# What's the deal with all the "Red Cups" I read about here?



## DjTim (Oct 18, 2014)

Okay, I'm not an old-fart by any means, but I'm not young either. What's with all the posts about "Red Cups?" I know about the drug shit (cough syrup). I know that's a fad as well.

I seem to see a bunch of bar patrons that take "red cups" home. They are empty, but are riders trying to take full red cups on rides?


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## LookyLou (Apr 28, 2014)

I am an old fart but maybe I can answer this.

Red solo cups are commonly used for alcoholic beverages. Many bars use them as disposable cups and individuals use them at parties for the same purpose. These cups are also commonly used for drinking games like beer pong.

If you see them approaching the car holding a red solo cup, drive off and cancel. Asking them to finish them up or leave them behind will only bring a bad rating.


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## Go3Team (Aug 20, 2014)

Just have this tune cranked when riders are getting in your ride.


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## No-tippers-suck (Oct 20, 2014)

LookyLou said:


> I am an old fart but maybe I can answer this.
> 
> Red solo cups are commonly used for alcoholic beverages. Many bars use them as disposable cups and individuals use them at parties for the same purpose. These cups are also commonly used for drinking games like beer pong.
> 
> If you see them approaching the car holding a red solo cup, drive off and cancel. Asking them to finish them up or leave them behind will only bring a bad rating.


*I agree with "old farts" wisdom !  his comments are usually solid.*
--> cancel even if they finish their cups.. still driving them may result in a rating lower than you actually deserve,
Allowing them to drink in your car, what if you have to brake for other traffic? They will just spill their beverages all over you and your car.
Happened to a good number of us and we learned our lesson - time for us to teach others how they could avoid having a similar experience.

I don't mind the alcohol in generally since it's legal at least for us in CA.
But only plastic water bottles with a lid.


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## Fauxknight (Aug 12, 2014)

Theoretically non-alcoholic beverages can go in red solo cups too, but I've never had a rider with one that wasn't alcohol...one rider tried to tell me it was a protein shake...with ice...that smelled like booze.


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## LubaLuft (Nov 24, 2014)

I agree with LookyLou, except I generally accept the ride after they finish the cup.

Once I had 3 college boys trying to get into my car with an opened whiskey bottle, which I politely stored in the trunk for them.


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

No-tippers-suck said:


> *I agree with "old farts" wisdom !  his comments are usually solid.*
> --> cancel even if they finish their cups.. still driving them may result in a rating lower than you actually deserve,
> Allowing them to drink in your car, what if you have to brake for other traffic? They will just spill their beverages all over you and your car.
> Happened to a good number of us and we learned our lesson - time for us to teach others how they could avoid having a similar experience.
> ...


It's legal in California to drive with an open container of alcohol? Since when?


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## No-tippers-suck (Oct 20, 2014)

*@observer.. eventually I shouldn't have said "legal in CA"
instead I should have sayed we are currently in a "grayzone"*

I talked to a few cops including CHP and those I asked are well known so I personally will trust to what they said.
Eventually some of you like to ask some cops about clarification and post it here as well, the more opinions we get the safer for us !

However when you asked "since when" it motivated me to browse for actual official information but I did only find this so far :

http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Published/G000/M077/K112/77112285.PDF

*I highlight this part of the document : on Page 8 / 2.1 Comments on the Rulemaking*

_"... 
The CHP asserts that TNCs fall under existing Commission jurisdiction, because the CHP views TNCs as for-hire passenger carriers.10 The CHP views a donation for transportation service equivalent to direct compensation, because the intent is to conduct a for-hire operation.11
10 California Highway Patrol comments filed on 07/17/13 at 1-2.
11 California Highway Patrol comments filed on 07/17/13 at 1.
12 Luxor Cab Opening Comments filed on 01/28/13 at 1.
13 GCLA Opening Comments filed on 01/28/13 at 2.
Luxor Cab asserts that these businesses should be regulated the same as all other passenger carriers. Furthermore, it asserts that the presence of new technology for summoning a car does not in any way change the nature of the business that they are engaged in.12
Greater California Livery Association (GCLA) asserts that, based on their experience, these transportation technology companies should be subject to the same Commission regulation and enforcement as charter party carriers.13"_

(end of quote)

If they see us as a "for-hire vehicle" as officially stated by CHP, it confirms that if passengers consum Alcohol while we drive is accepted.
But after reading the whole thing carefully I admit that I didn't find a word about that it is officially legal..
So I want to be careful with my statement "it's legal in CA"

*Let's all "ask a police officer" randomly about it and post it here with the city and state*
help supporting to get this clarified !


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

I'm not sure, but I BELIEVE you can only consume alcohol in a limo with the partition. I may be wrong. Limo drivers??


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## No-tippers-suck (Oct 20, 2014)

and that's exactly the point "we are not sure" because we are mostly left alone with important questions like Alcoholconsuming passengers,
insurance coverage if we have an accident and so on..

Like I said I'm from a police family and I asked some other cops I know personally so it was no response like they didn't care about my question.
But all of them clearly said if you drive for Uber it's no problem it's like a livery service and you won't get any problems.


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

I think when it comes right down to it, it's up to you as the driver, if you want to accept the liability. If you get pulled over and cop has had a bad day, you are getting the ticket, not pax. Then it will be up to you to go to court and fight it.


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

DjTim said:


> Okay, I'm not an old-fart by any means, but I'm not young either. What's with all the posts about "Red Cups?" I know about the drug shit (cough syrup). I know that's a fad as well.
> 
> I seem to see a bunch of bar patrons that take "red cups" home. They are empty, but are riders trying to take full red cups on rides?


We used to call them keg cups.


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## LookyLou (Apr 28, 2014)

Desert Driver said:


> We used to call them keg cups.


Yes. I used my share back in the 70s


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## DjTim (Oct 18, 2014)

Desert Driver said:


> We used to call them keg cups.


Right - They were Solo Cups to my generation, since they actually said "Solo" on the bottom.


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

LookyLou said:


> Yes. I used my share back in the 70s


We were likely at the same parties. Cheers!


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

My kinda red cups!!


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## Long time Nyc cab driver (Dec 12, 2014)

observer said:


> I'm not sure, but I BELIEVE you can only consume alcohol in a limo with the partition. I may be wrong. Limo drivers??


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## Long time Nyc cab driver (Dec 12, 2014)

Every state I'm sure is different, in New Jersey, if your underage clients, say for a prom, the driver can be arrested if there is alcohol, happens time to time. The partition doesn't mean shit. I don't know where you got that from, at least in New Jersey, if a cop pulls you over to look in the back.


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## Oc_DriverX (Apr 29, 2014)

In addition to the legal issue, I think the spill issue is just as worrisome. No matter how smoothly you drive, an uncapped cup is just a spill waiting to happen.


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

Oc_DriverX said:


> In addition to the legal issue, I think the spill issue is just as worrisome. No matter how smoothly you drive, an uncapped cup is just a spill waiting to happen.


And if you ask them to down the drink before getting in the car, the puke factor goes way up.


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## Lou W (Oct 26, 2014)

We called them "Go cups" as in, "it's closing time, so pour the rest of your beverage into this plastic cup AND GO!!"


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

Lou W said:


> We called them "Go cups" as in, "it's closing time, so pour the rest of your beverage into this plastic cup AND GO!!"


Never heard that. Makes perfect sense. Go cup, it is. And as rideshare drivers, we should call them No Go cups.


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## No-tippers-suck (Oct 20, 2014)

you're right NYC..

I was interested in obtaining a TCP permit so I started looking some things up online and I found exactly the same about underage in a stretch L
Alcohol has to be removed or locked in a way that it is considered out of reach for underage passengers.

I don't allow drinking or eating in my anymore anyways but let's say I had a reason to make an exemption :
Ride from LA to Vegas during x5.0 surcharge (well if they messed up my car I just would buy a new one lol...)
But if they looked younger than 40 I would have to ask for their ID at least..


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## timmyolo (Sep 5, 2014)

Solo cups are now called red cups simply because red is the most popular color of these cups. They do come in blue also


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## LookyLou (Apr 28, 2014)

timmyolo said:


> Solo cups are now called red cups simply because red is the most popular color of these cups. They do come in blue also


Usually the blue one are filled with Lyft pink Koo-laid in my experience.


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

LubaLuft said:


> I agree with LookyLou, except I generally accept the ride after they finish the cup.
> 
> Once I had 3 college boys trying to get into my car with an opened whiskey bottle, which I politely stored in the trunk for them.


I too would have taken this ride, but with ******s in the trunk and the bottle in the glove compartment.


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## Nooa (Dec 30, 2014)

observer said:


> I'm not sure, but I BELIEVE you can only consume alcohol in a limo with the partition. I may be wrong. Limo drivers??


In Massachusetts you cannot have an open container in vehicles unless they are separated by partition like a limo. But I see many party buses that let it slide. But the driver gets in trouble if you get pulled over..


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

"THE RED CUPS ARE COMING!!! THE RED CUPS ARE COMING!!!"


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

UberHammer said:


> "THE RED CUPS ARE COMING!!! THE RED CUPS ARE COMING!!!"


And the Uber is leaving! (Customer no show)


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

I have a client who calls her martini in a red cup a "roadie." She brings one with her enroute to dinner. She owns the car, and I'm hired to drive. I discussed it with my son, who is a sergeant with our county sheriffs office. He said if we were to be stopped it would be up to the officer as I explain that I'm a hired driver. I have had other instances where passengers were drinking, such as in a motor home. I guess I've been lucky, but I'm probably extra careful driving on these occasions. If I were driving as you all do, with strangers in my car, I would not allow them to bring alcohol on board in open containers. I've known my clients for years, so I feel ok taking the risk.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

Sydney Uber said:


> My kinda red cups!!
> 
> View attachment 2943


POST #16/@Sydney Uber : B-B-BOOYAH!
or rather
D - D - D - D - DOOOO YAHHHH? OH, YAH!


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## Tim In Cleveland (Jul 28, 2014)

I had a customer fricking add whiskey to his pop. I thought I smelled booze and asked. He lied and said it was just pop, but I could smell it each time he took a sip. Of course, such a pain in the butt customer doesn't even tip. I should have kicked him out on the freeway, but at least I got to shit rate him.


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

Tim In Cleveland said:


> I had a customer fricking add whiskey to his pop. I thought I smelled booze and asked. He lied and said it was just pop, but I could smell it each time he took a sip. Of course, such a pain in the butt customer doesn't even tip. I should have kicked him out on the freeway, but at least I got to shit rate him.


Never be afraid to kick a ******bag out of your car. This is Uber. There are plenty more in inventory.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

Tim In Cleveland said:


> I had a customer fricking add whiskey to his pop. I thought I smelled booze and asked. He lied and said it was just pop, but I could smell it each time he took a sip. Of course, such a pain in the butt customer doesn't even tip. I should have kicked him out on the freeway, but at least I got to shit rate him.


One day we'll read how a Rider decides to shoot up in the back of a X car. With instructions to the driver to take them to the entered destination but if things go bad to the local ER.


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

Sydney Uber said:


> One day we'll read how a Rider decides to shoot up in the back of a X car. With instructions to the driver to take them to the entered destination but if things go bad to the local ER.


Suddenly, I'm envisioning a scene from _Pulp Fiction_.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

No-tippers-suck said:


> *I agree with "old farts" wisdom !  his comments are usually solid.*
> --> cancel even if they finish their cups.. still driving them may result in a rating lower than you actually deserve,
> Allowing them to drink in your car, what if you have to brake for other traffic? They will just spill their beverages all over you and your car.
> Happened to a good number of us and we learned our lesson - time for us to teach others how they could avoid having a similar experience.
> ...


Maybe offer them lids and straws?


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

This is a state by state, county by county, city by city question. There are NO federal open container laws or in my state. Even the driver can have an open container. The county I live in does not allow open containers. The city outside of my county does.

So, for me, where most riders are, it's no problem. If we are crossing the county line, they need to drink up or throw it away. Simply Google open container and your state, county, city.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

RamzFanz said:


> This is a state by state, county by county, city by city question. There are NO federal open container laws or in my state. Even the driver can have an open container. The county I live in does not allow open containers. The city outside of my county does.
> 
> So, for me, where most riders are, it's no problem. If we are crossing the county line, they need to drink up or throw it away. Simply Google open container and your state, county, city.


In California vheicle code goes somthing like this :
Consumption of alcohol & open container laws do not apply to taxicabs limousines recreational vehicles & busses 
Condition in RV while in living quarters 
Limousine while hired , alcohol must have a way to be locked , & under age is a totally other law 
It only says limousine 
A Prius with a tcp is a limousine , yes you can drink in a Prius tcp


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

20yearsdriving said:


> In California vheicle code goes somthing like this :
> Consumption of alcohol & open container laws do not apply to taxicabs limousines recreational vehicles & busses
> Condition in RV while in living quarters
> Limousine while hired , alcohol must have a way to be locked , & under age is a totally other law
> ...


Now you need to know what county and city laws are. They are allowed to be more restrictive.

What's a tcp?

Why do people just surrender their rights for no reason in some areas? I don't get it. Drinking passengers are meaningless to protecting the public.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

RamzFanz said:


> Now you need to know what county and city laws are. They are allowed to be more restrictive.
> 
> What's a tcp?
> 
> Why do people just surrender their rights for no reason in some areas? I don't get it. Drinking passengers are meaningless to protecting the public.


True I've found that most cops don't care about alcohol in transportation vehicles
Al long as they don't disrupt order
TCP : Transportation charter party , in CA.
The law in CA is state wide


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## Taxi Driver in Arizona (Mar 18, 2015)

Tim In Cleveland said:


> I had a customer fricking add whiskey to his pop. I thought I smelled booze and asked. He lied and said it was just pop, but I could smell it each time he took a sip. Of course, such a pain in the butt customer doesn't even tip. I should have kicked him out on the freeway, but at least I got to shit rate him.


Years ago, when smoking was allowed in cabs, I had a guy ask if he could smoke, then proceed to light up a joint. I made him put it out.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

observer said:


> I think when it comes right down to it, it's up to you as the driver, if you want to accept the liability. If you get pulled over and cop has had a bad day, you are getting the ticket, not pax. Then it will be up to you to go to court and fight it.


I don't allow anything but water bottles for the most part. Sober pax with a soda fountain drink or business guys in the am with Starbucks ok but I put down the center console for them but at night no not happening. I don't want anything spilled alcohol or not. Plus why get onto a debate about what's in the cup? Coke will make a bigger mess than vodka anyway.


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## CNJtrepreneur (Mar 25, 2015)

Long time Nyc cab driver said:


> Every state I'm sure is different, in New Jersey, if your underage clients, say for a prom, the driver can be arrested if there is alcohol, happens time to time. The partition doesn't mean shit. I don't know where you got that from, at least in New Jersey, if a cop pulls you over to look in the back.


Totally. In NJ and NYC at least, the ONLY safe place for an open container of alcohol is in the TRUNK. Unless it's a partitioned limo, in which case the rules are different.

But yeah. I know people who got in trouble b/c of overzealous cops pulling out beer bottles from under the back seat, and citing "open container of alcohol", even if the bottle was empty and dry.

Don't give them ANY excuse.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

The throw all customers in the same Bucket deal is bad for bussiness 
You assum that because one customer is bad & cheap all are
Not all customers are like that 
The baller crowd pays enough to allow them to have drink even a smoke in some cases 
I can tell you that the bad reception turns off their disposable income 
Yes I understand many UBER drivers have to drive their kids to school next morning 
But you can see the conflict of interest 
To me is like a bartender taking their grandmother to the biker bar he works in 
And having a problem with his grammas environment


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> I don't allow anything but water bottles for the most part. Sober pax with a soda fountain drink or business guys in the am with Starbucks ok but I put down the center console for them but at night no not happening. I don't want anything spilled alcohol or not. Plus why get onto a debate about what's in the cup? Coke will make a bigger mess than vodka anyway.


True, I would imagine people drinking water or Starbucks have their wits about them, bar hoppers not so much.


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## frndthDuvel (Aug 31, 2014)

Taxi Driver in Arizona said:


> Years ago, when smoking was allowed in cabs, I had a guy ask if he could smoke, then proceed to light up a joint. I made him put it out.


Why?


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## Taxi Driver in Arizona (Mar 18, 2015)

frndthDuvel said:


> Why?


Because although I support ending prohibition, Marijuana is illegal here in AZ and the police have noses too. I don't need the hassle of getting pulled over for somebody else's high.


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## frndthDuvel (Aug 31, 2014)

Taxi Driver in Arizona said:


> Because although I support ending prohibition, Marijuana is illegal here in AZ and the police have noses too. I don't need the hassle of getting pulled over for somebody else's high.


Growing up in Tucson decades ago, and visiting my relatives in Tucson,Tempe and Flagstaff I do not recall ever seeing any cabs pulled over. Just think of the tip you could have gotten. If I would have been a cab driver back then I would rather have the cab smelling like pot rather than tobacco. But , yeah, I would likely have done what you did, but depends on the person. Of course when I was growing up, Arizona was a much better place, at least Goldwater conservatives had some sense. Before all these wackjobs moved to the state. Evan Meacham to Jan Brewer? LOL Not so much.


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## timmyolo (Sep 5, 2014)

20yearsdriving said:


> The throw all customers in the same Bucket deal is bad for bussiness
> You assum that because one customer is bad & cheap all are
> Not all customers are like that
> The baller crowd pays enough to allow them to have drink even a smoke in some cases
> ...


true BALLERS dont take UberX, hence, all UberX customers are cheap and should not be treated royally


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

Y


timmyolo said:


> true BALLERS dont take UberX, hence, all UberX customers are cheap and should not be treated royally


sounds good 
But if you pre-judge your customer you miss out on the good ones
It's imposible that all UBER customers are bad


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## timmyolo (Sep 5, 2014)

the percentage of good ones do not make up for the overwhelming amount of bad ones


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