# Spotting an Über Ghost Car



## Beur (Apr 14, 2015)

while it's been slow the past few days I've been playing with the passenger app and dropping pins directly on the 8 cars showing on the map. First was my car ETA 2-mins, as I moved the pin to other cars the ETAs began to fluctuate reading 2 or 3-minutes, then bam I started seeing 5 to 10-minute ETAs with the pin dropped right on the car.

Hmm I thought to myself, maybe I should zoom in so I know I'm dropping right on the car. I zoomed in as far as the app would allow ETAs didn't change. What was interesting is I went to the default display setting by shutting the app and and reopening. I then dropped the pin on the "same" car and zoomed in, slight ETA change because the pin wasn't right in the car any longer 2 to 3-minute increase. Drop the pin on top of the car again the ETA went back to 5 to 10-minute ETAs. 

So how is it possible to zoom in on the map, drop a pin on the car and get such a long ETA? They have to be über ghost cars, right?

Before you ask I repeated the process above with the 2 to 3-minute ETA cars with the same results, small increase on zoom in, no change directly on the car.


----------



## Seaghost (Aug 26, 2014)

My belief is that this is due to poor analytics within the app itself but that depends on which is providing the eta, is it the app or the map? We see the eta from within the apps interface but unless we know how the app is interfacing with the gps and mapping software there is no reliable way to tell for sure.


----------



## Choochie (Jan 4, 2015)

Beur said:


> while it's been slow the past few days I've been playing with the passenger app and dropping pins directly on the 8 cars showing on the map. First was my car ETA 2-mins, as I moved the pin to other cars the ETAs began to fluctuate reading 2 or 3-minutes, then bam I started seeing 5 to 10-minute ETAs with the pin dropped right on the car.
> 
> Hmm I thought to myself, maybe I should zoom in so I know I'm dropping right on the car. I zoomed in as far as the app would allow ETAs didn't change. What was interesting is I went to the default display setting by shutting the app and and reopening. I then dropped the pin on the "same" car and zoomed in, slight ETA change because the pin wasn't right in the car any longer 2 to 3-minute increase. Drop the pin on top of the car again the ETA went back to 5 to 10-minute ETAs.
> 
> ...


I was sitting right in front of a building and got a ping from within the bldg and it showed on my app 5 min to get there. Go figure.


----------



## iDriveNashville (Apr 10, 2015)

Also consider that if I'm in my downtown area, it's a maze of one ways, with rampant closures. You drop the pin on my last reported location, and I'm past you and, though I'm still technically closest, it's going to take ten minutes of traffic maneuvering to go around the block and come back to you. 

So one refresh, my eta is >2 minutes, next, I'm 10 minutes away. 

Not that'd I'd put it past uber to ghost cars to increase apparent presence, or anticipate routing, but there's a perfectly logical explaination.


----------



## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

iDriveNashville said:


> Also consider that if I'm in my downtown area, it's a maze of one ways, with rampant closures. You drop the pin on my last reported location, and I'm past you and, though I'm still technically closest, it's going to take ten minutes of traffic maneuvering to go around the block and come back to you.
> 
> So one refresh, my eta is >2 minutes, next, I'm 10 minutes away.
> 
> Not that'd I'd put it past uber to ghost cars to increase apparent presence, or anticipate routing, but there's a perfectly logical explaination.


Give me the logical explanation:


----------



## iDriveNashville (Apr 10, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> Give me the logical explanation:
> 
> View attachment 7220


I don't know Houston, but if that's a long one way, like I specifically mentioned, it would make perfect sense.

Like I said, I'm not saying uber doesn't ghost cars to game metrics, but there are many common ways this situation could occur legitimately. Simplest explaination is likeliest and all. You hear hoof beats in Houston, it's probably not a herd of zebra.


----------



## JohnF (Mar 20, 2015)

I'm almost sure they use ghost cars because, I live in the suburbs (on a cul de sac) and it shows a couple of cars in my subdivision and when I requested a ride it's a 15 minute wait.


----------



## Choochie (Jan 4, 2015)

JohnF said:


> I'm almost sure they use ghost cars because, I live in the suburbs (on a cul de sac) and it shows a couple of cars in my subdivision and when I requested a ride it's a 15 minute wait.


That's because they passed you up because of your low score


----------



## JohnF (Mar 20, 2015)

Ahh... 4.89 is rather low


----------



## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

Beur said:


> while it's been slow the past few days I've been playing with the passenger app and dropping pins directly on the 8 cars showing on the map. First was my car ETA 2-mins, as I moved the pin to other cars the ETAs began to fluctuate reading 2 or 3-minutes, then bam I started seeing 5 to 10-minute ETAs with the pin dropped right on the car.
> 
> Hmm I thought to myself, maybe I should zoom in so I know I'm dropping right on the car. I zoomed in as far as the app would allow ETAs didn't change. What was interesting is I went to the default display setting by shutting the app and and reopening. I then dropped the pin on the "same" car and zoomed in, slight ETA change because the pin wasn't right in the car any longer 2 to 3-minute increase. Drop the pin on top of the car again the ETA went back to 5 to 10-minute ETAs.
> 
> ...


Uber always assumes a driver's pants are around his ankles. So factors in enough time for him to finish dropping off some friends into the lake, getting dressed washing hands and getting back on the way.


----------



## Choochie (Jan 4, 2015)

JohnF said:


> Ahh... 4.89 is rather low


That's your rider rating?


----------



## JohnF (Mar 20, 2015)

Choochie said:


> That's your rider rating?


5.0


----------



## Choochie (Jan 4, 2015)

JohnF said:


> 5.0


Ok now it makes more sense -just wanted to make sure we were on the same page


----------



## Choochie (Jan 4, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> Without going into specifics those cars are no further than 5 minutes away no matter what. How about I give you a pic in a subdivision with cars within 1/2 a mile?
> View attachment 7232


Well because they are in a subdivision they know it will take a few min just to put on your clothes and get out the door


----------



## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Choochie said:


> Well because they are in a subdivision they know it will take a few min just to put on your clothes and get out the door


Well I can't show it but the cars keep moving. So I'm guessing they're supposedly NOT sitting in their house.

Besides my house will show 3 cars around the corner and 15 mins ETA. I go online and the ETA drops to 1 minute. So the app "sees" me. The cars don't change. And there isn't one at my house, just the same lost cars as before.

I'm not showing you those before and afters for obvious reasons.


----------



## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

iDriveNashville said:


> I don't know Houston, but if that's a long one way, like I specifically mentioned, it would make perfect sense.
> 
> Like I said, I'm not saying uber doesn't ghost cars to game metrics, but there are many common ways this situation could occur legitimately. Simplest explaination is likeliest and all. You hear hoof beats in Houston, it's probably not a herd of zebra.


Here's another one. Subdivision and NOT one way. I am miles away from there and could arrive in 21 minutes.


----------



## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Sydney Uber said:


> Uber always assumes a driver's pants are around his ankles. So factors in enough time for him to finish dropping off some friends into the lake, getting dressed washing hands and getting back on the way.


This is a semi industrial area. I u






sed to deliver pizza there. Know it well. Not one way streets and I'm showing you the map quest estimate from my house 5 miles away and the ghost car nearby. Tell me how this makes sense.


----------



## Choochie (Jan 4, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> Well I can't show it but the cars keep moving. So I'm guessing they're supposedly NOT sitting in their house.
> 
> Besides my house will show 3 cars around the corner and 15 mins ETA. I go online and the ETA drops to 1 minute. So the app "sees" me. The cars don't change. And there isn't one at my house, just the same lost cars as before.
> 
> I'm not showing you those before and afters for obvious reasons.


It's just a joke. I've got bigger things to worry about with uber.


----------



## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

ghost cars can be very spooky. especially around halloween


----------



## Instigator2000 (Mar 6, 2015)

i aint afraid of no ghosts...


seriously though, that's interesting...


----------

