# New driver. What are popular scams?



## MelaninFellow (Jan 17, 2018)

Hey everyone. I just got approved for driving for Lyft and I'll start this weekend. However, ive been stalking this site for about a week trying to get to know all of the little details so if something happens I wont get flustered and some pax won't take advantage of my lack of knowledge or get get someone reasonable become angry because Ive somehow delayed them. Probably the big thing I want to know is what are some common scams that pax may try to pull on you? What should I do in that situation? I also have other questions if others are willing to answer. Im trying to get over my initial high anxiety period so I can stop worrying and start not caring, not constantly pick up terrible rides, and know when to cancel in one fluid motion like ive read about so much on here already.


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## 2Cents (Jul 18, 2016)




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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

Trial by fire works well. Then you never do that same stupid thing again.

Scams happen but are rare.

Don't do LyftLine and only pick up 4.9 and 4.8 pax for your first two weeks. Read the ping carefully before you accept. That is the hardest part. Drive daytime only. Don't be afraid to tell pax you are new or ask pax for help. Don't chat. Concentrate on driving. 

You'll be fine.


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## William Fenton (Jan 1, 2018)

Tell pax this your first ride/day. Take all rides. Don't pay much attention to all the negative stuff you see on here. You will miss some turns, you will have to go around the block once or twice. The pax are overwhelmingly nice and easy to get along with. Relax and enjoy yourself.


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## DrivingForYou (Aug 6, 2017)

MelaninFellow said:


> Hey everyone. I just got approved for driving for Lyft and I'll start this weekend. However, ive been stalking this site for about a week trying to get to know all of the little details so if something happens I wont get flustered and some pax won't take advantage of my lack of knowledge or get get someone reasonable become angry because Ive somehow delayed them. Probably the big thing I want to know is what are some common scams that pax may try to pull on you? What should I do in that situation? I also have other questions if others are willing to answer. Im trying to get over my initial high anxiety period so I can stop worrying and start not caring, not constantly pick up terrible rides, and know when to cancel in one fluid motion like ive read about so much on here already.


There seem to be fewer scams on Lyft than on Uber. I've never had a Lyft pax "scam" that I can think of, though you will get a lot of ABUSE from Lyft passengers.

An example of abuse by a passenger is commanding you to multiple stops, with several minutes wait per stop. I combat this by telling passengers "we are not paid for time, but I am willing to wait for an upfront tip". The amount of the wait time tip is $1 for each two minutes of wait time. Make sure you don't go through a drive thru or wait at Starbucks without arranging such a tip.

Other abuse: make sure you pickup and drop off at safe and legal spots - some pax will ask you to pickup or drop off illegally, and you risk a big fine/ticket if you do. For instance NEVER stop in a marked bus lane, never double park on busy street, especially a busy street with a double yellow line.

Some of the scams I've seen personally on UBER:

1) while waiting to pick up a passenger, you receive a call claiming to be from Uber support. The caller will say you just got a bonus or promotion or whatever. They will tell you to cancel the current passenger selecting "do not charge rider", and they will try to get personal information like SSN, passwords, etc.

DO THIS: Wait for the 5 minute timer to elapse, then cancel as a no show so you get the cancel fee. Then send a message to support to report the account as a fraudulent account.

2) the rider cancels the ride before you drop them off. They do this to try and lower the fare. Not as prevalent now due to upfront pricing.

DO THIS: pull over immediately to the first safe and legal spot and tell the passenger since they cancelled the ride they have to exit the vehicle immediately. Call 911 if they refuse. Absolutely do not complete the ride. Report them to support.

3) when it is surging, a passenger might set their pickup location just outside the surge area, and then call you and ask you to pick them up at a different location than in the app, often several blocks away.

DO THIS: go to the location shown ON THE APP and wait five minutes then cancel as a no-show so you receive the cancel fee. Do not answer any further calls from the passenger. Report the passenger to support as attempting to scam/game surge with a false pickup location.

Good luck.


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## ShinyAndChrome (Aug 18, 2017)

Always cancel when 5 min hits, it will be the highlight of the day, seriously. Don't take crap from PAX>


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## MelaninFellow (Jan 17, 2018)

Sacto Burbs said:


> Don't do LyftLine and only pick up 4.9 and 4.8 pax for your first two weeks. Read the ping carefully before you accept. That is the hardest part. Drive daytime only. Don't be afraid to tell pax you are new or ask pax for help. Don't chat. Concentrate on driving.
> 
> You'll be fine.


Ive kinda glanced over that long post TrumpEconomics posted about canceling Lyft Line but I have no way of understanding since I havent even hit the road. The Lyft tutorials said that if you cancel during Line it cancels it for everyone and from what Ive read I wouldnt be surprised if thats not the truth. Also, due to my school schedule and other periodic job, I dont think I'll have much choice but to drive at night since Im usually busy during peak hours on weekdays.


DrivingForYou said:


> There seem to be fewer scams on Lyft than on Uber. I've never had a Lyft pax "scam" that I can think of, though you will get a lot of ABUSE from Lyft passengers.
> 
> An example of abuse by a passenger is commanding you to multiple stops, with several minutes wait per stop. I combat this by telling passengers "we are not paid for time, but I am willing to wait for an upfront tip". The amount of the wait time tip is $1 for each two minutes of wait time. Make sure you don't go through a drive thru or wait at Starbucks without arranging such a tip.
> 
> ...


Wow thats good info right there. Ive heard about the hour long Walmart stop and another guy putting in someone elses debit for express pay(cmon really) and I think its a universal rule not to give out your personal info like that. I also thought asking for money in general wasnt allowed, but I guess its different for a tip and having to wait for them to get food.



ShinyAndChrome said:


> Always cancel when 5 min hits, it will be the highlight of the day, seriously. Don't take crap from PAX>


 I think I read somewhere that it's required to call or text the pax in order to cancel and/or get the cancellation fee.

Thanks for the encouragement and responses, guys.


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

William Fenton said:


> Tell pax this your first ride/day. Take all rides. Don't pay much attention to all the negative stuff you see on here. You will miss some turns, you will have to go around the block once or twice. The pax are overwhelmingly nice and easy to get along with. Relax and enjoy yourself.


I did take all rides when I started. Got nailed in the ratings which created stupid angst. Stick to high rates pax until you get your sea legs.


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

The scam is what u signed up for


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## DrivingForYou (Aug 6, 2017)

MelaninFellow said:


> Wow thats good info right there. Ive heard about the hour long Walmart stop and another guy putting in someone elses debit for express pay(cmon really) and I think its a universal rule not to give out your personal info like that. I also thought asking for money in general wasnt allowed, but I guess its different for a tip and having to wait for them to get food.
> 
> I think I read somewhere that it's required to call or text the pax in order to cancel and/or get the cancellation fee.
> 
> Thanks for the encouragement and responses, guys.


There was a time when Uber would deactivate drivers for asking for a tip, but not so with Lyft to my knowledge.

I carry a child booster seat, and I ask for $5 to use it.

I ask for money for waiting as I mentioned.

I have a sign and reading material that says "gratuities are not included in the fare" and suggested amounts.

Cancels:

On LYFT you must place a call to the pax before canceling as a no show- but you don't have to actually talk, just let it ring twice.

Nevertheless I DO always make an effort to contact them.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

You might want to accept all pings at first just to learn how it works and how to do it. This includes Lyft Lines. What works for you and what will not will evolve through experience.

You will get more scams from Lyft than you will from customers. The problem is that when Lyft scams you, there is nothing to be done for it. Some people on here call it *Gr*yft for a reason>

1. You will be on your way to cover a ping when suddenly it "cancels". It did not cancel. Another driver popped up closer, so the application gave you the *Gr*yft; it took away the trip from you and gave it to that other driver.

2. There have been complaints that Lyft is balky about paying bonuses and incentives. When you send an e-Mail, the outsourced Customer "Service" Representative keeps sending you all of these off-topic e-Mails. After that, he sends you e-Mails denying that you ever were promised the bonus; denying that you ran the requisite trips or had the requisite acceptance rate.

3. Most of Lyft's bonuses and incentives demand a difficult to achieve ninety per-cent acceptance rate.

4. You can sit dead-in-the-middle of a BRIGHT HOT PINK PRIME TIME ZONE and the only pings that you will receive are fifteen minutes, or more, away from you and are not in the Prime Time Zone.

5. Unless you are a Power Driver, it takes forever and fifteen days to get a reply from Lyft's Driver "Support". Lyft even used to advertise that if you achieved Power Driver status, you got quicker responses from Driver "Support".

6. If you are not going to cover a ping, just do not accept it. If you accept then cancel too many times, Lyft will de-activate you. Lyft does not de-activate for low acceptance rates, but it does for what it considers "high" cancellation rates. Many people have stated that Lyft rarely considers appeals from de-activated drivers. I am aware of one or two who did manage to acheive re-instatement, but, it took persistence, more than a few e-Mails and even a trip to the Lyft Offices.

One irritating thing about Lyft customers is that far more of them like to eat in the car than do Uber customers. You might want to invest in a Dust Buster™ to vacuum up the crumbs. I tell them not to eat in the car and one-star them, but they always sneak it and always leave crumbs.


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## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

Do not accept requests over 4-6 minutes away.

If you get a call from someone claiming to be Uber, they are a con artist.

If you wait 5 minutes for a Lyft no-show, you have to initiate a call to the pax or you will not be paid when you cancel.

If an Uber pax cancels the ride in mid-drive, drop them off IMMEDIATELY.

Transporting riders without someone being at least 18 is against policy and may be illegal depending on your location.

If a pax wants to change the destination, try to get THEM to do it on THEIR phone. Trust me.


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## Scott.Sul (Sep 9, 2015)

One of the biggest scams out there are these IT developers who create apps that connect people who need rides with people with cars.

Be careful not to download those apps as they can be very addictive and give a false sense of creating income. Some people have even quit their real jobs so they can play this game full time, totally oblivious to the scam.

They claim you will make all kinds of money but in reality most of the money they pay you is just advancing you the depreciation value of YOUR car.
The rest of the money they promised will then just offset the accelerated destruction of your vehicle. (and once they pay you, you have to claim it as income and pay taxes on it.)
They claim this app will be cool and you will meet people and make new friends.
Part of the scam is they take money from riders but will deny you your share stating&#8230; they don't have a ride on record, you never arrived, you took too long, etc. So be sure to take screenshots of everything (ride acceptance screen with arrival location/time, arrived time/location, "cancel" message on app after wait time, destination at start of ride).
They claim you will make a set amount per mile and per minute but the actual amount is about 20%-25% less than that. 
You have to agree to drive for a specific amount per mile and minute but they've been known to reduce those amounts after you're addicted. And the kicker is, they will then try to convince you it will increase your income (many people even believe this).
They put random colored circles on a map and tell you if you drive towards those you will get bonus internet points.
One obvious clue to their scam is they call it a "side-hustle". I talked about it with my seven-year old and she told me, and I quote, "Daddy, hustle means inducing by fraud, pressure, or deception, especially of inexperienced or uninformed persons, to participate in an illicit scheme, or dishonest gambling game."

So be careful about this scam. Many have fallen for it and if you're not careful, it can be life changing.


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## Juggalo9er (Dec 7, 2017)

Here's a good scam....


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## Dropking (Aug 18, 2017)

William Fenton said:


> Tell pax this your first ride/day. Take all rides. Don't pay much attention to all the negative stuff you see on here. You will miss some turns, you will have to go around the block once or twice. The pax are overwhelmingly nice and easy to get along with. Relax and enjoy yourself.


This advice above is quite ignorant.

Instead do this:

Do not take all rides. Lyft requests often demand that u drive 20 minutes to a pickup. Don't do them as they waste ur time and Pax will be angry when u finally arrive. Don't be afraid to let many pings go. Lyft will send nanny emails about missed pings but u get use to them.

Never do a Line ride. They are difficult in congested areas and the pax leave lower ratings. Many are angry that they can only afford line rides.

Know the law. Do not take unaccompanied minors or youngsters without car seats, even when pax say all other drivers do it. These are the two biggest scams by passengers. They try these tricks all the time.

Understand that u can always cancel a ride. If u don't like the circumstances when u arrive or pax act unruly in the car, remember its your car. These problems are quite rare.

Know ur map program inside and out so practice first. Avoid lyft's suggested option of their build in system. Use ur own waze or g.maps.

Know the airports., like where u can drop off and pickup, and exactly where the staging queue us located. Airport authorities fundraise off lyft drivers. Constantly writing tickets.


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## 2Cents (Jul 18, 2016)

Scott.Sul said:


> One of the biggest scams out there are these IT developers who create apps that connect people who need rides with people with cars.
> 
> Be careful not to download those apps as they can be very addictive and give a false sense of creating income. Some people have even quit their real jobs so they can play this game full time, totally oblivious to the scam.
> 
> ...


I'm sure that side hustle company has a phone number in case I have trouble downloading the app or issues using it , right?


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## Juggalo9er (Dec 7, 2017)

This is language am employer would use, don't ever pay any attention to it


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Juggalo9er said:


> Here's a good scam....


They call it "*Gr*yft" for a reason.


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## TCANN (Jun 29, 2017)

Beware the advice you get on this message board.

In time, you will figure out the strategy that best meets your needs, based on your goals, your market and your chosen hours.


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## melusine3 (Jun 20, 2016)

Sacto Burbs said:


> I did take all rides when I started. Got nailed in the ratings which created stupid angst. Stick to high rates pax until you get your sea legs.


I agree with this completely. Low-rated passengers are rated that way for a reason, and typically they are guaranteed low-raters (toward the driver). No win situation there, plus, they tend to be ******s and life is too short.

I will also add: don't quit your day job. You may make a lot of money at first due to frequent rides, but I believe both companies do that deliberately. Do take advantage of it as much as you can the first month or two, but know that at some point there will be an influx of new drivers who will also be at the first of the queue. If you can, look for another job, minimum wage is fine. You'll make off better than doing this driving. Unless you're in a major city, that is.



Another Uber Driver said:


> You might want to accept all pings at first just to learn how it works and how to do it. This includes Lyft Lines. What works for you and what will not will evolve through experience.
> 
> You will get more scams from Lyft than you will from customers. The problem is that when Lyft scams you, there is nothing to be done for it. Some people on here call it *Gr*yft for a reason>
> 
> ...


I don't allow people in my car with drinks or open food. You can be clear with them upfront, also about vaping. No alcohol in the car (open container). While I'm at it, keep your doors locked and assess each passenger, verify their name in case something comes up about the ride (I even take a screen shot of each ride before I start the ride so I can do accounting at the end of the night to make sure all rides are paid by LUber. Plus, if there are issues, you have the passenger name and destination in screenshot. You don't have to open your door to sloppy drunks who might vomit in your car. Unless you actually want to make $150 for cleanup, I simply can't stand the thought of that happening to my car. If you can get an easy to clean beater car, do consider driving nights Thurs/Fri/Sat 11-3 and you can make bank anywhere pretty much. Daytime driving is pretty much a wash, every extra buck you make over your immediate expenses (my gas is 1/3 my take home $$, then there's the $110 per month extra in insurance, monthly oil change, random brake job) is taken out in the hide of your car. There is a reason taxis are so heavyweight/heavyduty. Modern cars were not built to do this type of driving. If you do have a day job and pay taxes, this can be good for a write off, however.



Scott.Sul said:


> One of the biggest scams out there are these IT developers who create apps that connect people who need rides with people with cars.
> 
> Be careful not to download those apps as they can be very addictive and give a false sense of creating income. Some people have even quit their real jobs so they can play this game full time, totally oblivious to the scam.
> 
> ...


Every. Word. He. Said.



Juggalo9er said:


> Here's a good scam....


WTF is that $2.25 etc for?


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## Hunter420 (May 1, 2016)

Well their is a basic understanding that lyft is always looking for new ways of scamming drivers.
the basics
1. if your acceptance rate is over 90% then you will get higher primetime, but less surges. although they kind of just stopped surging without any notice at all- everyone gets different primetime gracing pastures. seems unfair, some get 20% and some get 220% thats discrimination- unlike a surge, this box of primetime exasperates more time, driving back and forth to get your 20%.

2. lower 90% acceptance rate, you would get higher surges, although even when the bar scene closes it will still go out of surge zone, then it gets higher if you do not accept. ex... 1st ping 16 min away no surge 2nd ping 5 min away no surge 3rd ping 25% surge 4th ping 50% surge 5th ping 75% surge ex.. most surges are bogus, the ambassadors get all the highest surges, they train all the new drivers and lie their pants off too hook new drivers, showing them how much you will not make on their app.

3.PDB its about 2 rides an hour, so for 85 rides its about 40 hours on the clock for 90 bucks extra.. but they don't calculate the extra 20 hours of driving returning from lax ex....or going back to the prime time box.

4. lyft wants to burn lots of gas. and exasperate time.. 85 rides x 2 miles is about 170 miles of just pick up time. thats about half a tank of gas. 5 minutes x 85... is about 455 minutes waiting for pax, anywhere from 100 minutes too 455 minutes for your 90 dollar bonus.. also traffic is a big waist of time!!! during primetime they will send you on long rides if your acceptance rate is over 90% because they want to waist your time so you cannot get your bonus. if you have a lower then 90% acceptance rate then you get nothing but short rides, because its the opposite- drivers wanting short rides to get their pdb numbers up, only get long rides so its harder and burns gas, and drivers trying to make bigger paying rides with a lower acceptance rate only get the tiny rides.

5 its not the closest ping, all rides are calculated with a certain algorithm. their might be 500 cars closer to the pax, but you got it because the ride was 3 dollars and your 12 dollar an hour algorithm matched you to the ride. it all basically hourly wage, its all fixed now!!!
6. video and recording through the app, remember ltft can watch through your phone and record you, lyft gets paid to sell information from new drivers, also Sophie Ai - then turn and burn you, they could care less if your even living or not.

7. they fix the miles you drive, gps might go 3 miles they charge for 5 miles, they charge more pay you less, drop rides, anyway they can steal your money, they will.

8. dispatched rides, besides the AI, often people in the back office will block you, alter your rides, mess with gps, ghost rides, freeze app, turn app on, multiple ping freeze, lots of tricks they use. torment degregation, that all must have psychological issues to cause so much grief. also check your amounts on each ride, they are always off!!! saying its a glitch, always in their favor. They only offer the PDB Although its getting very difficult to achieve! and they will do whatever they can to keep their money!

9. saturating the market! lyft has zero responsibility now for anything they do to the community, so paying off lawyers, judges, city officials, ex..to get their way is a daily practice. so having 10,000 drivers on every block is fine for them, they make the same no matter what!!

this makes it harder for drivers to make enough money to live, 2 rides an hour, longer distances, blocked rides, no problem, its all an illusion! one pizza for 200 people. drive 50 hours a week to make a 90 dollar bonus!, and burn 250 in gas., they don't care anymore about the service of transportation, cab drivers, uber and limo drivers, suffer because of lyfts unethical practices- destroying drivers lives.
they have made lyft one of the lowest and cheapest transportation apps, no regard for customer service, herts, ford, all the people that have to work in order to make a driver get on the road, only so they can then, rip them off, and kick them on the streets- 100s of thousands of drivers, lives altered from greed.

lyft is an inhuman machine- catering too their greedy illuminate investors. they are exasperating drivers now, no surges, bonuses, incentives, driving double or triple time to make the same amount a few months ago- that also making even more drivers on the road- 1 ping for 50 cars, how is it gonna be fair- taking time, and more money, from drivers its entrapment- they slowly roost you,until you die from, lack of funds! paying drivers less and less, as gas go's up, and the cost of living is being raised, until one day, your toast!! they don't care anymore, we are slaves, utterly tricked into signing up, to only be forced to quit from not being able to sustain enough, money with so many drivers, and working double time. they can just get new drivers, and get paid from selling their information, they rinse and repeat!!! destroying drivers until they have self driving cars in 3 years!!


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## Pinapple Man (Aug 8, 2017)

MelaninFellow said:


> Hey everyone. I just got approved for driving for Lyft and I'll start this weekend. However, ive been stalking this site for about a week trying to get to know all of the little details so if something happens I wont get flustered and some pax won't take advantage of my lack of knowledge or get get someone reasonable become angry because Ive somehow delayed them. Probably the big thing I want to know is what are some common scams that pax may try to pull on you? What should I do in that situation? I also have other questions if others are willing to answer. Im trying to get over my initial high anxiety period so I can stop worrying and start not caring, not constantly pick up terrible rides, and know when to cancel in one fluid motion like ive read about so much on here already.


This applies to both services, customer will hit cancel before you close out the ride in order to evade the fare.


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## Juggalo9er (Dec 7, 2017)

melusine3 said:


> I agree with this completely. Low-rated passengers are rated that way for a reason, and typically they are guaranteed low-raters (toward the driver). No win situation there, plus, they tend to be ******s and life is too short.
> 
> I will also add: don't quit your day job. You may make a lot of money at first due to frequent rides, but I believe both companies do that deliberately. Do take advantage of it as much as you can the first month or two, but know that at some point there will be an influx of new drivers who will also be at the first of the queue. If you can, look for another job, minimum wage is fine. You'll make off better than doing this driving. Unless you're in a major city, that is.
> 
> ...


That's the minimum fare for Lyft


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## MelaninFellow (Jan 17, 2018)

Well my first night went pretty well. My very first ride were 2 ladies and they tipped $5 compared to the $4.85 Lyft gave me for the fare. They left their sunglasses and phone and I was almost out of the area. I went offline so I wouldnt get extra pings while going back and I hope that didnt freak them out as I had several hundred dollars worth of their stuff back there. When I got back I got another $3. Plus I asked for the $15 returned lost item fee. 

I did a 10 mile ride and got $15 plus a $1 tip. The other 2 rides werent anything special.

Also some more questions I have if anyone wants to answer. What are laws for picking up or dropping off riders in the street if theres no parking on the side? I did this and thankfully there was no one else driving on either side. Also are there some things I should take advantage of for being a new driver? I think I read here that I get some sort of priority until more new drivers start popping up, but it looks like theres only 30 drivers in the county from what ive seen. And is there a way to get rid of the "update" for Google Maps integrated with Lyft? I keep changing my preference to that and then back but it keep popping back up and I hate minimizing it every time I switch back to the app. Also I read here theres a way to game the logistics of the system and have PrimeTime not disappear as I drive into it or to actually get pings(something about going offline). Lastly is a mistake I did was I drove about 45 minutes with no pings to relocate to a different spot. People have said not to group up around other drivers so I tried to get out of the area but didnt think it would take me 45 mins to drive 10 miles. So next time should I just stay in one spot online because I'd rather know how to stop wasting gas while Im still fresh.

And if I havent replied back, Ive still read it all and its either funny or useful.


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## luvgurl22 (Jul 5, 2016)

MelaninFellow said:


> Hey everyone. I just got approved for driving for Lyft and I'll start this weekend. However, ive been stalking this site for about a week trying to get to know all of the little details so if something happens I wont get flustered and some pax won't take advantage of my lack of knowledge or get get someone reasonable become angry because Ive somehow delayed them. Probably the big thing I want to know is what are some common scams that pax may try to pull on you? What should I do in that situation? I also have other questions if others are willing to answer. Im trying to get over my initial high anxiety period so I can stop worrying and start not caring, not constantly pick up terrible rides, and know when to cancel in one fluid motion like ive read about so much on here already.


It's best to learn by trial & error.You're going to meet a lot of different characters & with time you will get used to the routine & hopefully develop tough skin.Feel free to ask any questions on what you aren't sure about & watch this space religiously for tips.I think we were all apprehensive when we first started, but it is true what they say that, "practice makes perfect ( or close to it anyways). You'll do great .



MelaninFellow said:


> Well my first night went pretty well. My very first ride were 2 ladies and they tipped $5 compared to the $4.85 Lyft gave me for the fare. They left their sunglasses and phone and I was almost out of the area. I went offline so I wouldnt get extra pings while going back and I hope that didnt freak them out as I had several hundred dollars worth of their stuff back there. When I got back I got another $3. Plus I asked for the $15 returned lost item fee.
> 
> I did a 10 mile ride and got $15 plus a $1 tip. The other 2 rides werent anything special.
> 
> ...


I think you are obsessing over some irrelevant details.As I said in my other response, you will get used to the routine with practice.You will find that sometimes you may have to be a bit more flexible with the rules,in terms of stopping to pick up/ drop "pax" ( passengers), when there is no parking available ( which is 90% of the time) . You could either pull over to the bike lane safely or ask pax to relocate a few feet away.So far you aren't blocking traffic. It is still considered "double parking " if you aren't in an actual parking spot.Just keep an eye out for meter maids & the police. I also give a courtesy ring to my pax when I arrive, so I'm not waiting for them too long.You also have to develop a keen eye to detect, meter maids, police, bikers, pedestrians, erratic drivers, etc & think fast because most of,if not all,of your drive days will be a little on the chaotic side, based on demand.Just remain calm & pay attention to prevent hitting anyone/or anything & incurring tickets. Have fun while you do it too & don't obsess over each fare & tips.It will drive you crazy.Also, make sure to rate each passenger what they deserve for the ride.You will find at times, that you may have a pleasant experience with passengers & still get rated low (anything below a 5 will make your rating drop).Don't let this discourage you, but also make sure your rating doesn't fall below a 4.6 (deactivation). Screenshot problem rides with your commentary & email support after your shift ends.Let them know you had issues with these particular rides & they will throw them out so your rating isn't affected.Lyft support usually answers promptly with any issue you may have.Also, feel free to ask to not be paired again with a passenger that may give you issues ( any rating you give them below 4 ensures this).Don't take requests more that 10 mins away unless it's a nice surge, because it's not cost affective.Move around if you aren't getting requests in a particular area, but the idea is to make the most profit while doing the "minimal"amount of driving necessary.Always think of it as a "profit" driven business. I' m not sure were you got the idea o "gaming logistics" but I would advise focusing on the steps I mentioned above.Never chase the surge (prime time) because it doesn't last.Good luck


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## Dropking (Aug 18, 2017)

MelaninFellow said:


> Well my first night went pretty well. My very first ride were 2 ladies and they tipped $5 compared to the $4.85 Lyft gave me for the fare. They left their sunglasses and phone and I was almost out of the area. I went offline so I wouldnt get extra pings while going back and I hope that didnt freak them out as I had several hundred dollars worth of their stuff back there. When I got back I got another $3. Plus I asked for the $15 returned lost item fee.
> 
> I did a 10 mile ride and got $15 plus a $1 tip. The other 2 rides werent anything special.
> 
> ...


You can use the passenger app to learn where the other drivers are located. Then move your car to an edge that has no cars beyond. 10 miles is silly. Moving 3 blocks is the normal idea.

Do not use the integrated map program "lyft built with Google maps". This was mentioned earlier but you aren't listening. Use waze or the normal google maps option.

You can get tickets like anyone else so be wary of safe drop off spots and legal drop off spots. Do not let pax bully you into dropping off at bus stops, busy intersection, etc.


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## MelaninFellow (Jan 17, 2018)

Dropking said:


> Do not use the integrated map program "lyft built with Google maps". This was mentioned earlier but you aren't listening. Use waze or the normal google maps option.


Im not, its just that the "update" taking up half of my screen wont go away and it almost feels like its trying to bully me into changing my preference. Unless theres a way to disable updates coming on your screen like that


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## Dropking (Aug 18, 2017)

MelaninFellow said:


> Im not, its just that the "update" taking up half of my screen wont go away and it almost feels like its trying to bully me into changing my preference. Unless theres a way to disable updates coming on your screen like that


Ah. Try waze. Most drivers prefer it, although not unanimously.


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## Trump Economics (Jul 29, 2015)

Hunter420 said:


> Well their is a basic understanding that lyft is always looking for new ways of scamming drivers.
> the basics
> 1. if your acceptance rate is over 90% then you will get higher primetime, but less surges. although they kind of just stopped surging without any notice at all- everyone gets different primetime gracing pastures. seems unfair, some get 20% and some get 220% thats discrimination- unlike a surge, this box of primetime exasperates more time, driving back and forth to get your 20%.
> 
> ...


I've got the PERFECT place for you....
*Click on my Trump Economics Avatar and scroll to the Information/About me section of my uberpeople.net page.*


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

Juggalo9er said:


> Here's a good scam....


Dam! That is ugly! U might want to drive somewhere else.


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## Juggalo9er (Dec 7, 2017)

freddieman said:


> Dam! That is ugly! U might want to drive somewhere else.


Sigh


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## RideShareJUNKIE (Jun 23, 2017)

Make sure you have a solid 2 ch dash cam when you start driving. Know your state laws about recording disclosure. Try to enjoy the drive and focus on what makes you a more efficient, confident, and fluid driver. Good luck!


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## MelaninFellow (Jan 17, 2018)

RideShareJUNKIE said:


> Make sure you have a solid 2 ch dash cam when you start driving. Know your state laws about recording disclosure. Try to enjoy the drive and focus on what makes you a more efficient, confident, and fluid driver. Good luck!


I dont have a lot of money quite yet. Do you think this is good? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KZY0MOO/?tag=ubne0c-20
Also I live in California so we allegedly have to place a sign somewhere letting people know theyre being recorded.


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

Go to the San Francisco forum and chat up the Marin drivers there.


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## Quest09 (Dec 7, 2017)

I would agree that staying in one place is better than wasting gas. And a little separation from other drivers is a good thing. There is a program I found that shows the best places to locate yourself I'll have to go find it. But I would only use it if I'm in a place I'm unfamiliar with sometimes I go find a shopping mall if I'm in a weird part of town. 
I prefer Google Maps to Waze but it's a personal choice I like the data on which lane to be in. I also like the Lyft built-in navigation,. Should be easy to change if you want to.
I also have an app that shows Network strength,. If I'm waiting 10 minutes somewhere without a ping I make sure that I have a good signal. Sonoma County and Marin have lots of dead areas. It also depends on who your carrier is.


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## Dropking (Aug 18, 2017)

Quest09 said:


> I would agree that staying in one place is better than wasting gas. And a little separation from other drivers is a good thing. There is a program I found that shows the best places to locate yourself I'll have to go find it. But I would only use it if I'm in a place I'm unfamiliar with sometimes I go find a shopping mall if I'm in a weird part of town.
> I prefer Google Maps to Waze but it's a personal choice I like the data on which lane to be in. I also like the Lyft built-in navigation,. Should be easy to change if you want to.
> I also have an app that shows Network strength,. If I'm waiting 10 minutes somewhere without a ping I make sure that I have a good signal. Sonoma County and Marin have lots of dead areas. It also depends on who your carrier is.


Lyfts built in nav, built with g.maps, is fool's gold. There are reasons they want you to use it, and as usual lyft's reasons conflict with the best interests of drivers.


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