# Weird reply from Lyft about returning pax phone



## hanging in there (Oct 1, 2014)

Last weekend I drove a drunk guy home to a classy high-rise apartment or condo complex. Wake up the guy, he stumbles out and I asked him (as I always do) make sure you have your cell phone? He is completely incoherent and doesn't even acknowledge me except to give me a blank stare, then he is gone.

I checked, (as I always do, just to be sure) and sure enough, his Iphone6 is laying on the floor in the back seat area. I run after him with his phone but he is already gone. I tell the front desk security guard the situation and he tries to figure out what his room # is but all I know is his first name and the fact that he went up the elevator to the 5th floor. Since he can't figure out who it was, I agreed to leave the phone with him so that the pax could retrieve it in the morning. I took down his name and took a business card of the complex, then reported the incident to Lyft via the ride feedback.

Later I get an email from Lyft thanking me for being an "awesome driver" but saying that in the future I should have held onto the phone and waited for instruction on how to return it. It said that way, the pax could hit "lost item" on the app and Lyft would help arrange it's return.

Does that make any sense to anyone?

First of all, he doesn't even have his phone so how is he going to hit "lost item" on the app.
Second, why would having to arrange a return at a later time be better than returning it on the spot to the safekeeping of the front desk where he lives?
Third, in either case, if he somehow is able to access the app on some other device and hits "lost item", wouldn't he be happier to hear that it was waiting for him at the front desk?


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

It makes perfect sense to me. If that guy at the desk takes the phone home instead of returning it the passenger will undoubtedly go after Lyft for a new phone. At that point it's his word against yours... Not a good spot to be in.

Too bad doing the "right thing" isn't always the right thing these days....


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## CaliforniaRideSharing139 (Jul 31, 2015)

To me, it sounds like you made the right move. Instinctively i probably would have done the same thing.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

hanging in there said:


> Last weekend I drove a drunk guy home to a classy high-rise apartment or condo complex. Wake up the guy, he stumbles out and I asked him (as I always do) make sure you have your cell phone? He is completely incoherent and doesn't even acknowledge me except to give me a blank stare, then he is gone.
> 
> I checked, (as I always do, just to be sure) and sure enough, his Iphone6 is laying on the floor in the back seat area. I run after him with his phone but he is already gone. I tell the front desk security guard the situation and he tries to figure out what his room # is but all I know is his first name and the fact that he went up the elevator to the 5th floor. Since he can't figure out who it was, I agreed to leave the phone with him so that the pax could retrieve it in the morning. I took down his name and took a business card of the complex, then reported the incident to Lyft via the ride feedback.
> 
> ...


Sounds like the moral of this story is that in this scenario the phone is at his location and you never saw it and don't notify lyft (for future reference anyone on the same boat that is.)

I would have done the same thing.


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## hanging in there (Oct 1, 2014)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> Sounds like the moral of this story is that in this scenario the phone is at his location and you never saw it and don't notify lyft (for future reference anyone on the same boat that is.)
> 
> I would have done the same thing.


Part of the story I left out that made the Lyft advice even more weird is that I happened to be about 50 or 60 miles away from home when I was dropping him off, in an area that I rarely find myself anywhere close to. So it would have been one of those things, I can hear it now...

Millenial Pax: Hey dude I hear you got my phone! I need it now!

"Well sir, Lyft said that I could ship it to you since you are too far away for me to bring it to you."

"Ship it to me? You gotta be shitting me, I need it NOWWWW!"


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## sidewazzz (Jun 30, 2015)

CaliforniaRideSharing139 said:


> To me, it sounds like you made the right move. Instinctively i probably would have done the same thing.


These guys ain't stealing g shit because they get paid well. jeopodizin their jobs for a $500 phone. This doesn't sounds like your typical aptarment building, From the discription. I would have done the same exact thing.


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## daniel mondello (Jul 5, 2015)

Keep the phone next time, sell it on Ebay. .
That's your Tip....


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## KMANDERSON (Jul 19, 2015)

hanging in there said:


> Last weekend I drove a drunk guy home to a classy high-rise apartment or condo complex. Wake up the guy, he stumbles out and I asked him (as I always do) make sure you have your cell phone? He is completely incoherent and doesn't even acknowledge me except to give me a blank stare, then he is gone.
> 
> I checked, (as I always do, just to be sure) and sure enough, his Iphone6 is laying on the floor in the back seat area. I run after him with his phone but he is already gone. I tell the front desk security guard the situation and he tries to figure out what his room # is but all I know is his first name and the fact that he went up the elevator to the 5th floor. Since he can't figure out who it was, I agreed to leave the phone with him so that the pax could retrieve it in the morning. I took down his name and took a business card of the complex, then reported the incident to Lyft via the ride feedback.
> 
> ...


Is you word vs the security guard he could say he never got it and turn around and sell it to someone


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

daniel mondello said:


> Keep the phone next time, sell it on Ebay. .
> That's your Tip....


Kids these days.....


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## Mayday (May 30, 2015)

Cell phones can be tracked with GPS, so if you find it, don't drive away with it. Pick it up with a Kleenex and throw it in the bushes. I took a drunk home a few weeks ago who woke me up at 6am with a "lost and found" message because he couldn't remember where he left his car. Promised me a big tip. Yeah, right. But as a good driver I took the time to check my log and send him the address. Hope I get a request from him again.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Mayday said:


> Cell phones can be tracked with GPS, so if you find it, don't drive away with it. Pick it up with a Kleenex and throw it in the bushes. I took a drunk home a few weeks ago who woke me up at 6am with a "lost and found" message because he couldn't remember where he left his car. Promised me a big tip. Yeah, right. But as a good driver I took the time to check my log and send him the address. Hope I get a request from him again.


Kids these days...


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## McGillicutty (Jan 12, 2015)

Mayday said:


> Cell phones can be tracked with GPS, so if you find it, don't drive away with it. Pick it up with a Kleenex and throw it in the bushes. I took a drunk home a few weeks ago who woke me up at 6am with a "lost and found" message because he couldn't remember where he left his car. Promised me a big tip. Yeah, right. But as a good driver I took the time to check my log and send him the address. Hope I get a request from him again.


Next time tell him to Paypal to your email address a dollar amount you think is feasible, then provide the extra help he's asking for.


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## Mayday (May 30, 2015)

Oh, and did I mention that when I picked him up, he wouldn't/couldn't give me the address where he wanted to go. He described the destination, which was 45 minutes from the pickup location, then promptly fell asleep. Turns out there are two apartment complexes about 5 miles apart with the same name. We got close on the first try, then nailed it when he described the place again. Good points, he didn't pee or puke in my car. No tip but it was still the longest ride for me on a Sunday night and got me pretty close to home.


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## KMANDERSON (Jul 19, 2015)

Mayday said:


> Oh, and did I mention that when I picked him up, he wouldn't/couldn't give me the address where he wanted to go. He described the destination, which was 45 minutes from the pickup location, then promptly fell asleep. Turns out there are two apartment complexes about 5 miles apart with the same name. We got close on the first try, then nailed it when he described the place again. Good points, he didn't pee or puke in my car. No tip but it was still the longest ride for me on a Sunday night and got me pretty close to home.


Got to love drunks


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## Yarddude11 (May 12, 2015)

I would of given myself a Great tip om the Lyft app. Then turned off the phone and deliver it to the nearest police station.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

hanging in there said:


> Last weekend I drove a drunk guy home to a classy high-rise apartment or condo complex. Wake up the guy, he stumbles out and I asked him (as I always do) make sure you have your cell phone? He is completely incoherent and doesn't even acknowledge me except to give me a blank stare, then he is gone.
> 
> I checked, (as I always do, just to be sure) and sure enough, his Iphone6 is laying on the floor in the back seat area. I run after him with his phone but he is already gone. I tell the front desk security guard the situation and he tries to figure out what his room # is but all I know is his first name and the fact that he went up the elevator to the 5th floor. Since he can't figure out who it was, I agreed to leave the phone with him so that the pax could retrieve it in the morning. I took down his name and took a business card of the complex, then reported the incident to Lyft via the ride feedback.
> 
> ...


POST # 1/hanging in there: HOORAY !
I knew it
would happen sooner than later. You
have reached Well-Known.....in the
Lyft Forum. John Zimmer owes You an
Award.

Bison Admires.
Bison Inspires!

BTW: This time Your "Good Deed" went UN-
punished. In time, you'll see these situations
as a Karmic Reward for Past Efforts.
"What iPhone 6 ?"


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## BostonBarry (Aug 31, 2015)

You don't have to drive an item back to pax, if it is convenient they ask you to. If not they send a shipping label for you to mail it to pax. By releasing it to an unknown party the item can disappear. Seems a little strange the guy managed to outrun you despite being so drunk he lost consciousness and wouldn't acknowledge you when awoken.


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## hanging in there (Oct 1, 2014)

BostonBarry said:


> You don't have to drive an item back to pax, if it is convenient they ask you to. If not they send a shipping label for you to mail it to pax. By releasing it to an unknown party the item can disappear. Seems a little strange the guy managed to outrun you despite being so drunk he lost consciousness and wouldn't acknowledge you when awoken.


I first had to park my car in a safer spot (to the side, not in the middle of the roundabout), roll up the windows and lock it. I didn't want someone to steal one of MY 2 phones, GPS, etc that are in my car. It was a very nice complex but you never know.


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## MrPix (Oct 4, 2015)

When you found the property you became responsible for it. You can't just hand it to a third party. You have a connection to the owner through Lyft and it would have been trivial for them to connect with him, then have him pick it up or you mail it to him. When you handed it to the security guard, you handed it to a complete stranger, legally speaking.


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## hanging in there (Oct 1, 2014)

MrPix said:


> When you found the property you became responsible for it. You can't just hand it to a third party. You have a connection to the owner through Lyft and it would have been trivial for them to connect with him, then have him pick it up or you mail it to him. When you handed it to the security guard, you handed it to a complete stranger, legally speaking.


You are ignoring the time value aspect of a missing phone. Most people I know will have no choice but to get a new phone if the alternative is to wait a couple of days to retrieve the old one, as in the mailing option. At the very least it could have saved him a 100 mile round trip to get the phone from me, since I'll be damned if I was going to make a 100 mile rt to return it for free.

I appreciate your comments from a legal standpoint and it is very much on the mark for most possessions such as a purse or wallet, a camera etc.

In this case, I am confident I took the best approach from a humans-caring-about other-humans standpoint, whether or not it was "legally" the best course of action.
This was a uniformed security guard behind a security desk at a fancy high-rise building and he gave me his card. Life is not always black and white, and this was a good deed on my part IMO. But your post does help to explain the general stance of the Lyft reply I received. Big companies must base policy on black and white, there are little to no gray options that can be easily codified.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

hanging in there said:


> You are ignoring the time value aspect of a missing phone. Most people I know will have no choice but to get a new phone if the alternative is to wait a couple of days to retrieve the old one, as in the mailing option. At the very least it could have saved him a 100 mile round trip to get the phone from me, since I'll be damned if I was going to make a 100 mile rt to return it for free.
> 
> I appreciate your comments from a legal standpoint and it is very much on the mark for most possessions such as a purse or wallet, a camera etc.
> 
> ...


POST # 6/hanging in there: Here's some
B. & W. that YOU WILL
like...for Two Reasons. Back on 31 August
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