# My Recent Thoughts on Ratings



## Jeeves (Apr 10, 2014)

In a performance 5 star rating system you have 5 options: 1 star, 2 star, 3 star, 4 star, or 5 star. 

I have some logical thought that tells me 5 star should be the best, 1 star should be the worst. That only leaves three other options to be applied. 4 is good, worth coming back for, but not the best. Sometimes a performance gets the job done, not noticeably impressive, but not offensive either. I would call that a 3 star. 2 then lacks something to be desired, but could be worse. Then there is worse, a 1. Can't do it again, won't do it again. 

This is how I rate my passengers. The interesting thing about my rating system is that 3 is average. Lucky for Uber they only employ 4.5s and higher, so their service is always good, and often the best.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

I just started a few weeks ago. I rate everyone 5, unless they were real jerks. I've rated real jerks 2, but, contrary to the rumors I've heard about that triggering a block function, I proceeded to get them 3 more times in 2 days! So I don't see the point in rating anything but 1 or 5, really.

I see what you mean about then ensuring passengers are only getting the best. Uber Black was the first service here, so UberX passengers in the area still expect a nice ride.

I think the rating system puts enormous pressure on the drivers, especially when you're first starting out. I wanted to say yes to everything, just to make sure I didn't get lower ratings.

I've started telling people they can't get in my car with open containers. I've literally had someone say, "Nobody cares about open containers anymore." (Just me and the cops, I guess.) Or, "I've never had an Uber driver tell me I couldn't." 

Then I have to break out some extra excuse on top of the fact that it's *illegal*, by winning their sympathy: "Last time someone got into my car with drinks, they spilled them, then I have to drive my baby around in a car that smells like a bar." 

I even emailed Uber, asking how they recommended handling it, and all they said was that I should not allow people to drink in my car, Uber wouldn't want me to get cited for open containers.

I also emailed Uber in my first week of driving and asked if they could provide any feedback about my ratings. They replied with a canned email about how they can't change ratings. What? I didn't ask for that, I was just trying to find out what my passengers liked or didn't like.


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## Jeeves (Apr 10, 2014)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> I just started a few weeks ago. I rate everyone 5, unless they were real jerks. I've rated real jerks 2, but, contrary to the rumors I've heard about that triggering a block function, I proceeded to get them 3 more times in 2 days! So I don't see the point in rating anything but 1 or 5, really.
> 
> I see what you mean about then ensuring passengers are only getting the best. Uber Black was the first service here, so UberX passengers in the area still expect a nice ride.
> 
> ...


This is an underrated point of contention, that we get no insight into our bad ratings. Not worried necessarily who gave it, but what was the reason, how could I improve?!


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