# What drives the negativity culture?



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?

Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?

Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


----------



## 1.5xorbust (Nov 22, 2017)

You’re not misreading it.


----------



## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


We get screwed all day long by 
everyone we come in contact with
Would you have thought 
we would have a daily parade?


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> We get screwed all day long by
> everyone we come in contact with
> Would you have thought
> we would have a daily parade?


I guess I don't see it that way, but I get why some drivers do. (On a side note, how apropos!)


----------



## UbeRoBo (Nov 19, 2015)

It's the exact same as taxi-roid syndrome. It's a crappy grind to be out driving full time hauling around annoying passengers. Now you have people doing it for minimum wage and no benefits. Go grind TNC full time and you will quickly find out how much it really sucks.


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

It’s the low wages and the higher than average risk for a service job.

I’m actually way more positive about the gig for myself than for others (I would willingly do it again under the right circumstances even though I am on driving hiatus) but I don’t recommend it to most people.

The service issues people complain about (rude people, inconsistent working conditions) are actually pretty common in the service industry. Most service workers have the same complaints. To some degree those issues with working with the public can only be mitigated but not eliminated. But the financial exposure and personal physical risk is much higher than in typical service jobs, without commensurate pay.

Additionally, the companies are evil, but that is also common in the service industry.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

UbeRoBo said:


> It's the exact same as taxi-roid syndrome. It's a crappy grind to be out driving full time hauling around annoying passengers. Now you have people doing it for minimum wage and no benefits. Go grind TNC full time and you will quickly find out how much it really sucks.


I'm thankful I don't have to do it full-time. That's an interesting viewpoint though. I wonder how many full-time drivers have a positive opinion of rideshare.



waldowainthrop said:


> Additionally, the companies are evil, but that is also common in the service industry.


Are they evil or just interested in self-preservation?


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I'm thankful I don't have to do it full-time. That's an interesting viewpoint though. I wonder how many full-time drivers have a positive opinion of rideshare.


I did it full-time for a couple of months and part-time for a couple of months. I smiled more than I frowned and I never cried. &#128517;

It's not a good gig for many people, but I liked it a lot.


----------



## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

Hi Travis.


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Are they evil or just interested in self-preservation?


Mostly self-interested, not genuinely or gratuitously evil. A lot of evil can come out of an excess of self-interest (alongside a lack of external checks on that self-interest).

I'm a consequentialist so I believe if the outcomes are bad, incidental harm can be just as negative as intentional harm. Uber doesn't care and that is a problem.


----------



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


Unlike normal jobs, there is not a physical "water cooler" so people vent here instead.

I think people are at least as negative in traditional jobs. At least in rideshare, you don't have to deal with backstabbing, sabotage, bullying, gossip, and politics.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

20yearsdriving said:


> Hi Travis.


:whistling:


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> :whistling:


Kalanick confirmed. Two minutes hate time, everyone.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Minutes_Hate
&#128517;


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

waldowainthrop said:


> Mostly self-interested, not genuinely or gratuitously evil. A lot of evil can come out of an excess of self-interest (alongside a lack of external checks on that self-interest).
> 
> I'm a consequentialist so I believe if the outcomes are bad, incidental harm can be just as negative as intentional harm. Uber doesn't care and that is a problem.


Well-worded and intelligent. ☝


----------



## superscabs (Mar 3, 2020)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


96% fail by design it's not negative it's facts, are people supposed to be positive when companies are allowed to violate labor laws & exploit them all day?

How many people love their jobs & don't talk smack on lunch breaks to co-workers or in safe places to do so? The difference is they're least paid a legal wage & Uber Lyft is 90+% fraud & human trafficking

Sticks & stones anyways I can't comprehend "adults" that actually care about what strangers say about them online lol take it as a 3rd neutral parties opinion & move on people take this online stuff to personal it's entertainment & a way to kill time for most, no sense of humor left just watched the news on some bachelor show & "adult" women crying because of strangers tweets lmao geez


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

superscabs said:


> Sticks & stones anyways I can't comprehend "adults" that actually care about what strangers say about them online lol take it as a 3rd neutral parties opinion & move on people take this online stuff to personal it's entertainment & a way to kill time for most, no sense of humor left just watched the news on some bachelor show & "adult" women crying because of strangers tweets lmao geez


Don't make me online bully you.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


1.) Pay cuts every 2 months.
2.) Deactivations over False Accusations
3.) Market Flooding due to careless rampant onboarding. Thus further diluting income for All.
4) Corporate threats
5.) Violence towards drivers.
6.) " NO NEED TO TIP "!
7.) Cars being shredded with no hope of replacement due to constant RATE CUTS !
8.)" LOWER RATES MEAN MORE MONEY "!
9.) UBER BRAGGING ABOUT REPLACING DRIVERS WITH ROBOTS.
10.) MIDNIGHT FORCED CONTRACT CHANGES.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

superscabs said:


> 96% fail by design it's not negative it's facts, are people supposed to be positive when companies are allowed to violate labor laws & exploit them all day?
> 
> Sticks & stones anyways I can't comprehend "adults" that actually care about what strangers say about them online lol take it as a 3rd neutral parties opinion & move on people take this online stuff to personal it's entertainment & a way to kill time for most, no sense of humor left just watched the news on some bachelor show & "adult" women crying because of strangers tweets lmao geez


I watched the bachelor once, alone in a hotel room where nobody would see. NEVER AGAIN! My brain almost melted.


----------



## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

I don’t hate doing R/S. I’ve had some fun times, intriguing conversations and met some great pax. The 5-10% of bad pax do make it tough somedays.

I hate how these companies treat drivers so callously. And I detest how an algorithm or lying pax can end my ability to do this job.

I think those that are constantly negative is s personality trait or hopefully just their online persona. For the most part, I try to look for the positives in everything in life. 

Yet somedays it’s just too difficult when you have a pax who doesn’t respect you or your vehicle, when you you receive ridiculous, scolding or accusatory emails from U/L or when you are deactivated for something you never did.


----------



## Elland Rd (Feb 26, 2020)

I think the answer is low pay, at times under appreciation, and the recognition that drivers are relatively disposable.

The question then beckons, if they really feel like that then why keep doing it? Okay, some might have no other choice, but I suspect most could at least find a regular low skilled job. So I think the real answer to that question is the flexibility.

Looking at it from my own perspective, I guess I'm willing to take less pay than I could get from similar side jobs, in exchange for the flexibility. That's not to say I think the rates are high enough. But I do think drivers should have realistic expectations for what is essentially a low skilled and relatively easy job.


----------



## MrsCaLi (May 31, 2016)

I’ll never understand how everyone can be miserable about anything besides the wages being on the lower end of things.

1- you literally make your own schedule I don’t wanna hear “blah blah hours blah blah”
2- the driving around annoying pax excuse is getting old, if you’re looking at them from a negative viewpoint you’re never going to enjoy a ride 
3- also how are they annoying they are the reason the business keeps flowing and the rides keep pinging ? 
4- everyone blames pax for low wages but they don’t set them they’re just taking advantage of the given price stop being so angry we are a service that is convenient???

5- and last but not least why does everyone here believe they are entitled to receive a tip on every ride????

I for one am thankful I get to work another day. This is how I get by. Do I want more? Sure some days are not as great as others but I’m not gonna throw a tantrum over it.
I’m gonna recalculate, go back out tomorrow after evaluating what I can improve.

positivity will breed positivity.


----------



## Uberchampion (Oct 17, 2015)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


I personally think it's a combination of everything you've stated with the caveat being that we have zero control in the grand scheme of things. Uber and Lyft classified as his contractors however we don't have the same Liberties as most contractors would.

Their structures a job as a part-time opportunity however all of their bonus structures employed full-time work to achieve them.


----------



## superscabs (Mar 3, 2020)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I watched the bachelor once, alone in a hotel room where nobody would see. NEVER AGAIN! My brain almost melted.


There was just an entire segment on the "news" and these "adults" literally in tears over tweets calling them ugly lol it's bizzaro out here never watched it but who cares what a stranger tweets or says about you? Mind boggling sticks & stones people you learn it in grade school


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

tohunt4me said:


> 1.) Pay cuts every 2 months.
> 2.) Deactivations over False Accusations
> 3.) Market Flooding due to careless rampant onboarding. Thus further diluting income for All.
> 4) Corporate threats
> ...


This is very thorough, and it makes me wonder why people keep driving. There must be a few positives that outweigh these negatives for people to keep driving, or is it purely a necessity for enough drivers that these are just inconsequential for financial reasons.


----------



## superscabs (Mar 3, 2020)

Elland Rd said:


> I think the answer is low pay, at times under appreciation, and the recognition that drivers are relatively disposable.
> 
> The question then beckons, if they really feel like that then why keep doing it? Okay, some might have no other choice, but I suspect most could at least find a regular low skilled job. So I think the real answer to that question is the flexibility.
> 
> Looking at it from my own perspective, I guess I'm willing to take less pay than I could get from similar side jobs, in exchange for the flexibility. That's not to say I think the rates are high enough. But I do think drivers should have realistic expectations for what is essentially a low skilled and relatively easy job.


The only people signing up now at .60 per mile are seniors, immigrants, desperates, math flunkies. Seniors on fixed incomes will work for $3 an hour, same with immigrants beats $3 a day in homelands.

I'd say the 4% who succeed at this Ponzi have a right to complain when Uber Lyft do nothing but lie(which is fraud when a "company" does it) everyday for years, it's insulting and illegal don't tell me a pay cut is a raise 4+ years in a row I'm not stupid. They've been sued & lost numerous times for running fraudulent ads



ExtraMoneyUber said:


> This is very thorough, and it makes me wonder why people keep driving. There must be a few positives that outweigh these negatives for people to keep driving, or is it purely a necessity for enough drivers that these are just inconsequential for financial reasons.


Again 96% do stop driving the vast majority don't get 100 rides in

The other 4% can still make money that's WHY they do it they're just tired if the lies, scams, fraud, tricks just show us the Damm details & obey the law is that too much to ask from a "company" I don't care about 90+% of the crrapp they add to the app & ignore everything they say or recommend, they literally degrade the app to trick me & rather I die being distracted by it. A job is a job not a game to manipulate, hire game develepors, neuoro scientists all to try & defraud me.

The day I can't make good money I become the 96% too but till then I'mma use the app to my benefit & avoid all the fraud in it


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

MrsCaLi said:


> I'll never understand how everyone can be miserable about anything besides the wages being on the lower end of things.
> 
> 1- you literally make your own schedule I don't wanna hear "blah blah hours blah blah"
> 2- the driving around annoying pax excuse is getting old, if you're looking at them from a negative viewpoint you're never going to enjoy a ride
> ...


@MrsCaLi I was waiting for someone like you, that sees all the beautiful flowers in a meadow when everyone else just sees the weeds. This just goes to show that a small positive attitude can outweigh a large bag of negatives. I know not everyone is going to agree with you (and it certainly doesn't justify companies treating drivers poorly) but I really love your positive spirit.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> This is very thorough, and it makes me wonder why people keep driving. There must be a few positives that outweigh these negatives for people to keep driving, or is it purely a necessity for enough drivers that these are just inconsequential for financial reasons.


As soon as Uber Discover Positives

They Eliminate them.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

superscabs said:


> Again 96% do stop driving the vast majority don't get 100 rides in


This is a good point. Will they eventually run out of new drivers then and be forced to raise rates in order to stay viable?


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> @MrsCaLi I was waiting for someone like you, that sees all the beautiful flowers in a meadow when everyone else just sees the weeds. This just goes to show that a small positive attitude can outweigh a large bag of negatives. I know not everyone is going to agree with you (and it certainly doesn't justify companies treating drivers poorly) but I really love your positive spirit.


I like weeds and flowers.

A REALIST also sees the snakes.


----------



## superscabs (Mar 3, 2020)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> This is a good point. Will they eventually run out of new drivers then and be forced to raise rates in order to stay viable?


In their top 5 markets San Fran la NYC Brazil London no, because 10+ million populations so never ending supply in drivers but those markets they're being sued & regulated into Oblivion

In markets where the whole state has maybe 5 million people they are running out of suckers to sign up to the Ponzi I've noticed simply in ping times & # of ants around me certain times it's more common for riders to be cancelled on numerous times before being picked up & years ago I'd never get 10+ minute pings(meaning I'm only driver or lots cancelling them) almost every Lyft ping is 10+ minutes lol & a high number or Uber pings are & it's not some small City

Lyft has been dying here & x riders basically kiss my feet after ordering an XL cuz no x would apparently get them thanking me for picking em up & not cancelling

These ponzis know what they're doing they trying to loot as much as possible till they go out of business, next stock crash or this corrona scare they outta here only reason people use them is price, poor people not stupid just poor if someone's selling $5 bills for $2 well duh

Soon as they raise rates half these losers go back to the bus or trying to bum rides from friends/family/co workers

The Chicago report said half riders are pool & only the dumbest drivers accept pool


----------



## Ssgcraig (Jul 8, 2015)

Mainstream media is responsible for all the negativity.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Uberchampion said:


> I personally think it's a combination of everything you've stated with the caveat being that we have zero control in the grand scheme of things. Uber and Lyft classified as his contractors however we don't have the same Liberties as most contractors would.
> 
> Their structures a job as a part-time opportunity however all of their bonus structures employed full-time work to achieve them.


Uber advertises CAKE.

UBER WANTS TO HAVE THEIR CAKE & EAT IT TOO.

DRIVERS GET CRUMBS.
DRIVERS DO ALL THE BAKING.
DRIVERS BRING & CLEAN THE DISHES.

Uber invites more FOR CAKE.

All uber Brings to the party is a cake add
And a faulty computerized oven.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

Invisible said:


> I don't hate doing R/S. I've had some fun times, intriguing conversations and met some great pax. The 5-10% of bad pax do make it tough somedays.
> 
> I hate how these companies treat drivers so callously. And I detest how an algorithm or lying pax can end my ability to do this job.
> 
> ...


I hear people throw out these high numbers of bad pax. How do you arrive at 5-10% bad pax? Now granted, I've only done ~400 rides total, but I can guarantee you I didn't have anywhere near 20 bad experiences. Maybe 1? A drunk guy that wouldn't wake up. It wasn't really that bad though, and the cops took care of it for me. I actually got a $40 tip from the guy the next day, so I'm glad I did the ride. Curious what you're calling a bad pax? Could it be Dallas is just a better customer base or I've been extremely lucky?


----------



## MiamiKid (May 24, 2016)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


You are spot on. Drivers should learn to appreciate the phenomenal opportunity they've been handed.
&#128077;


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

MiamiKid said:


> You are spot on. Drivers should learn to appreciate the phenomenal opportunity they've been handed.
> &#128077;


I don't think I said that anywhere...


----------



## MiamiKid (May 24, 2016)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I don't think I said that anywhere...


Okay my bad. Just thought I'd insert that for you.


----------



## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

I’m not negative on RS. It does what I need. Period.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

MiamiKid said:


> Okay my bad. Just thought I'd insert that for you.


Do you believe it's a phenomenal opportunity?



SHalester said:


> I'm not negative on RS. It dies what I need. Period.


A means to an end.


----------



## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> A means to an end.


A time sucker. Primary need. Secondary need extra cash for devices to reduce feeling bad I'm upgrading again.


----------



## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


I personally have not experienced any negativity on this forum.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

The Gift of Fish said:


> I personally have not experienced any negativity on this forum.


Now that's the king of positive attitudes!

However, your signature leads me to believe you may be employing a bit of sarcasm. In which case, :thumbup:


----------



## Buck-a-mile (Nov 2, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


They have reduced our wages twice a year, every year, for the Last 5 Years. How do you think that would make you feel?


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

Buck-a-mile said:


> They have reduced our wages twice a year, every year, for the Last 5 Years. How do you think that would make you feel?


That was for your own good. :winking:


----------



## doyousensehumor (Apr 13, 2015)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


Hate to say it but the forums don't represent the average driver. You want to see what the average driver thinks of uber, go ask some of them in real life

Go ask them why they don't post on Uber people. Whether it's the new drivers, part-timers, the retired ones, or the old timers have been doing this for years, they don't consider it worth their time.

Also the loudest of drivers are going to be the ones on the extremes. Like a lot of issues in real life, there is a silent majority, and you don't hear about them


----------



## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Now that's the king of positive attitudes!
> 
> However, your signature leads me to believe you may be employing a bit of sarcasm. In which case, :thumbup:


Oh, I don't think being feeble-minded = negativity necessarily. I've met some extremely positive morons. Some may have replied to this thread already!


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

doyousensehumor said:


> Hate to say it but the forums don't represent the average driver. You want to see what the average driver thinks of uber go ask one in real life
> 
> Go ask them why they don't post on Uber people. Whether it's the new drivers, part-timers, the retired ones, or the old timers have been doing this for years, they don't consider it worth their time.
> 
> Also the loudest of drivers are going to be the ones on the extremes. Like a lot of issues in real life, there is a silent majority, and you don't hear about them


This is an interesting theory and I could see it being true.


----------



## Buck-a-mile (Nov 2, 2019)

The Gift of Fish said:


> Oh, I don't think being feeble-minded = negativity necessarily. I've met some extremely positive morons. Some may have replied to this thread already!


Hey! I resemble that!


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> This is an interesting theory and I could see it being true.


I've interviewed most of my rideshare drivers as a passenger. They are an upbeat bunch. I'm 90% sure none of them had heard of UP. I'm a decent judge of how people really feel and some of these characters literally don't mind the gig at all.

I think @doyousensehumor has a good theory, too. Of course some of these drivers you talk to are just pretending to be satisfied with the gig, but I got real answers out of some of them since I shared my negative and positive experiences from the gig to encourage them to tell the truth. I also talked to drivers in an airport lot a few times and while they had complaints, they were often surprisingly happy with the gig (at the time I asked, anyway - I assume some of them became disaffected later).


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

superscabs said:


> Yes people working for tips will tell you the truth, hey strippers & waitresses really like you too lmao wink wink smile smile
> 
> Anecdotal is anecdotal
> 
> ...


I drove full-time. Don't patronize me.

I know people don't always tell the truth but I use this little social engineering trick called practiced empathy which lets me break down social barriers. Asking people how they feel about their job after telling them about your experiences doing exactly the same job is _nothing _like trying to befriend a bartender or server. Not everyone you talk to is going to be candid, but some people let their guard down if you do it first.

It's possible to get people to drop the service act and be human again. One way of doing this is cash tipping so that money isn't on the line. Another is talking to people off the clock when they don't have better things to do. I know this because the same thing works on me.

I've literally had coffee and gotten friendly hugs from people I've shared a car with, both drivers and passengers. There are ways to go about these things and get people to be more sincere and open than they usually would be. As for tough nuts to crack, who has the time? I'm sure you can easily write all of this off as implausible or worthless, but that's fine.


----------



## doyousensehumor (Apr 13, 2015)

So another thing worth mentioning is is how humans can be blinded by love or hate. Uber it's just the tip of the iceberg. This applies to almost everything in life

The lot of issues you can weigh the pros and cons but when you already have a bias View of opinion, you can start looking only at one side of an issue

By taking a neutral stance, you can open your eyes, and have and open attitude, and have a better understanding why others do what they do.

By believing that we as individuals, already know everything, we shut down a lot of potential. The smartest people never stop learning, never stop looking at things from all angles


----------



## superscabs (Mar 3, 2020)

waldowainthrop said:


> I drove full-time. Don't patronize me.
> 
> I know people don't always tell the truth but I use this little social engineering trick called practiced empathy which lets me break down social barriers. Asking people how they feel about their job after telling them about your experiences doing exactly the same job is _nothing _like trying to befriend a bartender or server. Not everyone you talk to is going to be candid, but some people let their guard down if you do it first.
> 
> It's possible to get people to drop the service act and be human again. One way of doing this is cash tipping so that money isn't on the line. Another is talking to people off the clock when they don't have better things to do. I know this because the same thing works on me.


Anecdotal is anecdotal
.60 per mile is from 1975 who is happy making 1970s wages, 96% fail who is happy knowing they have a 96 outta 100 chance at failing?

Social engineering people who superscab at less than minimum wage such advanced techniques necessary lmao, they either can't do math or have hunger pains, those hungry don't make logical decisions & aren't going to tell you the truth with your advanced techniques lol they gotta take that next ping so they can put a taco in their belly and hopefully have enough left for a gallon of gas genius

Facts is facts broham you just a liar & or shill providing anecdotal bs


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

superscabs said:


> Anecdotal is anecdotal
> .60 per mile is from 1975 who is happy making 1970s wages, 96% fail who is happy knowing they have a 96 outta 100 chance at failing?
> 
> Social engineering people who superscab at less than minimum wage such advanced techniques necessary lmao, they either can't do math or have hunger pains, those hungry don't make logical decisions & aren't going to tell you the truth with your advanced techniques lol they gotta take that next ping so they can put a taco in their belly and hopefully have enough left for a gallon of gas genius
> ...


This is dull polemic. Your writing style is familiar, by the way. &#129300;


----------



## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

superscabs said:


> Facts is facts broham you just a liar & or shill providing anecdotal bs


Waldo isn't a liar or a shill.

Can we do without the name calling? We have enough of that here already.


----------



## superscabs (Mar 3, 2020)

Invisible said:


> Waldo isn't a liar or a shill.
> 
> Can we do without the name calling? We have enough of that here already.


Sure soon as people stop using anecdotal stories vs. facts


----------



## MiamiKid (May 24, 2016)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Do you believe it's a phenomenal opportunity?
> 
> 
> A means to an end.


Yes, I absolutely believe it's a phenomenal opportunity. 100%.


----------



## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

superscabs said:


> Sure soon as people stop using anecdotal stories vs. facts


Here's a fact...this is a driver forum where drivers share various types of stories.

Have a great day!


----------



## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

Buck-a-mile said:


> Hey! I resemble that!


Nah, morons don't self-identify as such.


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

superscabs said:


> Sure soon as people stop using anecdotal stories vs. facts


I look forward to your peer reviewed study about 1975 rates, human trafficking, and rigorous driver opinion surveys. Don't let us down trooth.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> That was for your own good. :winking:


It was.
Made me get a Real Job.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

MiamiKid said:


> Yes, I absolutely believe it's a phenomenal opportunity. 100%.


----------



## Amos69 (May 17, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I guess I don't see it that way, but I get why some drivers do. (On a side note, how apropos!)


So I am not going to quote him because that is his torch he bears.

I get screwed by no one during the normal course of action. In a little over two years I have exactly 6 rides I wish I never accepted. People like the guy who posted are clearly trying to cultivate that culture of self victimization.

The low pay in many areas is something to resent of course, but the proper course of action is easy to see.


----------



## welikecamping (Nov 27, 2018)

Following this site can really bring you down. There are a lot of angry people here as well as the typical mix of trolls, chest-thumpers, fearmongers, internet experts at everything, religious wackos and all the rest spreading hatred and dissent. I have to detox occasionally and remind myself that I don't fit the profile of the majority of the angry people here, otherwise, the negativity tends to follow me on the road.

I have to say though, that I cannot argue with a lot of these points -



tohunt4me said:


> 1.) Pay cuts every 2 months.
> 2.) Deactivations over False Accusations
> 3.) Market Flooding due to careless rampant onboarding. Thus further diluting income for All.
> 4) Corporate threats
> ...


and I could add a few of my own -

Uber and Lyft encouraging a sense of passenger entitlement that goes way beyond what is reality
Uber and Lyft encouraging a passenger community of abusers by not adequately addressing driver concerns with passengers
Uber and Lyft failing miserably on driver support - the standard response is "don't even bother" and because of that, Uber and Lyft must think everything is peachy, despite forums full of angry drivers complaining about their failures.
Uber and Lyft expectations that drivers drive recent year-model vehicles, and be willing to practically haul farm equipment with it.

I suppose I could keep going, but it's probably already said in this thread.


----------



## doyousensehumor (Apr 13, 2015)

waldowainthrop said:


> Trooth! I called it. I knew it from your first post.
> 
> I'm just a shill for reasonability. And I do have a knack for rhetoric which is how I knew it was you. &#128517;
> 
> Don't worry, I won't report you.


This guy only proves my point.

Never mind the rights of those who happened to be happy, content, or versatile enough to make this work, he's just going to discuss the "rights" of those who have made bad decisions yet lack the intitive to adapt. Instead they aim to force their desire of how peoples' lives should be run, on others.


----------



## Amsoil Uber Connect (Jan 14, 2015)

No one reads The Way to Happiness by LRH.

Many people smoke weed now. And big pharma is in control.

It's as simple as that.


----------



## HonkyTonk (Oct 27, 2019)

Problem is people who mistakenly think they can do this fulltime. You can't. It's an ok part-time gig temporarily. But that's all.


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

@superscabs Trooth, one time I challenged you on your faux empathy and I still seriously don't think you care about drivers. If you cared about labor rights, you would have better arguments rather than your weak, self-interested, and repetitive polemic.



waldowainthrop said:


> Don't make me online bully you.


Whoa, this was more prophetic than I intended.


----------



## MiamiKid (May 24, 2016)

HonkyTonk said:


> Problem is people who mistakenly think they can do this fulltime. You can't. It's an ok part-time gig temporarily. But that's all.


Only works part time, or even better, purely supplemental.

Fulltime's possible, however, very challenging.


----------



## mch (Nov 22, 2018)

This thread makes me feel like Im hanging out at a wallmart at 3am.


----------



## doyousensehumor (Apr 13, 2015)

mch said:


> This thread makes me feel like Im hanging out at a wallmart at 3am.


Walmart is screwing us over for their own greed!


----------



## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

mch said:


> This thread makes me feel like Im hanging out at a wallmart at 3am.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

doyousensehumor said:


> Walmart is screwing us over for their own greed!


Grace & Elegance !



Invisible said:


> View attachment 424132


Mobile Home ?


----------



## goobered (Feb 2, 2020)

Despite my complaints, I enjoyed giving rides and actually thought it was a lot of fun. Like a new adventure each day. Annoying people are entertaining to me so I could roll with that for a long time. And most pax were no problem. 

But soon enough I realized my market is over-saturated with drivers, and the pay is far too low for it to ever be profitable.

And those few paxholes who do cause problems are the ones you remember. Especially when you realize they want you to risk your vehicle, a ticket, your driver's license, your insurance coverage, your livelihood, a lawsuit, and maybe even your life itself or the lives of their own children just so they can have their way for a $3-10 ride. 

The word "entitlement" yields new meaning every day you drive rideshare as you encounter new demands or expectations you'd never guess anyone would have for such a low-cost service.

True that people deal with rudeness and entitlement of all kinds in any service job, but it is something else to encounter while sharing space in your own vehicle, with all of the personal risk that goes along with that, while the customer has ridiculously high expectations of service disproportionate to the price they are paying.


----------



## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

tohunt4me said:


> Grace & Elegance !
> 
> 
> Mobile Home ?


I'm now thinking the ball girl could be the same as the cardboard girl. &#128512; That's how I picture SadUber's girlfriend.


----------



## swathdiver (Apr 18, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> What drives the negativity culture?


Depravity.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

superscabs said:


> Already did deleting posts lol there is an ignore feature that will place you in a bubble away from trooth I get too many likes & quotes for the shills lmao
> 
> Ask yourself why this site doesn't unify drivers set a strike date, demands, make a flyer & pin in every section, frontpage, & city?
> 
> ...


#1. Because the % of drivers here is too low.
#2. Maybe they don't want to.


----------



## superscabs (Mar 3, 2020)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> #1. Because the % of drivers here is too low.
> #2. Maybe they don't want to.


It's still the biggest Uber related site & would get national TV exposure in 24 hours if they did, doesn't have to be my extreme version lol

The reason is they profit on drivers failing so churn is profitable for their referrals so they'd rather support human trafficking then unite drivers

It would literally take 5 minutes before a major news station picked up a national strike flyer pinned everywhere in here

Good nazi censors profiting from elder abuses immigrant exploitation & labor trafficking


----------



## SharingMyRidres (Feb 11, 2020)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I'm thankful I don't have to do it full-time. That's an interesting viewpoint though. I wonder how many full-time drivers have a positive opinion of rideshare.
> 
> 
> Are they evil or just interested in self-preservation?


Both


----------



## sellkatsell44 (Oct 25, 2015)

POSITIVITY IS GREAT and it does breed positivity BUT

This type of enforcement leads to people who will fear being anything but because of social pressure and what’s considered norm—it’s how countries like China can keep people working so hard and efficient for such low pay while a small percentage gets to have 14 luxury cars that make Ferrari look like the Gap (vs actual couture).

I think negativity is stemming from over time, the spirit being beat with rate cuts, give cookies then take cookies, give surges then fake surges, and so forth.

just from observation of a third party.


----------



## Mkang14 (Jun 29, 2019)

Just treat my passengers like humans, be kind, if they are having a hard day, try to hear them out, lower tone, pick your words wisely. That helps them chill out if they came in hot. Happy pax, happy driver. I dont drive myself crazy over tips either.

The job is what you make it. Honestly I think partime drivers are much happier. Because they have a solid job and can enjoy uber on the side. It's nice to do a job that requires almost no brain activity after leading a project and trying to make a deadline. It makes you appreciate ubering.


----------



## ColumbusRides (Nov 10, 2018)

Mkang14 said:


> Just treat my passengers like humans, be kind, if they are having a hard day, try to hear them out, lower tone, pick your words wisely. That helps them chill out if they came in hot. Happy pax, happy driver. I dont drive myself crazy over tips either.
> 
> The job is what you make it. Honestly I think partime drivers are much happier. Because they have a solid job and can enjoy uber on the side. It's nice to do a job that requires almost no brain activity after leading a project and trying to make a deadline. It makes you appreciate ubering.


As a part timer, everything you said is so true


----------



## Mkang14 (Jun 29, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Well-worded and intelligent. ☝


@waldowainthrop is our residential nerd.


----------



## Elland Rd (Feb 26, 2020)

Uber is a service job. I wouldn't be surprised if other genericservicejobpeople.net forums might get a similar amount of griping.



Mkang14 said:


> The job is what you make it. Honestly I think partime drivers are much happier. Because they have a solid job and can enjoy uber on the side. It's nice to do a job that requires almost no brain activity after leading a project and trying to make a deadline. It makes you appreciate ubering.


Yes, I suspect the disgruntled level is higher among full timers than part timers.



Mkang14 said:


> Just treat my passengers like humans, be kind, if they are having a hard day, try to hear them out, lower tone, pick your words wisely. That helps them chill out if they came in hot. Happy pax, happy driver. I dont drive myself crazy over tips either.


Great points. I think there are drivers who act just as entitled as the pax they complain about.

Not saying there are no truly entitled pax out there, there are. But most are just people like the rest of us, going through the same daily struggles.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

Elland Rd said:


> I think there are drivers who act just as entitled as the pax they complain about.


Now that's the truth for sure!


----------



## Lil'Lyftie (Feb 23, 2020)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


Janitors, trash haulers, coal miners, exterminators, plumbers in the projects, no one really loves their jobs. It's what needs to get done to feed and clothe you to the end of your days. It's the lot of the lower class. No one likes it.


----------



## Jst1dreamr (Apr 25, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Are they evil or just interested in self-preservation?


No, they are truly evil far beyond self preservation.


----------



## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

doyousensehumor said:


> they don't consider it worth their time


acutually, they have no idea this forum even exists. I ask all my drivers........


----------



## Jon Stoppable (Dec 11, 2019)

SHalester said:


> acutually, they have no idea this forum even exists. I ask all my drivers........


People don't use web based fora so much anymore, all of the action is on local rideshare Facebook groups.


----------



## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

Jon Stoppable said:


> all of the action is on local rideshare Facebook groups


Facebook? Will go just like 'my space' did. buh bye. poof. Cool kids abandoned Facebook already.


----------



## Jon Stoppable (Dec 11, 2019)

SHalester said:


> Facebook? Will go just like 'my space' did. buh bye. poof. Cool kids abandoned Facebook already.


Facebook is useful for organizing activities, especially school stuff. Not good for too much else though.


----------



## Lil'Lyftie (Feb 23, 2020)

Jon Stoppable said:


> Facebook is useful for organizing activities, especially school stuff. Not good for too much else though.


Facebook is what grandma is using. The cool kids do 'gram, and record their "stories". And apply filters liberally to any status picture they post. Like, every minute. Like, literally.


----------



## Elland Rd (Feb 26, 2020)

The first rule of posting here. Any thread that questions how utterly terrible driving for Uber is. Will within 2 pages be met with the words Travis, Dara or shill.


----------



## Dekero (Sep 24, 2019)

I'm not negative.... I'm just matter of fact and refuse to be labeled as PC


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

Dekero said:


> I'm not negative.... I'm just matter of fact and refuse to be labeled as PC


You're also an all-out fantastic guy. Thanks for your help with the dashcam and for supporting a fellow ant!

-----------------------------------------------------
I sense some posts have been deleted...


----------



## 68350 (May 24, 2017)

Let's see... almost 3 years ago started at $ .68/mile. Actually went UP to .71 soon after, for a short time. Maybe 2(?) years ago dropped to .61/mile. On Friday this week it drops to about .54/mile. Unless I drive sucky city center areas where rates are increasing by 5%. Because no one wants to drive DT Phoenix or ASU/Tempe. 

I don't exactly hate doing this full time. But it would certainly improve my attitude if pay wasn't cut repeatedly. What other "industry" has cut their workers pay over and over again the past 4 or so years and gotten away with it? Uber relies heavily on recruiting new drivers who don't know the pay history. And maybe aren't doing the math to see how hard it is to drive profitably. 

I'm an old fart FT driver who can work with the low pay. Anyone relatively young doing it FT especially on X should have their head examined. 

DECENT pay rates would eliminate a lot of complaining.


----------



## BigRedDriver (Nov 28, 2018)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


I had a very positive outlook when I was driving regularly. Of course my per mile rate was better than most and I didn't regularly have to deal with the dregs of society.

By the way, I drove Saturday for the first time in months. 2.5 hours, 7 trips $69, $10 of which were tips. Kind of enjoyed it.


----------



## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


You're reading a lot of trash talk from trolls who hate Uber and Lyft.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

MiamiKid said:


> Only works part time, or even better, purely supplemental.
> 
> Fulltime's possible, however, very challenging.


I Did FULL TIME FOR YEARS.

What MADE me Quit was hearing the Stories of " "Sudden Death" Deactivations with No warning
No RECOURSE !

SUDDENLY
YOU CANT PAY YOUR BILLS
BECAUSE SOMEONE LIED ?

BYE BYE.


----------



## Tony73 (Oct 12, 2016)

Lmfao! Best way is to experience it for yourself.


----------



## UberTrent9 (Dec 11, 2018)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> We get screwed all day long by
> everyone we come in contact with
> Would you have thought
> we would have a daily parade?


You can always quit if you're that unhappy? Last I checked, no one's forcing you to continue driving for them?



tohunt4me said:


> 7.) Cars being shredded with no hope of replacement due to constant RATE CUTS !


Won't have this problem if you rent a car to do this, not my problem then.


----------



## LyftUberFuwabolewa (Feb 7, 2019)

I was a people person but people ruined that for me.


----------



## UberTrent9 (Dec 11, 2018)

SHalester said:


> Facebook? Will go just like 'my space' did. buh bye. poof. Cool kids abandoned Facebook already.


The "cool kids" are the ones "abandoning" paying for their rides, so they come up with various ways to screw the driver(& U/L) out of getting paid.


----------



## touberornottouber (Aug 12, 2016)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


Someone asks this every week. Actually, usually some new member comes on and calls us all losers and says some version of "iF yOu DoN't lIkE iT QuIt!!" So you actually did good by asking instead of declaring that we are all bums, Communists, etc etc.

It's pretty much everything you have mentioned and more. There is disrespect to us from the companies (At an extreme level usually) and from the riders too. In addition the government and media often treat us like lackeys or slaves. For instance telling us that we shouldn't be allowed to decline a ride because we are only getting paid $2.50 for it when it will take 25 minutes of our time. Everyone seems to want to make us bear the costs (including our time) while giving us a very small piece of the pie.

Another really BIG one is that the gig never gets better. Only worse. So as people drive for longer periods of time they tend to become more negative. For instance when Uber first came to my town drivers got about $1.50 per mile and got full multiplier surge. Now many places are getting about 50 cents a mile with rarely any surge. Who would be happy doing more work for less -- and not just less but often 1/2 or 1/3 of the pay they used to get when they started?


----------



## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

UberTrent9 said:


> The "cool kids" are the ones "abandoning" paying for their rides, so they come up with various ways to screw the driver(& U/L) out of getting paid.


I wouldn't know. My pax behave. Perhaps only driving during weekdays is the trick...idk.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

touberornottouber said:


> Another really BIG one is that the gig never gets better. Only worse. So as people drive for longer periods of time they tend to become more negative.


Great points, but I especially liked this one. It's very true. Nobody wants to take on a job that pays you less every year you work it. Long time drivers should get raises!


----------



## Smell My Finger (Jun 11, 2019)

All of the above


----------



## GoldenGoji (Apr 30, 2018)

In my opinion, happiness is subjective. Whether a driver is happy with this job depends on his situation in life. If he does this part time or for fun like some of the passengers I talk to, then there's a higher chance they'll be happier because this is something they do without the pressure of "having" to make a certain amount of money. The per mile rates could go down to $0.25/mile and they wouldn't care. But there are also drivers who, for whatever reason, found themselves doing this as a full time job and every pay decrease, every time Uber/Lyft violates a rule to screw with them, every time a passenger treats them badly, it adds a lot to their already stressful lives.

My personal situation is the desperate type, the kind where this is the main way I make money. This means that every time Uber does something questionable, it affects my ability to survive and help out the family and of course, find happiness. I imagine most people would understand why this would upset me.

A job isn't necessarily something that makes you happy. A job is primarily something that brings you money in order to live in this world and be able to afford what you want and need. This is why a lot of people perform jobs that they don't really want to do, but they have to. There are so many people working office jobs, retail, service, manual labor, when deep in their mind they want to be something else, like maybe an actor, a designer, an architect, an artist, a programmer. Fact of life is, not everybody wins, not everybody gets to be the person they want to be. There's only a limited amount of spots for certain positions in this world and everybody is competing against each other for the same thing. This is why it is important to know when to quit, at least temporarily, and find new avenues to at least survive and earn money for a chance to find your happiness later in life. Same goes with me, driving people around is way out of my original field, but somehow, I ended up in a position where this is the only thing I can do to live and help the family. There were people better than me, I didn't have time to wait around to be accepted as it was an emergency situation, and so I ended up doing all sorts of jobs until I found myself doing this. That's simply how life goes, doesn't matter how talented or untalented you are, there are many variables to success as there are to failure. If you fail, you just have to dig your way out somehow.

As for this driving job itself, my natural personality is a pleasant one so I have no problems interacting with passengers. Honestly, I used to be an introvert, but driving more than 3000 people around just molded me into becoming more of an outgoing tv show host type of person. If someone initiates a chat with me, I can match them non-stop. I still prefer to be left alone in my silence, but a lot of my passengers here in the OC/LA area seem to be the talkative type.

When I started Uber driving back in 2018, it was still $0.79 or $0.80 per mile here and the time was $0.12 per minute I think. That rate was not really that good, but I usually had no trouble making $120 to $130 a day. I just finished one passenger after another non-stop. The problem began when the rates got changed to $0.60 per mile and $0.20 per minute. I drive during the daytime and majority of the time, I can get my passengers to their destinations safely and quickly. Notice how Uber raised the per minute rate and lowered the per mile rate? The result is that the more efficient driver you are, the less you get paid! I honestly think Uber intentionally designed the payment to be this way in order to be able to keep the fares low for passengers OR to be able to pocket more money for themselves (or both). This kind of payment doesn't make sense at all. The $0.20 per minute isn't even worth it, it's 5 minutes for $1. No driver wants to be stuck in traffic. No passenger wants to be stuck in traffic. Both driver and passenger want to get to the destination fast, so why in the hell did Uber decide to lower the per mile rate and then raise the per minute rate a little? It doesn't make sense at all. Each ride I complete efficiently at the new payment rates is actually a few dollars lower than what I used to receive. I'd rather get the passenger to their destination and get a new passenger to drive around.

Then we have the problems of these timeout punishments that Uber gives around here in California. Just in case you don't know, here in California, in an effort to fight the AB5 bill which aims to force rideshare companies to officially treat us as employees instead of independent contractors (in order words, Uber will pay an hourly rate whether or not we have passengers, they will pay for vehicle maintenance and other costs, they'll pay for gas, give us benefits, and other neat things real employees have) Uber suddenly gave us the ability to see the Estimated Fare, Distance, Time, Pick-up Location and Destination before accepting a ride (Uber doesn't really want to pay all of the things that we take care of personally lol!). They also stated in the Uber Platform Access Agreement (Jan 6, 2020) that they have "no right to direct, or control drivers" when it comes to accepting rides as long as we are doing so legally and not because of racism and other bad stuff like that. Well guess what, putting drivers who won't accept $2 rides on timeout as a form of punishment is a form of directing, controlling, and influencing a driver's behavior. Personally, I thought for once Uber did something good by showing us information about a ride before we accept them, but then they pull this timeout stunt which totally messed my working strategy. Actually, I received another one of those threats today (the third one!) after I did not accept multiple rides coming from a highschool because we're not supposed to pick up minors. Complied by the rules, got sent a threat, oh wow thank you very much my dear beloved Uber! Of course this is upsetting.

Although I do not trust Uber and I have... a certain level of "dislike" towards the company, the passengers I have are cool for the most part. Just now, someone sent me a $3 tip which I appreciate a lot. I've been accepting these $3 trips recently to avoid being put on 2 hour timeouts by Uber, and the only reason I'm making some money is because my passengers have been sending me tips. They were probably the passengers who were very chatty whom I entertained today. So in short, those $3 trips became $6 or more. I don't really rely on tips because in my experience, majority of passengers don't tip, but I don't know what got into my passengers lately, they've been very generous the last few days.

Another thing I want to point out is that Uber doesn't seem to know what a driver's day or experiences are like. They keep churning out these promos or "features" (or lack thereof) that aren't that effective for drivers. For example, if you're driving and you receive and accept a request, and later you find out it's from a highschool (not all highschools are properly labeled in the app!), your first thought is probably to cancel the ride so as to not waste your time. If you cancel that ride and you still haven't arrived at the highschool, there will be NO OPTION to report the rider as a "minor". One can say that just because a ride request comes from a highschool doesn't mean it's a minor, BUT based on real life experience and a little common sense, if you're receiving a ride request from a highschool and it's around 2pm or 3pm, a time when kids are getting out of school, then you can pretty much say with confidence that your rider is a minor. The only time you'll have the option to report a rider as a "minor" is when you actually get to the gps marker location, which is counterproductive because highschools at that hour are usually packed with vehicles and the traffic is terrible. Also as I mentioned earlier, THE PAY, if Uber actually valued the drivers, then they should've known that by lowering the per mile rate to $0.60 per mile and raising the per minute mile to $0.20, it would result in drivers earning less than they used to at the $0.79 per mile and $0.12 per minute rate because majority of the time, drivers don't get stuck in traffic here unless it's in LA where heavy traffic is the norm. If Uber really cared, then they should've raise BOTH the per mile rate and the per minute rate. They did more harm than good with the new rates. Maybe people at Uber who make these kinds of decisions should try being Uber drivers for 4 months. A day of Uber driving won't reveal to a person all the challenges of being an Uber driver.

In the end, to me, Uber driving is 25% good, 75% bad. Good Passengers, Bad Company.


----------



## Karen Stein (Nov 5, 2016)

You're not misreading it.
One thing I learned long ago is that it takes but a few noisy jerks to make the whole place seem no negative. I've participated in many chat sites, and this one has the worst tone. I lay the blame squarely on the mods, who can easily deal with sour apples.

Some folks are just negative types. Others are led astray by utopian ideologies that always disappoint.

The real enemies are those who want you to feel bad so they can take advantage of you. They're proof that misery loves company.

It's easy to spot these losers. They're first to find fault. They immediately make personal attacks on those who don't kneel at their altar. Quick to criticize, and last to praise. 

Included in this last category are taxi drivers, who simply cannot imagine that Uber driving is such a different experience. Some of these take it up a level, asserting all the measures that failed in the taxi business (regulation, unions, etc.) will somehow improve Uber. For these organizers, happy folks are the enemy.

Don't let the jerks get you down.


----------



## Funky Monkey (Jul 11, 2016)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


When my head's in the right place I normally do pretty well. Have my moments where I feel like a complete psycho but then I get a Lyft and have to be cool (never less than 5 stars w/ Lyft). Oops, I probably just jinxed myself!


----------



## Elland Rd (Feb 26, 2020)

Karen Stein said:


> You're not misreading it.
> One thing I learned long ago is that it takes but a few noisy jerks to make the whole place seem no negative. I've participated in many chat sites, and this one has the worst tone. I lay the blame squarely on the mods, who can easily deal with sour apples.


I think it's good that the site allows all perspectives on driving. Whether I agree with them or not.


----------



## TXUbering (May 9, 2018)

I do it part time as well, and it can make me salty even doing it just part time. Spend all day washing and waxing, cleaning the interior, only to have some inconsiderate pax dirty it immediately. Even me doing it part time, it makes me a little salty, more so if/when I do it full time. I think part of it depends on how you were raised and how a pax may or may not have been raised. It can drive one's patience.


----------



## Atavar (Aug 11, 2018)

You also have to remember the classes of people you are dealing with. 
The class I am in is the retired part timer. We already have the money we need to survive coming in from matured investments and Social Security. For us this gig is for fun money and toys.
In my case it supports my restaurant habit and has paid for things like guns and tech toys that would not otherwise fit in my budget. 
The absence of a schedule makes RS a great gig for me. 
I think this is likely the most positive and supportive group.

A subclass of this is the lonely who drive for human contact. This is another group who are (surprisingly) upbeat and happy with the gig. They are not in it for the money.

Then you have the part timers who are investing what little free time they have in a desperate attempt to make ends meet or dig out of a hole. I wish these guys all the luck and success they can glean from a weak financial prospect.

There are also some folks trying to do this as a full time primary business. These folks are heavily vested in doing whatever they can to make everyone else so frustrated and dissatisfied that they quit, leaving more business to be garnered. These are often the doom and gloom folks you see on UP spreading FUD.

[Insert other groups here]

At the bottom of the scale are the folks who for whatever reason cannot find any other means of gainful employment. These folks feel screwed by society and are pissed that the world is not giving them whatever they need simply for being alive. 
These folks refuse to accept any responsibility for their life circumstances and prefer to blame others. 
This is the group that wants a union to guarantee them a living regardless of whether they work or provide any meaningful level of customer service. This group has many mantras like "My car my rules" or "Lyft sucks" ad nauseam.

The negativity by and large is coming from people who are stuck doing rideshare, don't have the skills or the training to do anything else and refuse to put in the effort to better themselves. These folks feel hopeless and lost.

Flame on!


----------



## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

*Q: *


ExtraMoneyUber said:


> What ...."drives" the negativity?


*A: *


ExtraMoneyUber said:


> low wages


----------



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

TXUbering said:


> I do it part time as well, and it can make me salty even doing it just part time. Spend all day washing and waxing, cleaning the interior, only to have some inconsiderate pax dirty it immediately. Even me doing it part time, it makes me a little salty, more so if/when I do it full time. I think part of it depends on how you were raised and how a pax may or may not have been raised. It can drive one's patience.


Its almost harder doing it part time.

I find that when i'm doing it FT I get desensitized to the paxholes. If I already have some trips under my belt for the day, I'm more likely to take things in stride.

If I've taken off a few days or weeks, then come back to it, I am more sensitive.


----------



## TXUbering (May 9, 2018)

OldBay said:


> Its almost harder doing it part time.
> 
> I find that when i'm doing it FT I get desensitized to the paxholes. If I already have some trips under my belt for the day, I'm more likely to take things in stride.
> 
> If I've taken off a few days or weeks, then come back to it, I am more sensitive.


Lol, goes to show how everyone is different. For me it's about patience, doing it part time let's me recharge. But I will say that you can go numb from doing it FT, and I don't just mean below the equator from sitting so long.


----------



## Clothahump (Mar 31, 2018)

It gets me out of the house, makes a little pocket money to pay for my bowling and buy lunch, and I get to meet new people.

So far, it's not that bad. Sure, I'd like to see some more loot from the app, but I'm making out well on cash tips, so it's all good.

As far as what drives the negativity culture, it's the way young folks act these days. If you don't like something, you whine about it.


----------



## Zebonkey (Feb 2, 2016)

I find overly positive people annoying.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

Zebonkey said:


> I find overly positive people annoying.


Depends on their approach.


----------



## Beepbeep41 (Apr 25, 2017)

In Australia it’s low pay & lack of enforced law by our Transport Department. These apps are allowed to do as they please to drivers even if it’s outside the law. It’s a joke.


----------



## hooj (Aug 18, 2018)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


Too. Many. Ants.


----------



## Alsace Struggle (Apr 9, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


People become smart and realize this not work it. They suggest others quit as well. That is where the negativity is born.


----------



## goobered (Feb 2, 2020)

Zebonkey said:


> I find overly positive people annoying.


Me too!


----------



## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> This is very thorough, and it makes me wonder why people keep driving.


I cannot speak for others, obviously. My situation is frustrating to me. I am trying to build a new career, and NEED to earn money, but I also NEED the flexibility. I have been offered employee-type jobs paying $20/hr with zero expenses. But I have to be able to disappear at a moment's notice to meet potential clients, etc. Which means that for work, it's gig jobs or nothing for me. I feel stuck.



tohunt4me said:


> I like weeds and flowers.
> 
> A REALIST also sees the snakes.


I consider myself a realist. As such, I say that I like driving and I like most of the pax. It's the companies and their atrocious behaviors which I abhor. I have no problem speaking the truth about U/L. If that happens to be negative, then so be it.



Buck-a-mile said:


> They have reduced our wages twice a year, every year, for the Last 5 Years. How do you think that would make you feel


"Hey Bob, it's Uber. Listen, we wanted to talk with you. We think you are doing a GREAT job! Your rating is high, which means the customers love you. And you have been giving a lot of rides, we really appreciate that! You are doing FANTASTIC! So, we are going to cut your pay by 28%, effective Monday. Keep up the good work, buddy!!!"


----------



## Mtbsrfun (May 25, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


It's so obvious you're an Uber employee with a troll account; any driver would never be so stupid as to ask that question.


----------



## Steven Ambrose (Sep 25, 2016)

To place a positive spin on this, 99% of the rides I get are positive. The people are friendly and thankful enough for the service provided and truly appreciate that I am there to offer the service to them. 

But then there is that 1% that can make misery into a blood sport. These individuals literally want to see others suffer and they will make the ride as uncomfortable as can be. They will place their driver in an awkward and precarious situation that is unfair. 

As in life, people will spread the negative way more than the positive. Yes, the pay stinks. Yes, a rare few riders are over entitled "Felicias", "Lindas", and "Karens". Yes, some riders don't exercise a level of common sense and it can things more difficult for the drivers. 

Every job has it's good and bad.


----------



## ctdude6969 (Sep 14, 2019)

As far as it goes for me, my experience on the road with passengers is 98-99% positive. Most are respectful. My costs when I drive are generally not high.

My own negative spin on this gig is that pay continously gets cut. Uber and Lyft continues to take more of what the rider pays. Business is slower, at least in my area (and I am friends with a couple other drivers in my area and they agree), so what I make now vs. 6 months or a year ago is quite less. Generally, the longer you're at a job and are good at it, your pay goes up, the amount you make per hour goes up, not down.

The negativity here is exactly what others have told you. We do not have a water cooler or lunch room to gather at and talk the ins and outs of this gig, so we use this site.


----------



## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> Would you have thought we would have a daily parade?


The Uber Shills, Uber Trolls, Uber Thralls, Lyft Camp Fire Girls and Uber Boy Scouts think that we should. I have noted that a few of the foregoing have responded to this topic. We even have one of the Lead Uber Trolls who is responding.



ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I wonder how many full-time drivers have a positive opinion of rideshare.


I do not do TNC full time, but, /i do drive full time. If I had my 'druthers, I would drive the cab more than I do. The only thing that gets me out of the cab and into the Uber/Lyft car is when it is bad for the cab.



ExtraMoneyUber said:


> That was for your own good. :winking:


.............._izzatchoo, _@glados ?



68350 said:


> DECENT pay rates would eliminate a lot of complaining.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Cab rates are what they are for a reason.............and no, the "reason" _ain't_ the cant that F*ub*a*r* puts about that it is to pay medallion holders. _We ain't got no muh-dall-yonns in this hyar' Kap-ee-tull of your'n Nay-shinn_, but we could not survive on 1979 cab rates without gaming it.



Karen Stein said:


> I lay the blame squarely on the mods, who can easily deal with sour apples.


Complaining is not now, nor ever has been, against the Rules of this Forum. In fact, we have a Board entitled COMPLAINTS.



Karen Stein said:


> It's easy to spot these losers.. They immediately make personal attacks on those who don't kneel at their altar. Quick to criticize, and last to praise.


Here, we have the Double Standard. You criticise those who make "personal attacks" then call anyone who is not an UberBOT a "loser". You are very quick to criticise those of us who do not take it and smile when Uber' and Lyft announce rate cuts and other anti-driver policies. _"The chocorat goes up next week; double plus good, -eh?"_

Are we supposed to thank Big Brother for "raising" our rates? What is next, Two Minutes Hate where a taxicab comes onto the telescreen and we throw things at it? If you think that a "Two Minutes Hate" is far-fetched, I can tell you a story about a NACA event.



Karen Stein said:


> IIncluded in this last category are taxi drivers, who simply cannot imagine that Uber driving is such a different experience.


As a former cab driver, you should be well aware that while there are differences, there are far more similarities. This is nothing new.



Karen Stein said:


> I Some of these take it up a level, asserting all the measures that failed in the taxi business (regulation, unions, etc.) will somehow improve Uber.


...........and the lack of those "failed measures" has made for a good experience for the TNC drivers?



Karen Stein said:


> IDon't let the jerks*Uber Thralls and LyftBOTs* g*ive*et you down*false hopes*.


FIFY


----------



## Karen Stein (Nov 5, 2016)

I couldn't make my points nearly as well as you did. Thank you.


----------



## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

I am glad that you see the folly of what you allege to be "points".


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

Mtbsrfun said:


> It's so obvious you're an Uber employee with a troll account; any driver would never be so stupid as to ask that question.


I do have a day job, but not at Uber. I'd send you a pic of my W2 to prove it, but the large dollar amounts would just make you cry.


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I do have a day job, but not at Uber. I'd send you a pic of my W2 to prove it, but the *large dollar amounts would just make you cry.*


&#129325;&#128517;


----------



## Jon Stoppable (Dec 11, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I do have a day job, but not at Uber. I'd send you a pic of my W2 to prove it, but the large dollar amounts would just make you cry.


Oh please do post, I so enjoy looking at W2s that I made a former career out of it!


----------



## Jon Stoppable (Dec 11, 2019)

More than a bear makes! But you'd want to not share Box 6 because given that there's nothing in Box 12 I can make a pretty good guess at Box 1 :wink:


----------



## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I do have a day job, but not at Uber. I'd send you a pic of my W2 to prove it, but the large dollar amounts would just make you cry.


So you create a thread asking why it's no negative on this forum. But then you have to toot about your well paying day job. Hmmmmm. Oh the irony!!!


----------



## GreatWhiteHope (Sep 18, 2018)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?





ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


People love to *****


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

Invisible said:


> So you create a thread asking why it's no negative on this forum. But then you have to toot about your well paying day job. Hmmmmm.


I never said I had a fantastic view of Uber as an opportunity, even though I Uber some.


----------



## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

Heck w a single W2. Post first page of ur 1040.


----------



## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I never said I had a fantastic view of Uber as an opportunity, even though I Uber some.


No but you're asking about negativity. Yet by you posting about your well paying job, so much that you posted part of your W2, which has since been deleted.

Isn't that kind of the ego talking? Because that is kind of bringing negativity. See the irony now?


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

Invisible said:


> No but you're asking about negativity. Yet by you posting about your well paying job, so much that you posted part of your W2s.
> 
> Isn't that kind of the ego talking? Because that is kind of bringing negativity. See the irony now?


Valid point.


----------



## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Valid point.


My point wasn't to be cruel or mean Just to show how one may see something as negative, but another may not.


----------



## Jon Stoppable (Dec 11, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Valid point.


Come on! That was only because a bear goaded you into it. I respect that completely!


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

Invisible said:


> My point wasn't to be cruel or mean Just to show how one may see something as negative, but another may not.


But to be perfectly fair, if you were to read through the history of posts I've made on this board, I've definitely played a part in the negativity in the past. By posting the question, I didn't mean to imply I'm some bastion of positivity.


----------



## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> But to be perfectly fair, if you were to read through the history of posts I've made on this board, I've definitely played a part in the negativity in the past. By posting the question, I didn't mean to imply I'm some bastion of positivity.


I'm not referring to you specifically, but I agree there's a problem with negativity on this site. I've just heard too much on this get a real job, or people calling others idiots for doing this f/t.

Believe me, I'd do anything to get my former career back but I worked in an area that was unique, and the nonprofit I worked for isn't here anymore. So some subjects on here may be extra sensitive to some, but to others it's not.

Everything is about perspective. Each of us has different views, backgrounds and experiences, so our lense how we see things is different. I just wish the name calling would stop on here.


----------



## Greenfox (Sep 12, 2019)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


I think this whole society is negative.

I dislike most people I meet.

It's not just the pax.

I get burned daily, and I'm over employed.



Invisible said:


> I'm not referring to you specifically, but I agree there's a problem with negativity on this site. I've just heard too much on this get a real job, or people calling others idiots for doing this f/t.
> 
> Believe me, I'd do anything to get my former career back but I worked in an area that was unique, and the nonprofit I worked for isn't here anymore. So some subjects on here may be extra sensitive to some, but to others it's not.
> 
> Everything is about perspective. Each of us has different views, backgrounds and experiences, so our lense how we see things is different. I just wish the name calling would stop on here.


I have a full time job. It doesn't help.

Depression is still my only companion


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

Greenfox said:


> I think this whole society is negative.
> 
> I dislike most people I meet.


Not to be critical of your perspective, but the negative attitude you are talking about is _internal_. If you dislike most people you meet, you may be the common denominator, not society as a whole.

I find certain things I dislike about a wide variety of people but I am not dating or marrying them. Overall, I tolerate and love people, and it makes an imperfect society more bearable. People aren't so bad, on the whole. If you think they are, it might just be your orientation towards others. Consider volunteering, therapy, or other positive outlets?

Don't get me wrong: I am highly critical of certain structures in society, but I don't generalize that to all of the people that make up society.


----------



## Invisible (Jun 15, 2018)

Greenfox said:


> I think this whole society is negative.
> 
> I dislike most people I meet.
> 
> ...


I don't think the whole society. I've had some inspiring pax and come across some good people in my area.

Our society is stressed overall, and people are always busy doing something. That's why I like being in nature. It gives me time away from the modern world, reminds me how beautiful some things can be and gives me time to recharge and relax my mind.

Depression must be tough, so hopefully you're doing better.


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

Invisible said:


> Depression must be tough, so hopefully you're doing better.


Seconding this. I've been clinically depressed and had social anxiety. I talk from experience here.


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

waldowainthrop said:


> Seconding this. I've been clinically depressed and had social anxiety. I talk from experience here.


Been there done that. Depression is a downer.


----------



## Nats121 (Jul 19, 2017)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> This is a good point. Will they eventually run out of new drivers then and be forced to raise rates in order to stay viable?


They ran out of American drivers after the disastrous rate cuts of 2013-14.

A virtually limitless supply of new Third World immigrant signups has enabled these evil organizations to pay their drivers 1970s taxi rates and overall treat them like garbage.



ExtraMoneyUber said:


> But to be perfectly fair, if you were to read through the history of posts I've made on this board, I've definitely played a part in the negativity in the past. By posting the question, I didn't mean to imply I'm some bastion of positivity.


These companies have been getting away with exploiting their drivers for years.

Major change has been very long overdue.

"Negativity" (particularly anger) that's channeled the correct way is what drives change.

No workers, be they sweatshop workers, pro athletes, coal miners, etc, have ever brought about change by being "positive" about their situation or the companies they worked for. They'd finally had enough, and usually via strikes/protests, they were able to bring about major improvements, such as FICA, minimum wage, workers' comp, unemployment insurance, overtime pay, etc.

The same applies to rideshare drivers. There's no way that Uber and Lyft will ever change things for the better unless they're PUSHED into it (AB5 for example), and drivers being "positive" about their situation sends the message that being paid 1970s taxi rates in the year 2019 is OK.


----------



## 5231XDMA (Apr 7, 2018)

Um, you try doing rideshare full-time while it is your only source of income, you'll see why drivers are upset. It is a high risk profession with low pay relative to other driving jobs like yellow taxi and trucking. If rideshare company wants to boost driver morale and boost their own earnings, double the current pay rate (restore to previous pay rate). Don't worry about losing marketshare to buses, because a decade's time has already trained riders to depend on rideshare, just like how a lot of people can't live without Amazon or Siri.


----------



## MuchoMiles (Sep 16, 2019)

I like the Jack off


----------



## Shill (Oct 28, 2019)

you can see from this website the morale of the drivers started getting lower in the spring of 2016. After reading this article I searched past pages from the "complaints" section. Going through the pages you can see how every 50 pages or so Uber takes more and more from the rider.

Edit. Oops I meant from the Driver. Well from both I guess.


----------



## simont23 (Jul 24, 2019)

I can still remember my first taxi job. I was reading a newspaper,(remember them?) and a chap jumped in and said the equivalent of," May I give you some money please?", and off we went. As we yarned on the ride, I thought, is this work? Also, I joined as a positive thing to do, not as a negative shameful thing. We have places to park where fares come to us, so we can do jobs that don't involve Uber. There is still a sector of all communities who prefer dealing in cash. Cash is king. Remember that. Cash gives you choices. The usual suspects are trying to make cash dumb shameful and bad, because they have no control over what is going on, and no ability to take a cut. Why does a portion of your earnings need to go to San Francisco anyway? So run your business, yes, it is a business, in a manner that benefits you the most. Not other people who do nothing but clip your tickets. I have an Eftpos machine for payments, and change for cash, and a taxi meter for non Uber jobs. Eliminating Uber as much as possible makes good business sense. Also remember that your passengers are not Ubering, they are taking a taxi. Some of the admin is done by a company in San Francisco called Uber. Part of the con is to make people think that Uber is an unstoppable juggernaut, an irresistable force, and a foregone conclusion. But it will only last while they can find investors to get money off. When that dries up, it is back to the real world for everyone. Locally owned companies, carrying people round. So be positive, show Uber the same loyalty that they show you, and enjoy the good bits of your chosen profession!


----------



## MichaelMax (Jan 5, 2017)

Always late and not interested enough to read 8 pages. Wehave the most hated and sought after job. period. 
What other trade has way too many people doing it and *****ing about every thing about it. 
Why ***** so much about it, when you volunteer to do it. Hey , just a remind , if you dont like it , lump or quit it! Or just ***** for added fun of the job. Side benefit. What other job could you constantly whine about with an alias name all over the WWW?


----------



## HonkyTonk (Oct 27, 2019)

NONE of you people mention sex. _Because you ain't getting any!!!!!!!!!
_
God damn. Sex is the best part of life. It is what makes life worth living.


----------



## MuchoMiles (Sep 16, 2019)

Sex is the lowest form of human relations. Compassion is the highest. Anyone boasting on sexual misunderstandings is caught up in animalistic dogma. One must overcome the BEAST to enjoy authentic sexual unification


----------



## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

waldowainthrop said:


> I've interviewed most of my rideshare drivers as a passenger. They are an upbeat bunch. I'm 90% sure none of them had heard of UP. I'm a decent judge of how people really feel and some of these characters literally don't mind the gig at all.
> 
> I think @doyousensehumor has a good theory, too. Of course some of these drivers you talk to are just pretending to be satisfied with the gig, but I got real answers out of some of them since I shared my negative and positive experiences from the gig to encourage them to tell the truth. I also talked to drivers in an airport lot a few times and while they had complaints, they were often surprisingly happy with the gig (at the time I asked, anyway - I assume some of them became disaffected later).


Well 96 percent haven't been doing this for a year, so the average driver hasn't figured out yet that it sucks, and if he has there's a good chance he's quit if he can. So your sample is necessarily skewed toward new drivers and those who are still naively happy.

How is it normal to be positive long term about a job where the longer you do it the less money you make? Most jobs give raises, not pay cuts.


----------



## HonkyTonk (Oct 27, 2019)

MuchoMiles said:


> Sex is the lowest form of human relations. Compassion is the highest. Anyone boasting on sexual misunderstandings is caught up in animalistic dogma. One must overcome the BEAST to enjoy authentic sexual unification


THIS delusion explains your misery, dude. Live a real life. Get some *****, for real.......


----------



## waldowainthrop (Oct 25, 2019)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> Well 96 percent haven't been doing this for a year, so the average driver hasn't figured out yet that it sucks, and if he has there's a good chance he's quit if he can. So your sample is necessarily skewed toward new drivers and those who are still naively happy.
> 
> How is it normal to be positive long term about a job where the longer you do it the less money you make? Most jobs give raises, not pay cuts.


This is a really good point. Most of the people who like rideshare or gig economy work _do_ change their mind about it. The sample size of drivers currently driving is actually likely to have more people who feel positively about it than you might otherwise expect looking at the high attrition rate. People who really hate it can cut back or stop driving immediately so they are underrepresented in the active driver population. That conflict was kind of my original point but it's worth underscoring.

Or is the disaffection not just about the gig economy but instead about capitalist workplaces more broadly?

Controversial!


----------



## ExtraMoneyUber (Oct 25, 2017)

waldowainthrop said:


> Or is the disaffection not just about the gig economy but instead about capitalist workplaces more broadly?
> 
> Controversial!


Oh good question!


----------



## HonkyTonk (Oct 27, 2019)

Many PAX are surprised that I can actually speak fluent English without an accent.


----------



## sellkatsell44 (Oct 25, 2015)

sellkatsell44 said:


> POSITIVITY IS GREAT and it does breed positivity BUT
> 
> This type of enforcement leads to people who will fear being anything but because of social pressure and what's considered norm-it's how countries like China can keep people working so hard and efficient for such low pay while a small percentage gets to have 14 luxury cars that make Ferrari look like the Gap (vs actual couture).
> 
> ...


Also fine line bxn telling it how it is and being "negative".

I always prefer straight forward no bs.

and I always underpromise so I can either adequately deliver or over deliver if I'm lucky.

I hate people that tend to exaggerate or say shiet that they don't do, never do, etc.

To me that's setting people up with wrong expectations.

So I'm all about positivity but let's also be real.


----------



## Ian Richard Markham (Jan 13, 2019)

Hey great thread @ExtraMoneyUber. Look way back and I mean deep into these forums from like 2015 and 2016 and you will see that everyone was upbeat and there were constantly high fives going all around the room. As the wages got lower people's attitudes got worse like almost perfectly proportionally. I get a kick out of reading some of those old threads like there's this one about this dude that is so obsessed with driving for Uber that when he's off the clock his family and friends get mad at him for constantly checking for surge then subsequently rushing out the door. People were enthusiastic back then but they were getting paid also. I mean it's still possible to do alright but not like it use to be.


----------



## 58756 (May 30, 2016)

Low wages, mixed with racist/unruly pax. It's a sickness industry, errthang is sick


----------



## btone31 (Jul 22, 2018)

MrsCaLi said:


> I'll never understand how everyone can be miserable about anything besides the wages being on the lower end of things.
> 
> 1- you literally make your own schedule I don't wanna hear "blah blah hours blah blah"
> 2- the driving around annoying pax excuse is getting old, if you're looking at them from a negative viewpoint you're never going to enjoy a ride
> ...


You must be new.



ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I hear people throw out these high numbers of bad pax. How do you arrive at 5-10% bad pax? Now granted, I've only done ~400 rides total, but I can guarantee you I didn't have anywhere near 20 bad experiences. Maybe 1? A drunk guy that wouldn't wake up. It wasn't really that bad though, and the cops took care of it for me. I actually got a $40 tip from the guy the next day, so I'm glad I did the ride. Curious what you're calling a bad pax? Could it be Dallas is just a better customer base or I've been extremely lucky?


Please do another 4000 rides. You'll feel differently.


----------



## simont23 (Jul 24, 2019)

My brother also drives for Uber, but in a large city. He took redundancy, got paid out, has a house plus a renter, and took $1800 for himself last week using a $30 per day rental car. He has ordered a new Corolla Hybrid, and is looking forward to all his self employed tax deductions.


----------



## MrsCaLi (May 31, 2016)

btone31 said:


> You must be new.


4 years in my friend. &#129305;


----------



## TheAzAshes (Mar 6, 2020)

On the same wavelength as others have already answered where it is a combination of factors, and not one singular why would do for this. Sometimes you get great nights but those are typically holiday or long weekends or some mystic force in the cosmos. 

Even with doing research and taking everything into consideration, as a full-time driver I will average about 16 an hour and that is not counting gas, car maintenance, taxes, or anything else that goes into driving for Uber. So let's say just coming down to probably minimum wage when all is said and done, with the occasional woohoo night or weekends, and we're driving went 10 to 12 hours a day to sometimes we treated like crap.

Which... there's the fact that it's basic customer service. Too many people have an about me mentality and failed to realize that we are providing a service that we don't have to. To degree I get it come because that's how some of our society has shifted to, but I've seen it in every customer service position I've ever been in. Unfortunately in Uber we are not only the messenger (AKA don't shoot the messenger) but really the only face they get for Uber. 

Like the clerk at the gas station when your credit card doesn't work. The hotel where you didn't book at but you're going to take it out on the front desk agent anyway. The flight that's late and the stewardess is somehow at fault. And I know it's not actually the person's fault and we're told don't take it personally. (If it's not my fault you don't get to take your bad mood or you're about to circumstances out on me. Just saying.)

But then there are really good days or just great days or days where we don't have the jerks and things go well. Pretty sure at least one will agree, I hope too or three, that it can take one really bad PAX and bam. Thanks for being a mood killer, bad apple. 

It's a little ranty but there's my two cents.


----------



## James16 (Feb 12, 2020)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I'm thankful I don't have to do it full-time. That's an interesting viewpoint though. I wonder how many full-time drivers have a positive opinion of rideshare.
> 
> 
> Are they evil or just interested in self-preservation?


Evil


----------



## Giantsfan1503 (Sep 18, 2019)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> We get screwed all day long by
> everyone we come in contact with
> Would you have thought
> we would have a daily parade?


Then why do you keep doing it? It wouldn't be any different with any other job. With this one we have more control. Quit Whining


----------



## ghrdrd (Jun 26, 2019)

superscabs said:


> The Chicago report said half riders are pool & only the dumbest drivers accept pool


Turn Pool into X by stopping new requests immediately. 
Has the extra benefit that the pool pax doesn't get the benefits of pool after all.


----------



## 25rides7daysaweek (Nov 20, 2017)

Giantsfan1503 said:


> Then why do you keep doing it? It wouldn't be any different with any other job. With this one we have more control. Quit Whining


I quoted the op to answer to question 
If I need YOUR mouth open
I'll pull my di ck out...


----------



## Giantsfan1503 (Sep 18, 2019)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> I quoted the op to answer to question
> If I need YOUR mouth open
> I'll pull my di ck out...


Ooh tough words from the internet gangster. Im shaking


----------



## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

ghrdrd said:


> Has the extra benefit that the pool pax doesn't get the benefits of pool after all.


Um, er the pax gets an X ride for pool price. Pax should be happy. I accepted pool riders n went offline right away to prevent a 2nd. Now I just avoid pool all together.


----------



## mch (Nov 22, 2018)

25rides7daysaweek said:


> I quoted the op to answer to question
> If I need YOUR mouth open
> I'll pull my di ck out...


Now that's how you talk to a Giants fan &#128514;


----------



## Giantsfan1503 (Sep 18, 2019)

mch said:


> Now that's how you talk to a Giants fan &#128514;


Yea ask Brady why he's 0-2 in super bowls against Eli


----------



## mch (Nov 22, 2018)

Giantsfan1503 said:


> Yea ask Brady why he's 0-2 in super bowls against Eli


The only 2 games I've been a huge Giants fan.&#128077;


----------



## Giantsfan1503 (Sep 18, 2019)

mch said:


> The only 2 games I've been a huge Giants fan.&#128077;


We're surprising the world next year too


----------



## TheAzAshes (Mar 6, 2020)

Okay, let's just leave the GOAT out of this. We don't want this to get ugly, lol.😋 

I am incredibly lucky that my full-time driving, which I do in conjunction with Uber each delivery, DoorDash, and Instacart (my favorite) pay the few monthly bills I have and allow me to set aside some for savings, spending, and start up for side gigs or adventures. Or spoiling my little one. But I've also been in the position with Uber where it was my only source of income and I had a lot more to take care of.

The others are right. Bottom line, this is any other job. Some days you like it, some days you don't, some days you love it and some days you decide nope I ain't doing this no more. luckily Uber can't fire us unless you're really bad driver or just outright insane and it's for the best interest of everybody. I mostly stay with Uber and other rideshares because of the flexibility and because I do get to control what hours I'm working and where I'm going and generally what I'm doing. That means a lot to me.

I'll build my own 401k. 😊🥳


----------



## 68350 (May 24, 2017)

Why the negativity? Today's 10% rate cut.


----------



## dauction (Sep 26, 2017)

Lack of Work ethics.. people want something for nothing.


Look at all the Posters who freak out because their passenger expects them to help with luggage lol


----------



## Wex (Feb 18, 2019)

A lot of positive optimistic people have died trying to climb Mount Everest. It's a matter of being realistic. This gig used to be great for everyone, now uber wants to keep 40 to 60% of what the rider pays. Sure it still beats other jobs but it doesn't mean we should tolerate the current conditions. If you are just positive about everything it may never change for the better.


----------



## theinca (Mar 18, 2019)

waldowainthrop said:


> Don't make me online bully you.


I miss the days when you could physically confront people that talked shit and put them in their place. Nowadays the world is so litigious you cannot put a person in there place without fear of being sued.


----------



## CJfrom619 (Apr 27, 2017)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I'm thankful I don't have to do it full-time. That's an interesting viewpoint though. I wonder how many full-time drivers have a positive opinion of rideshare.
> 
> 
> Are they evil or just interested in self-preservation?


Full timer for over 5 years and I love this gig. Working your own schedule and not having to deal with a boss or co workers. I would say 80 percent of my riders are nice or quiet. The other 20 percent are easy to handle. I enjoy driving all day and talking to strangers all day. Ive worked alot of hard jobs and this isnt one of them. Some people make this gig alot harder then it has to be.


----------



## CJfrom619 (Apr 27, 2017)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I'm thankful I don't have to do it full-time. That's an interesting viewpoint though. I wonder how many full-time drivers have a positive opinion of rideshare.
> 
> 
> Are they evil or just interested in self-preservation?


Full timer for over 5 years and I love this gig. Working your own schedule and not having to deal with a boss or co workers.


----------



## songoku (Nov 27, 2016)

Haven't read a single word but @ExtraMoneyUber is one smart ant from Dallas. &#128525;


----------



## simont23 (Jul 24, 2019)

68350 said:


> Why the negativity? Today's 10% rate cut.
> 
> View attachment 425984


What was Uber's cut for running a computer programme?


----------



## OmahaVW (Mar 17, 2019)

UbeRoBo said:


> It's the exact same as taxi-roid syndrome. It's a crappy grind to be out driving full time hauling around annoying passengers. Now you have people doing it for minimum wage and no benefits. Go grind TNC full time and you will quickly find out how much it really sucks.


What's Tnc?


----------



## 68350 (May 24, 2017)

CJfrom619 said:


> Full timer for over 5 years and I love this gig. Working your own schedule and not having to deal with a boss or co workers. I would say 80 percent of my riders are nice or quiet. The other 20 percent are easy to handle. I enjoy driving all day and talking to strangers all day. Ive worked alot of hard jobs and this isnt one of them. Some people make this gig alot harder then it has to be.


It's not the work that sucks. It's the ever-decreasing pay.

Everyone has to make their own decision as to when the cons outweigh the pros. I'm still driving.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> I do have a day job, but not at Uber. I'd send you a pic of my W2 to prove it, but the large dollar amounts would just make you cry.


Glad SOMEONE is PAYING TAXES !!!


----------



## Jhudson (Jan 25, 2020)

What drives it is pretty simple. The cancel culture that rewards victimhood and negativity. Before lawyers and teachers and unionized workers got into rideshare, it was predominantly independent limo drivers and blue collar side giggers who didn't have all the needs and wants you see today. They were part time, low maintenance and truly independent. Uber, for example peaked during the economic crisis when blue collar work was taking a hit. However, as the economy thrived, more people in other industries started getting involved. Teachers with summers off, lawyers who are now a dime a dozen (I happen to be one, and trust me...lawyers are indeed a dime a dozen, even the ambulance chasers), and other professional who wanted to do something on the side (flipping real estate was no longer the "thing").
Fast forward....those entitlement based professions brought those habits in. Add a cancel culture based on hyper political correctness, rewarding victimhood (today all you have to do is make an accusation...real or imagined) that can ruin lives, a tantrum generation that have been raised to scream in order to get their way....you know the rest.
So what drives the negativity culture? Sometimes the answer is not far away.
As the economy is taking a nosedive, you watch...it's all going to swing back in the other direction. As blue collar work takes a hit and they reactivate their rideshare profiles, those who really want to work independently will inevitably edge out those who want entitlements just for simply showing up.


----------



## b_Uber (Feb 7, 2020)

ExtraMoneyUber said:


> Based on the online community, drivers have a pretty negative outlook on driving for Uber and Lyft. What do you think "drives" the negativity?
> 
> Is it low wages? Lack of appreciation? Or is it normal for people to be doing something they seem to hate so much?
> 
> Don't get me wrong, there are definitely positive people out there, but I don't get that vibe from the overall community. Am I misreading it?


I am an Uber driver in Australia and I enjoy it most of the time.
Mine has been a positive experience so far.
I made a connection happen between two community services that are important to me, scored contacts for future work in my other business and made a connection for my daughter to do her thesis with a company when I had the CEO as a passenger.
From what I read on this forum, Uber Australia must be vastly different and superior to Uber-the-rest-of-the-world.
that doesn't mean that there aren't things that could (and should) be done better - but if it was as bad here as most of you say it is elsewhere, then I simply wouldn't do it.

If I hated it as much as some on this forum I wouldn't do it - simple as that.
It's a service industry - with all the positives and negatives that go with this industry.


----------

