# The too chatty driver.



## Terri Lee (Jun 23, 2016)

This week's "Homeland" had a good lesson for drivers.
Saul was in the back of a black SUV and he was not in a good mood.

Driver: "You O.K. back there?"
Saul: "Yeah, fine."
D: "Not too hot?"
S: "No."
D: "Long day sir?"
S: "Let me ask you something."
D: "Shoot."
S:"Did I do anything, anything at all; to suggest I was curious about the sound of your voice?
No right?
So shut the f^c* up!"


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Yup.
The way it is sometimes.


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## Fishchris (Aug 31, 2016)

I think im pretty good with knowing when not to talk. 

Then again, I hear all the time that i am a great talker with an awesome voice, so maybe that's why it is rare for me to pick up pax that don't want to talk with me. More often than not, if they dont want to talk with me, its because of a language barrier.... On the other hand, if i dont want to talk with them, it's usually because they are drunken idiots.


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

I had a guy who was really chatty at first about my car, then he backed off and didn't want to talk anymore. I failed to pick up on this and I'm pretty sure he down rated me because of it. Lesson learned. I always try to learn from getting down rated.


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## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

OP, why you wanna talk too much about this???



MadTownUberD said:


> I had a guy who was really chatty at first about my car, then he backed off and didn't want to talk anymore. I failed to pick up on this and I'm pretty sure he down rated me because of it. Lesson learned. I always try to learn from getting down rated.


PLEASE. STOP. CARING.


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

You're right, I probably should. But I do believe in business and serving the customer, as part of building the brand image.

So yesterday I took my first Trip as a Rider. The guy did not give a perfect performance. His car was clean and he was friendly, but he took a wrong turn getting to me, he overshot the parking lot even though I was standing there waving to him, and he would have missed the main turn towards my destination had I not asked him to turn.

So what did I do? I told him I also drive, gave him a $5 tip, and gave him 5 stars. You know, he may not have been familiar with the area of town and the parking lot where I work is pretty confusing.


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## Jagent (Jan 29, 2017)

Anyone gets in my car and talks to me like that will soon be a pedestrian.


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

What? Because I asked him to take the correct turn? Riders do that to me all the time when I flake out for whatever reason. You're kind of hardcore...Maybe because of your market. We may be more laid back in the Midwest.


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## BoboBig (Mar 1, 2017)

Fishchris said:


> I think im pretty good with knowing when not to talk.
> 
> Then again, I hear all the time that i am a great talker with an awesome voice, so maybe that's why it is rare for me to pick up pax that don't want to talk with me. More often than not, if they dont want to talk with me, its because of a language barrier.... On the other hand, if i dont want to talk with them, it's usually because they are drunken idiots.


Same here I can talk to anyone and you know what if he was having a bad day welcome to Our World hahahah jk maybe the driver could have helped them feel better but you can't fix Arsehole!


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## Harry Seaward (Mar 7, 2017)

On a long ride, I'll give it a "How are you doing this evening?" Depending on the response and body language (staring at phone, head resting on head rest with eyes closed, etc), that's possibly the only thing I say.

One of the most important things to learn in life is body language and vocal cues of other people.


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## Squirming Like A Toad (Apr 7, 2016)

I welcome the passengers into the van, but once I start moving I'm the traditional silent driver. Prevents distractions and misunderstandings, and if I have a passenger who won't shut up I don't want to get him started.


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## Red Leader (Sep 4, 2016)

Pull over, drag pax from vehicle, drive away.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

MadTownUberD said:


> What? Because I asked him to take the correct turn? Riders do that to me all the time when I flake out for whatever reason. You're kind of hardcore...Maybe because of your market. We may be more laid back in the Midwest.


Yes, he's hardcore. Funny, but hardcore.

Big city drivers who get treated like crap don't grasp the mid-west.


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## FL_Dex (Nov 13, 2016)

I think all that fictional exchange does is reinforce the belief that it's okay to be rude to your Uber driver because they're service trash. The driver was just trying to be nice, the passenger, regardless of his motivation, was being a dlck. That attitude is reflected by too many people getting in the car. If you want isolation, call a cab. They have barriers between the driver and passengers. 

There was only once I should have pulled over and invited some arrogant, rude butt to get out of my car. That was a very quiet ride.


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## PTUber (Sep 16, 2015)

I find it pretty easy to know if someone wants to talk or not. I'm good either way.


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## rickasmith98 (Sep 26, 2016)

One thing I have learned is that passengers do often listen to me. Have had them on a later ride, quote me or tell me my stories back to me. Turn it into a joke and say, "well I guess I talk to much".  So many people would rather just text and play with their phones nowadays. Live in a college town and during graduation weekend, one of the families of their graduate told me my story and it was their first time they were in my car! It was funny and scary but they tipped so I guess it was a good thing.


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## CarmEsp (Feb 25, 2017)

MadTownUberD said:


> So yesterday I took my first Trip as a Rider. The guy did not give a perfect performance. His car was clean and he was friendly, but he took a wrong turn getting to me, he overshot the parking lot even though I was standing there waving to him, and he would have missed the main turn towards my destination had I not asked him to turn.
> 
> So what did I do? I told him I also drive, gave him a $5 tip, and gave him 5 stars. You know, he may not have been familiar with the area of town and the parking lot where I work is pretty confusing.


Why does this story sound familiar? Hmmm... 

You are correct, sir. I will charge most of those mistakes to my unfamiliarity with the East side, combined with my Uber driving inexperience (only about a month, less than 200 total trips under my belt).

I do not however have any excuse about the almost missed turn to East Washington. Yes, we were chatting, and as you said, you thought I was listening to the navigation instruction on my left ear, which I was, but I was distracted enough by the conversation we're having that I definitely would have missed that turn without your cue. It's something that's completely (and should have been) avoidable. My bad.

I really appreciate the 5-star and the tip. I'll make sure to pay it forward when I get the chance to take *my* first Uber trip . Good luck with your newly detailed recently acquired vehicle! (that I assume you're going to be using as an Uber XL?)


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

Wow! You got me...Small world! Glad we could connect. Life is too short to make enemies.

I really needed that ride, so I could get back to work on time, and you came thru for me! 

For what it's worth, I just messed up a drop off tonight, right in front of Lucky's. As I reached over to help my rider open the rear manual sliding door (in my recently detailed Mazda), my foot came off the clutch which killed the engine and caused the car to lurch a little. She was cool about it though.

Yesterday morning I floundered around on Park Street (a few blocks north of the beltline) and got honked at when I crept out while trying to make a difficult left turn. Again my rider was cool about it.

My point is that I am not perfect. And we are blessed to drive in a city of "tolerant" people.

My car has been classified as UberXL, even though it does not fit that requirement at all. I have addressed this in other threads. Suffice to say it is NOT a minivan proper, nor does it seat 6 passengers. Since I can't get Uber to de-classify it as XL, I have to be selective about the XL requests I accept, as another forum poster suggested. In other words verify the number of passengers quickly. Sometimes people order XL for one person...As I have already seen.


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## BoboBig (Mar 1, 2017)

MadTownUberD said:


> You're right, I probably should. But I do believe in business and serving the customer, as part of building the brand image.
> 
> So yesterday I took my first Trip as a Rider. The guy did not give a perfect performance. His car was clean and he was friendly, but he took a wrong turn getting to me, he overshot the parking lot even though I was standing there waving to him, and he would have missed the main turn towards my destination had I not asked him to turn.
> 
> So what did I do? I told him I also drive, gave him a $5 tip, and gave him 5 stars. You know, he may not have been familiar with the area of town and the parking lot where I work is pretty confusing.


Yeah good job he did nothing wrong he did a great job I'm sure if we called someone to pick us up they would make more mistakes..


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## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

Jagent said:


> Anyone gets in my car and talks to me like that will soon be a pedestrian.


A prone, bleeding pedestrian



MadTownUberD said:


> What? Because I asked him to take the correct turn? Riders do that to me all the time when I flake out for whatever reason. You're kind of hardcore...Maybe because of your market. We may be more laid back in the Midwest.


He's talking about the OP's example, the abusive wannabe gangsta paxhole.... Lol.

If you don't complain, rate 5 and tip $5, nobody could care less if you tell em "oh sorry it's that parking lot over there"


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## Terri Lee (Jun 23, 2016)

Do you frighten yourself when you type?


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## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

Terri Lee said:


> Do you frighten yourself when you type?


Nope I love hearing myself type~.

Clackety-clack-smile-chuckle-maniacally

Muahahahaha


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