# Riders App and Phantom Cars



## Chewie73 (Jan 18, 2015)

I was reading a thread the other day that I can't find now. Someone had mentined that they checked the rider app to see how many Uber cars there were in the area. They said it showed several but to request a ride, most disappeared. 

I downloaded the Rider App just yesterday. I did the same thing. I live a few miles outside of my target area, so I don't expect to see many vehicles online near me. As I was driving toward my target area, I saw there were two vehicles coming toward me in the app. They had stopped at a traffic light. I was at the same intersection. The light was green for them, except the left turn. The cars were both stopped at the intersection on the app. I look at the cars at the light and find there is one MiniVan full of people with out-of-state plates and a 2 door coup. What are the chances that they were Uber drivers online? I made the turn with them. The app slowed down the tracking and the actual cars turned off but the app showed them going straight....

Do you think these were Phantom cars on the app to give the rider a warm fuzzy feel like they're going to get a ride quickly if they request? Uber may say its Propriatary, but as a driver, I believe we should be able to know exactly how many people we are competing with at any given time while driving... If one area is flooded with drivers, I'd rather to to another area that isn't...


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

If information is provided by Uber, expect it to be false.


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## uberguy_in_ct (Dec 29, 2014)

I've noticed that when I turn on the rider app it will show my own car about 30 sec to 1 minute behind where I'm actually at. There seems to be a lag time in the rider app and doesn't always show the true location of a car that's moving. But sometimes I do see cars on the rider app doing some pretty wierd things like spinning in circles, so who knows what they're doing.


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## Devindl (Oct 2, 2014)

Chewie73 said:


> I was reading a thread the other day that I can't find now. Someone had mentined that they checked the rider app to see how many Uber cars there were in the area. They said it showed several but to request a ride, most disappeared.
> 
> I downloaded the Rider App just yesterday. I did the same thing. I live a few miles outside of my target area, so I don't expect to see many vehicles online near me. As I was driving toward my target area, I saw there were two vehicles coming toward me in the app. They had stopped at a traffic light. I was at the same intersection. The light was green for them, except the left turn. The cars were both stopped at the intersection on the app. I look at the cars at the light and find there is one MiniVan full of people with out-of-state plates and a 2 door coup. What are the chances that they were Uber drivers online? I made the turn with them. The app slowed down the tracking and the actual cars turned off but the app showed them going straight....
> 
> Do you think these were Phantom cars on the app to give the rider a warm fuzzy feel like they're going to get a ride quickly if they request? Uber may say its Propriatary, but as a driver, I believe we should be able to know exactly how many people we are competing with at any given time while driving... If one area is flooded with drivers, I'd rather to to another area that isn't...


There is a delay on the app, so those cars you saw on the app, if they are real, may have already passed by.


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## Bart McCoy (Nov 4, 2014)

Yeah definitely a delay on the map, but Phantom cars? Wouldn't put it past Uber


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## Chewie73 (Jan 18, 2015)

Devindl said:


> There is a delay on the app, so those cars you saw on the app, if they are real, may have already passed by.


I had actually stopped in a shopping plaza parking lot by the intersection and watched the app as the cars approached. The only other vehicles on the road heading in that direction were Tractor-Trailers, Dump Trucks, School Busses, Pick-ups and coupes. I sat on a popular spot today and watched the app while I was off-line. It showed several Uber cars pass by. Unfortunately, it was mostly NJ Transit Busses. One car passed at the same time as the app showed an Uber. It was a small 2-door sports car... I know there is a lag, but I've followed myself and it was close to spot on. I had one car behind me on the app and two vehicles behind on the road. They both turned off, but the app showed the one car follow me for the next mile. Hard to believe it's that bad at tracking the vehicles.


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## uber_sea (Jan 9, 2015)

The maps are delayed quite a bit sometimes.


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## chi1cabby (May 28, 2014)

*Uber's Phantom Cabs*
*http://motherboard.vice.com/read/ubers-phantom-cabs?utm_source=mbtwitter*
*







*

This uberpeople.net thread is linked in the article:
_Some drivers on the forums noted that it could be a 30 to 60 second *lag* in the system that causes the number of cars to be misrepresented,_


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

I sent a question to CS regarding not being able to view my vehicle in the Rider App to make sure that I was online in the Driver's app. 
Uber reply: 'at it relates to seeing your vehicle on the rider app, due to recent updates, partners are no longer able to see themselves on the rider app.'
Is this so?


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## Veju (Apr 17, 2017)

No I can see myself on the rider app


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

Veju said:


> No I can see myself on the rider app


CS: lazy lying helpless


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## Michael-MS (Sep 4, 2015)

Uber app tracks the phone, not the car. Spinning is always Drivers walking around or texting, etc. Phantom cars are usually cars in garages for people at home. I have my App on all the time when I'm walking around if I'm able to take a ride.


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

How does this BS sound:? 
I'm not getting trip or delivery requests 
We're sorry for the trouble you've faced while trying to resolve this issue.
You are not able to see your vehicle on the rider app because you are overlapping the same spot in the GPS. When the app is not showing your vehicle on the map, it doesn't really mean you are not online. The driver app is the one to determine you are online.


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## Hogg (Feb 7, 2016)

They're Greyballing you.


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

Pl


Hogg said:


> They're Greyballing you.


Please explain?


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## negeorgia (Feb 1, 2015)

Doowop said:


> I sent a question to CS regarding not being able to view my vehicle in the Rider App to make sure that I was online in the Driver's app.
> Uber reply: 'at it relates to seeing your vehicle on the rider app, due to recent updates, partners are no longer able to see themselves on the rider app.'
> Is this so?


There are many times that I do not see myself on the rider app. I go offline and back online and there I am again. Lot's of times I have gotten a ping while I don't see myself, however, more times it seems longer between pings when that is happening. Sometimes as soon as I am back online and see myself, I get an immediate ping.


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## Hogg (Feb 7, 2016)

Doowop said:


> Pl
> 
> Please explain?


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyball

Greyball is the illegal software they use to fool regulators, police, and other rideshare companies.

I have been wondering if they use it on their own drivers who use the passenger app to see where other drivers are.


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## Doowop (Jul 10, 2016)

Hogg said:


> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyball
> 
> Greyball is the illegal software they use to fool regulators, police, and other rideshare companies.
> 
> I have been wondering if they use it on their own drivers who use the passenger app to see where other drivers are.


IC. I feel as if I am driving blind as I can not see my vehicle in Riders app and don't know if I am online. CS is useless.


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