upgraded car, chose your payment method and submit. It comes up with the flat non negotiable price. If it sounds good to you, you accept. It comes up with the car description, driver’s first name and license plate. It also shows a map showing where the car is on a google type map and how many minutes it is away. Hop in and your phone shows the map, the same one the driver sees. If he misses a turn there is no increase in price just a change in ETA. You can automatically tip by hitting the button. At the destination you can just say goodby and walk out. No transaction required.
In all theee cases I got a newish Toyota Corrolla with a driver with a limited English vocabulary, but cheerfull and happy to be driving. If you want some reading material there is info on the driver’s safe driving experience. Totally satisfied with the service and cost. Try it out. Don’t drink and drive. ;)
I used Uber this week for two trips on the same day. My experience was similar to yours. Both times I got a mid-sized car - Sonata and Malibu - they were clean and well-cared-for, the drivers were pleasant. In both cases, the cars arrived within five minutes of my request.

The only issue I had was a poor internet connection and I had to walk a bit to find a better location. Due to the connection problems and my insistence to continue trying to hail the ride from the original location, I ended up being charged for twenty or so rides. By the next day, they were gone from my credit card.

I found the Sonata to have a much more comfortable ride than the Malibu.
 
You see what they charge? Then they want a TIP?

No.
My rides were about $12.00. I tipped the drivers $5.00.
The cost of the rides depends in part on distance, local taxes and add-ins (had a fuel surcharge of 55-cents and something else for $2.00 ... a local surcharge). The basic Uber ride was $8.80.
 
Taxis were/are expensive and PROPER ETIQUETTE is to tip.

Do you tip for the $50.00 steak at a restaurant? After all-it's expensive.
I think differently about this than you. Paying more than the price is not my thing, even irrelevant. So, no, not really, only a minimal amount. Let's say that bill was $52.63 I'd probably do like $55. So, again.. I'm fine with that.
My rides were about $12.00. I tipped the drivers $5.00.
The cost of the rides depends in part on distance, local taxes and add-ins (had a fuel surcharge of 55-cents and something else for $2.00 ... a local surcharge). The basic Uber ride was $8.80.
Good for you.
 
Last two experiences were bad. We were at our sons college moving him in. Every time we tried to get an Uber it would show available but when you tried to schedule it would be unavailable. 4 days not one ever available and had to use the limited and expensive taxi service. A week ago we were in a very upscale beach town on Lake Michigan. We needed a ride after an unexpected storm rolled in. The car showed up, and this is an exact description - Mercury SUV, probably 15 years old, cardboard rear side window, one mismatched and odd size tire, dented or rusted through on every single panel, ripped and stained seats with foam showing, black greasy and crusty door panels, wreaked of smoke, dash looked like a Christmas tree with all the failure lights illuminated, brakes pulsed severely, tires all out of balance, and no AC. To top it off, the driver told the story of how the police were at his house last night because he “joked” with a casino guard about blowing the place up after he lost $800. We had No other options….l
 
My wife drove for Lyft for a few months. Didn't pan out for us. She would get sent to get someone then shoot them out to a small desert town. From there she was required to wait there a min of 2 hrs. If no rides she was free to go somewhere with a better chance of finding a rider.

A few times Lyft would dead head her from say Lucerne valley,Ca which is the boonies to Victor ville,Ca which is a larger city about 40 miles away just to pick someone up and take them 3 blocks which paid her about $3.

Also you are required to run your phones data when working. We did not have unlimited data at the time so the overcharges killed any profit.

She was often taking "ladies" to see their "John" too.

Those types of jobs may work well in a big city or near an airport but are a fail in the desert.
 
I think differently about this than you. Paying more than the price is not my thing, even irrelevant. So, no, not really, only a minimal amount. Let's say that bill was $52.63 I'd probably do like $55. So, again.. I'm fine with that.

Good for you.
Do you think differently? OR are you just cheap? OR-can you not afford to tip?

Those are relevant questions. Because quite frankly both occupations (waiters-Urber drivers) need those tips.
 
Also you are required to run your phones data when working.
What does that mean? I just use my phone to make calls and text, and for GPS, and don't know what running data is. Thanks!
 
Back
Top