# Do you avoid Costco?



## Uber-ray (Dec 28, 2015)

Had a pickup tonight at Costco. The lady waved me down with her shopping cart full of food. I had to pull over in that mob scene, then help her load up the trunk, then she kinda stood there and waited for me to push the cart away, which I did. When we got to her home 3 miles away, I once again helped unload her food at the curb, even though she said she had helpers coming, who were nowhere in sight. All this for $6.39. She was pleasant enough though and thanked me. What could / should I have done differently?


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## EcoboostMKS (Nov 6, 2015)

For 6.39? Cancel and drive away.


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## UberMeansSuper (Aug 3, 2015)

Gather a list of grocery stores in the areas you work.
If you see someone ping you from there, just "Nope!" that ping request.


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## R44KDEN (Jul 7, 2015)

Agreed. I avoid all supermarkets and malls. I still dont get why a lot of drivers are hesitant to pick up the phone and call the rider. I do it everytime. Saves a lot of grief in the end.


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## Maderacopy (Nov 24, 2015)

I've helped load and unload but I only unload out of my vehicle and not take the groceries inside. I only do this out of expediency.


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## sellkatsell44 (Oct 25, 2015)

Uber-ray said:


> Had a pickup tonight at Costco. The lady waved me down with her shopping cart full of food. I had to pull over in that mob scene, then help her load up the trunk, then she kinda stood there and waited for me to push the cart away, which I did. When we got to her home 3 miles away, I once again helped unload her food at the curb, even though she said she had helpers coming, who were nowhere in sight. All this for $6.39. She was pleasant enough though and thanked me. What could / should I have done differently?


Yeah,
It's hard to say because she could have and should have tipped you. Seriously even the bag boys at the cash wrap gets tipped.

I would one star

Because all that snazzzzz for 6.39?!

Also how is it everyone gets uber for so cheap. The only time I got even close to that number was for a .70 mile fare........


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## Uber-ray (Dec 28, 2015)

Well the full fare was $10.12. Subtract the $1.60 Rider Fee, and then 75% of what remains is $6.39.


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## sellkatsell44 (Oct 25, 2015)

Yeah no, I don't include the base fare or the SRF when I'm talking about $ I pay (I did the calculations in another post)...the SRF here is 1.35 though?


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## Uber 1 (Oct 6, 2015)

I picked up an employee from cost co s few times...no issues and they were right outside when I pulled up ready to home. 

I am guessing most calls may be customers loaded down with "stuff" ....I guess you could call to see if they are a shopper or employee BEFORE letting then inside the vehicle. 

On the other hand, if I've been sitting inside the vehicle for a long time, I sometimes look forward to getting out and moving around a bit to stretch so for me moving stuff every once in a while is not an issue (although it would be nice to get a tip for helping).

Andy


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## Phoenix666 (Mar 6, 2015)

Uber-ray said:


> Had a pickup tonight at Costco. The lady waved me down with her shopping cart full of food. I had to pull over in that mob scene, then help her load up the trunk, then she kinda stood there and waited for me to push the cart away, which I did. When we got to her home 3 miles away, I once again helped unload her food at the curb, even though she said she had helpers coming, who were nowhere in sight. All this for $6.39. She was pleasant enough though and thanked me. What could / should I have done differently?


And I avoid Walmart too. Morgan Freeman wouldn't deal with Costco and neither should you.


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## Fauxknight (Aug 12, 2014)

I've never gotten a Costco call, it's always Walmart or Target. 50/50 they have groceries to load. As long as you charge them for the loading/unloading time I don't see an issue, just don't get too invested with helping, though I break that rule with the elderly or disabled.

Another one I get all the time is Cam market (Asian grocery). Usually light on the number of bags, but they're always on the curb ready to go and load quickly. The runs net me $6-8, why would I pass that up?


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

I have never been in a Walmart and I will not pick up pings from Wal-Mart. I don't like short fares and I don't really want Walmart folks in my car.


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## CityGirl (Nov 29, 2014)

Well...you can never tell...I picked up a lady from a grocery store near my house who had just grabbed lunch. She wanted to go out to a casino an hour away and pick up her parents AND bring them back, so I got a huge ride from that, over $100 net. Once I had someone with a few groceries, another time I had someone who had jogged too far and couldn't jog back, but it was his first Uber and now he calls me all the time for early airports, so you just never know.


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## William1964 (Jul 28, 2015)

I only go to Costco for the five pound bags of pistachios. It used to be 18 bucks


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## volksie (Apr 8, 2015)

Uber-ray said:


> Well the full fare was $10.12. Subtract the $1.60 Rider Fee, and then 75% of what remains is $6.39.


Uber, a transportation company who tells riders there's "No Need To Tip" got it's mandatory $1.60 TIP!
Uber is happy!


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

I will take the grocery/Wallie World/Tar-ZHAY/Costco pings. As Uber 1 points out, if nothing else, you can get out of the car and stretch a bit. While my inclination, at unloading, is to put the bags on the kerb unless the user offers a tip, I will make an exception for the elderly and disabled, as does Fauxknight. Sometimes, too, I will schlepp the groceries up a stair to the porch simply because despite my age and condition, I can still do it. I never take anything inside, though. If I do decide to schlepp the groceries further than the kerb without a tip, it is strictly for my benefit (exercise, karma or ratings), not the user's.


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

*3 easy steps to game supermarket and mall pings*

If you get a supermarket ping just try to get as close to the pin as possible without getting near the entrance. If you can burn 5 minutes without the pax spotting you or if they're not checked out yet you can get that easy $4 cancel.

If they're on the curb already waiting then just drive away and if they see you moving away on the pax ap they will typically cancel and Order another and it wont count against you .

Once that ride is cancelled just hold tight. You might get another ping. You'll already be on the lot and the 5 minute timer has begun. Repeat the step above and get one more cancel fee. Then wait again. If your lucky now youll eventually get a 3rd ping and you can go ahead and take it , you've already gained $8 in 10-15 mins without having to let anyone in the car. now the 3rd trip will put you even further into the black. (Profit)

If Uber ever sends you a notice about it just say your gps or cell service was spotty in the area and you were trying to move to get a signal to contact the "hard to find" pax but they cancelled before you could so you decided to move on but I've never had any notice so Uber on

If i spot them and they don't have groceries ill take the ride but as soon as I see more than a single bag I'm gone.


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

Here's the way I look at this. Ask yourself if the $6.39 trip would have been worth it without the groceries? If no, then you already have your answer. If yes, then how long did it take you to handle the bags? One minute? Thirty seconds? Is it the extra time involved that makes the trip no longer worth it? Or is it the feeling of being unappreciated?


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

It's the rates. Why bother with someone with a shit load of groceries ? Most of the time it'll be a $2.40-$3.50 net fare


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## sellkatsell44 (Oct 25, 2015)

Uber-ray said:


> I had to pull over in that mob scene, then help her load up the trunk, then she kinda stood there and waited for me to push the cart away, which I did. When we got to her home 3 miles away, I once again helped unload her food at the curb, even though she said she had helpers coming, who were nowhere in sight.





Coachman said:


> If yes, then how long did it take you to handle the bags? One minute? Thirty seconds? Is it the extra time involved that makes the trip no longer worth it? Or is it the feeling of being unappreciated?


for me it is human decency. and i know, the way i treat others, i shouldn't expect that they'll have the same forethought and i've made peace with this.

however, what happened to manners? like when someone holds the door for you, saying thank you?

or when you flag down a car to help you--"she kinda stood there and waited for me to push the cart away"

if someone helped me do something that isn't in their job description, I always thank them with something--if not a few dollars, than lunch, or orchids, or chocolates. heck...i've handed out pastries to consumer and business clients of mine and you have no idea how sweet they are to do the same. kindness goes a long way.

and it is so amazing on the flip side--how people are. i had to bring boxes of coffee and bagels to a grand opening and some stranger on the street offers to help me walk the rest of the way.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

I avoid all grocery stores and shopping malls. NEVER a long trip, MOSTLY lots of bags to load/unload.

Who would shop at a grocery store 15 miles from home with frozen items that would melt? Nobody.

Grocery stores = Minimum fare rides with leaky bags... just keep driving.


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

sellkatsell44 said:


> if someone helped me do something that isn't in their job description, I always thank them with something--if not a few dollars, than lunch, or orchids, or chocolates. heck...i've handed out pastries to consumer and business clients of mine and you have no idea how sweet they are to do the same. kindness goes a long way.


Well sure. But we don't base our helping someone on whether they're going to thank us, do we?

What if the next time she sees someone with groceries she passes on the trip, and it was someone who would have thanked her and given a $5 tip?


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> I avoid all grocery stores and shopping malls. NEVER a long trip, MOSTLY lots of bags to load/unload.
> 
> Who would shop at a grocery store 15 miles from home with frozen items that would melt? Nobody.
> 
> Grocery stores = Minimum fare rides with leaky bags... just keep driving.


The majority of grocery store pickups I've made have been employees on their way home from work. I've had one guy with about eight bags. He put them in the back, then took them right out of the back when we got to his destination. It was a piece of cake. No more trouble than a rider with a suitcase.


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## itsablackmarket (May 12, 2015)

Uber doesn't allow you to decide what work you take or reject, and they're going to be sued for it, soon. So to answer the question of this thread, there is no way to deal with it.


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## Fauxknight (Aug 12, 2014)

LAuberX said:


> I avoid all grocery stores and shopping malls. NEVER a long trip, MOSTLY lots of bags to load/unload.
> 
> Who would shop at a grocery store 15 miles from home with frozen items that would melt? Nobody.


True for grocery stores, if it's a shopper, then it's probably a fairly short trip. I get a lot of employee trips from grocery stores though, and sometimes people who stop at the store before going to work, just using it as an easy pick up spot.

Not so true for malls, I usually get long runs from malls. It helps that all the good malls in town have moved to the outskirts. I also generally only get a couple of bags from mall shoppers, never gotten the occasional full trunk that I can get from grocery stores.


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

Phoenix666 said:


> And I avoid Walmart too. Morgan Freeman wouldn't deal with Costco and neither should you.


Is your avatar Marcus and Michele Bachmann? Good one!


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

itsablackmarket said:


> Uber doesn't allow you to decide what work you take or reject, and they're going to be sued for it, soon. So to answer the question of this thread, there is no way to deal with it.


If you weren't free to cancel rides there wouldn't be a cancel option. You just have to keep the cancellations to a minimum.


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## uberguuber (Feb 23, 2015)

SECOTIME said:


> It's the rates. Why bother with someone with a shit load of groceries ? Most of the time it'll be a $2.40-$3.50 net fare


And they rode the bus to get to the grocery store...I have never dropped off anyone at Walmart, but I have picked up.


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## Uber-ray (Dec 28, 2015)

Coachman said:


> Here's the way I look at this. Ask yourself if the $6.39 trip would have been worth it without the groceries? If no, then you already have your answer. If yes, then how long did it take you to handle the bags? One minute? Thirty seconds? Is it the extra time involved that makes the trip no longer worth it? Or is it the feeling of being unappreciated?


The thing with Costco is that nothing is put into bags or boxes. Everything is loose - meat, cartons of eggs, boxes of cereal. Everything has to be picked up and moved individually. Carefully too so nothing gets crushed/punctured. I wouldn't have minded bags since I see them the same as luggage.


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## Tim In Cleveland (Jul 28, 2014)

You are under NO obligation to load/unload groceries for NO PAY. You should at least start the trip as soon as the customer asks for help and refuse to end the trip until they have all their crap out of your car. If they complain, politely say "I only have insurance for you and your items during the trip. It's actually illegal to end the trip before you and your things are out of the car." Then rate them poorly and note their name. You should be shit rating anyone who fails to tip you for completing extras like handling their damn bags and listening to their cheap butt complaints about when you started or ended the trip. Your TIME is worth something too.


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## sidewazzz (Jun 30, 2015)

Uber-ray said:


> Had a pickup tonight at Costco. The lady waved me down with her shopping cart full of food. I had to pull over in that mob scene, then help her load up the trunk, then she kinda stood there and waited for me to push the cart away, which I did. When we got to her home 3 miles away, I once again helped unload her food at the curb, even though she said she had helpers coming, who were nowhere in sight. All this for $6.39. She was pleasant enough though and thanked me. What could / should I have done differently?


It's case by case. I will stay away from the ping but call the pax to see where they are. if they have a cart of groceries I cancel. it is just a employee getting off of work I pick then up.


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## 2CV750CC (Nov 18, 2015)

Costco - a great place for cheap gas, so far so good - no pick ups from there


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## UberXking (Oct 14, 2014)

itsablackmarket said:


> Uber doesn't allow you to decide what work you take or reject, and they're going to be sued for it, soon. So to answer the question of this thread, there is no way to deal with it.


Big deal.....this is a rideshare service "share" being key here. Going my way?


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## UberXking (Oct 14, 2014)

There is absolutely no reason to be on when near a Costco. You are making less than $10 an hour if they hablive no purchases.
It's Uber's fault not yours. If they left their opinion concerning tips to themselves the pax would tip generously for providing
outstanding Uber service.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Hunt to Eat said:


> I have never been in a Walmart and I will not pick up pings from Wal-Mart. I don't like short fares and I don't really want Walmart folks in my car.


Hey my MOTHER worked at a Walmart!

However she doesn't like "Walmart people" for the most part either.

And they are an EVIL company for which to work.

They'd love to make their employees contractors.

Ya gotta wonder about an employer that gives you info on how to apply for welfare as part of their orientation.


LAuberX said:


> I avoid all grocery stores and shopping malls. NEVER a long trip, MOSTLY lots of bags to load/unload.
> 
> Who would shop at a grocery store 15 miles from home with frozen items that would melt? Nobody.
> 
> Grocery stores = Minimum fare rides with leaky bags... just keep driving.


I call and ask if they have any large items under the pretense that I want to make sure it will fit. Hopefully they tell me they're an employee going home so no bags. I also ask the destination "so I can put it in my gps".

If it's an employee going on a decent trip then I'll confirm they are outside waiting and go get them. Shoppers it's case by case.

The uber app says 4 pax. It says NOTHING about cargo. So I see no reason I can't decline a trip if there is ANY. Just put "over capacity." Could be a 60 inch TV for all uber knows...although i hspoen to know that WOULD fit--if only one pax.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Uber-ray said:


> The thing with Costco is that nothing is put into bags or boxes. Everything is loose - meat, cartons of eggs, boxes of cereal. Everything has to be picked up and moved individually. Carefully too so nothing gets crushed/punctured. I wouldn't have minded bags since I see them the same as luggage.


Yeah, I think the pax would be a little better there on average than Walmart, but unless they are smart and take bags with them or ask for boxes in the store (you CAN do that) it's gonna be a bunch of loose crap OR big (possibly heavy) items, or both.

On the other hand you could take a trip from there then break an egg on the seat and ask for a cleaning fee I suppose.


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## noshodee (Nov 2, 2015)

Picked up a PAX from Walmart. Drop her off 2 miles up the street to her mansion in the hills. $3.24 no tip! She can afford a million dollar home but won't tip her driver a few bucks...no store pick ups for me.


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## grayspinner (Sep 8, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> Who would shop at a grocery store 15 miles from home with frozen items that would melt? Nobody.


Me! If I do any substantial grocery shopping at all, I go to the grocery stores about 30 miles from home. 'quick' trips are at the one that's about 12 miles away. There is a very small, poorly stocked, twice as expensive with nasty produce grocery store 2 miles from me in 'town' (it's more of a glorified crossroads) that I'll use in an emergency.

Such is life in rural areas - I take my cooler when I grocery shop.

Of course, I wouldn't be calling an uber though. Mostly because I can't get uber at my house.

In fact, tomorrow I'm taking my friend who has poor driving vision shopping. I do this every 6 weeks or so. I drive her into the big city of Raleigh & we go to a zillion grocery stores and stock up on sale stuff & use our coupons. Our deal is I drive & she gets the coupons for us. It takes a large part of the day & is rather exhausting but I'll save about 80-85% on my groceries. You do what you gotta do after all.


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## inpool (Jul 14, 2015)

I lift suitcase at the airport all else can lift there own


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## inpool (Jul 14, 2015)

SECOTIME said:


> *3 easy steps to game supermarket and mall pings*
> 
> If you get a supermarket ping just try to get as close to the pin as possible without getting near the entrance. If you can burn 5 minutes without the pax spotting you or if they're not checked out yet you can get that easy $4 cancel.
> 
> ...


Great post iwill be doing this from now on


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

itsablackmarket said:


> Uber doesn't allow you to decide what work you take or reject, and
> 
> they're going to be sued for it, soon.


Yes, it does. In fact, the contract specifically states that you can decline or accept anything that you choose.

Line two is a real possibility. The politicians, courts, regulators and busybody do-gooders have been going after the cab companies over this for some time. It is only a matter of time before they go after the TNCs. Two of the TNCs have more money than any cab company, if for no other reason.



noshodee said:


> Picked up a PAX from Walmart. Drop her off 2 miles up the street to her mansion in the hills. $3.24 no tip! She can afford a million dollar home but won't tip her driver a few bucks...no store pick ups for me.


,,,,,,and will not pay for Uber Black, either...................


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Just Another Uber Drive said:


> I'd like to believe that some taxi drivers helped my mom out on occasion when she stopped for groceries.


*****Raises hand***** .......well, maybe not your mother as I never worked in Southern California, but I suspect that you get the idea. I do the same for the elderly, as, if it were my mother or grandmother, I would want the driver to help out, if he were physically able.

In fact, I have a story about helping the elderly that involved one of my drivers. It did not involve me, I was simply the Company Official who helped out the driver when his good deed did not go unpunished. I can not remember if I have posted it anywhere on these boards, or not.

I have another story about going out of my way to help out a single mother around Christmas time, which I know that I have not posted anywhere on these boards. Due to certain circumstances, I shy from posting it.


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> Hey my MOTHER worked at a Walmart!
> 
> However she doesn't like "Walmart people" for the most part either.
> 
> ...


Loved your comments about Wal-Mart. All true. I drive by a couple Wal-Marts every day, but I have never set foot in a Wal-Mart. I once purchased a digital camera from Wal-Mart online but because of a double ship situation, I never actually paid for the camera.


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## Trebor (Apr 22, 2015)

Always avoid grocery stores. 

When I get a commercial address, I do a simple google search to see what business i am looking for. If a store pops up, I am cancelling. 

In Houston, we do not have cancel fees so it does not matter if we cancel in 5 min or not.


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## James Reno (Jan 10, 2015)

Uber-ray said:


> Had a pickup tonight at Costco. The lady waved me down with her shopping cart full of food. I had to pull over in that mob scene, then help her load up the trunk, then she kinda stood there and waited for me to push the cart away, which I did. When we got to her home 3 miles away, I once again helped unload her food at the curb, even though she said she had helpers coming, who were nowhere in sight. All this for $6.39. She was pleasant enough though and thanked me. What could / should I have done differently?


One little thing that you can do is start the trip before you get out of the car to help them load the groceries in the first place. Then when you get to their house, do the same thing and don't end the trip until after you help unload and are pulling away. Granted the time is not much of the calculation, but i believe it does help a little on the final fare.


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## 5 Star Guy (Nov 7, 2015)

I can't remember where I picked up a woman pax but she had a bunch of grocery bags. I felt bad and helped carry the bags to her front door. I figure the sooner she's out of my car the better since she looked a little rough. She was nice and appreciated my help. I have handed out my cards to people waiting for a taxi at the supermarket, never taken a pax. Not sure if I had mentioned that earlier, sorry!


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## MrsUberJax (Sep 2, 2014)

I think I might have picked her up, opened my truck and stood there. If she hesitated or said anything to me about loading, I'd tell her that I don't get paid extra to load and folks don't tip so I don't do it.
If she got nasty I'd cancel the ride before it started, if I thought she'd 1 star me I'd cancel before it started. 

I don't know if that would change her behavior but she might think about tipping the next driver and that would be worth it.


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## MrsUberJax (Sep 2, 2014)

James Reno said:


> One little thing that you can do is start the trip before you get out of the car to help them load the groceries in the first place. Then when you get to their house, do the same thing and don't end the trip until after you help unload and are pulling away. Granted the time is not much of the calculation, but i believe it does help a little on the final fare.


I totally disagree about starting the trip early - you are talking about pennies - and then you're giving away the only power you have - if you start the ride and then she flips out then you can not cancel the ride. I've learned not to start the ride until we are on our way and everyone has settled in- what if after you start the trip she says she forgot something and she will be right back? Are you gonna sit there making pennies per minute? Nope just wait till your settled in, you know the destination and your ready to go on the road. I always ask them to tell me the destination address before I start the trip. I use a secondary GPS system in addition to the Uber GPS - and I tell them I must enter it into my system. That way I get the destination before I start the trip and it gives me more options least of all being the ability to cancel the ride and walk away if things go south. Good Luck. Mrs Uber Jax


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## Ayad (Jan 1, 2015)

It takes a looong time loading and unloading all the loose items at Costco. Grocery stores and produce shacks are only a little better with similar minimum fare runs. Taxis can start the meter at market rates and rightfully expect gratuity for their trouble, while having plenty of trunk space and easier to clean vinyl seats and floors.
If you are on lyft and decide to go for it, make a note of whether a tip is added for these trips for future reference. Otherwise you are being taken advantage of. Is anyone going to help you with your groceries for 15 cents a minute?


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## negeorgia (Feb 1, 2015)

I drive the overnight drunk college kids home. On the rare times I drive daytime, I probably waited an hour for the ping, so yeah, I complete the shopping requests, but do not exit the vehicle.


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## Fluber (Jul 11, 2015)

Uber are missing a trick. Look to the airlines - prices are per seat & baggage is extra.


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## 5 Star Guy (Nov 7, 2015)

Fluber said:


> Uber are missing a trick. Look to the airlines - prices are per seat & baggage is extra.


I like that idea, there should be a fee or tip option that goes to a driver, not them for handling bags. Taxis expect an additional tip for tossing and removing luggage from the trunk. Taxi drivers would pop the trunk and rush to grab my bags, for a tip. I'm like its a small bag I'll toss it on my lap thanks so I don't pay above my tip. The app could ask bags yes or no.


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## Tim In Cleveland (Jul 28, 2014)

MrsUberJax said:


> I totally disagree about starting the trip early - you are talking about pennies - and then you're giving away the only power you have - if you start the ride and then she flips out then you can not cancel the ride. I've learned not to start the ride until we are on our way and everyone has settled in- what if after you start the trip she says she forgot something and she will be right back? Are you gonna sit there making pennies per minute? Nope just wait till your settled in, you know the destination and your ready to go on the road. I always ask them to tell me the destination address before I start the trip. I use a secondary GPS system in addition to the Uber GPS - and I tell them I must enter it into my system. That way I get the destination before I start the trip and it gives me more options least of all being the ability to cancel the ride and walk away if things go south. Good Luck. Mrs Uber Jax


Nooooooooo, start the trip as soon as they get in or request help with bags. It might be litte, but that's more than nothing. It also helps when they say "my girlfriend is right behing me" and then she takes 10 minutes to get in the car. It helps alleviate your anger at how rude the pax are and that alone makes it worth it. I loved doing it last night during a 1.7X surge.


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## 5 Star Guy (Nov 7, 2015)

Tim In Cleveland said:


> Nooooooooo, start the trip as soon as they get in or request help with bags. It might be litte, but that's more than nothing. It also helps when they say "my girlfriend is right behing me" and then she takes 10 minutes to get in the car. It helps alleviate your anger at how rude the pax are and that alone makes it worth it. I loved doing it last night during a 1.7X surge.


One time soon after I stared doing this, my pax had trouble finding me, the area was full of people and traffic. He's standing outside my car, can't find his gf. I'm over here, over here he was telling her on his cell. I'm like either get in or I'm outta here. He gets in and we wait for his gf. These days as soon as the pax is basically at your door and not in an elevator I think you should start the ride, for insurance purposes now that I know drivers are screwed.


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## Lnsky (Jan 2, 2016)

Uber 1 said:


> I picked up an employee from cost co s few times...no issues and they were right outside when I pulled up ready to home.
> 
> I am guessing most calls may be customers loaded down with "stuff" ....I guess you could call to see if they are a shopper or employee BEFORE letting then inside the vehicle.
> 
> ...


Yes I agree with this. I've picked up a guy who lives in my area twice to take him to work at Costco and I really liked him us it was a twenty dollar fare no surge. He is always outside waiting for me which is an automatic 5 star because I don't like waiting. And we had good conversation.

Some fares are just crappy they can't all be great. I had a guy promise me he was on his way down only to wait 10 minutes and drove him two blocks. Lesson learned in my part it was a busy night.

But I think more time than not people tip if you go above and beyond and do t get annoyed.

Also if someone is poor but kind I don't mind making their life a little easier by picking them up. If they don't have a car how are they supposed to get those groceries home.

I'm actually glad if it is slow to help out. You kept the meter running while loading. It is better than some rich drink making you wait in line at Whatabirger for 20 minutes at 18 cents per minute.


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## CODenver26 (Jan 3, 2016)

noshodee said:


> Picked up a PAX from Walmart. Drop her off 2 miles up the street to her mansion in the hills. $3.24 no tip! She can afford a million dollar home but won't tip her driver a few bucks...no store pick ups for me.


That's why I avoid Downtown Denver. Bunch of rich kids that looks down on you, but will gladly pay me to drop them off at their $2K a month apartments, it's kinda a joke honestly.


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## simpsonsverytall (Nov 6, 2015)

We simply don't get paid enough on the timer-meter(to justify loading/unloading on the clock), and passengers don't feel that such help merits a tip.

Unless you feel like a good Samaritan, or feel comfortable negotiating a tip ("Sir/Maam, I will load/unload/help carry those bags for you for $5 tip"...) , then it costs you money/time/energy to do the extra work, or even wait for your customer to do so.

I only Uber for some extra money, and when I was a full-timer with Uber it was also about the money.

In the days before Thanksgiving, I did several, and even helped some carry bags up stairs. I was in a good mood, and didn't mind helping the people. Did not expect or receive tips.

On an average day, I will either avoid, or at best, wait in the car with the trunk popped.


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## forqalso (Jun 1, 2015)

I use grocery stores as my break room. Almost every time I stop at one for a drink or bathroom break, I'll get a ride in the lot. I could drive away for free or take their money to leave the area, as I was leaving anyway.


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## SanDiegoUberDriver (Jan 3, 2016)

itsablackmarket said:


> Uber doesn't allow you to decide what work take or reject, and they're going to be sued for it, soon. So to answer the question of this thread, there is no way to deal with it.


They DO allow you to decide what work to take or reject. You don't have the rotating clock on your Uber driver app that gives you about 4 to 5 seconds to make a decision ? I do and so does everyone else on this forum. If Uber was FORCING you to take a particular ride, they would simply assign it to you. I also have a "cancel - do not charge driver" option on my driver app - don't you ?

Grocery stores as a GENERAL rule result in lower fares. I drive in San Diego and our Gaslamp district has 300+ restaurants, bars, theatres, hotels and clubs. All in about a 30 block square area. I avoid driving there between about 7:30 PM and 11 PM. Why ? Because it is overwhelmingly folks going from dinner to the club, dinner to the theatre, hotel to a bar because they don't know the bar is only 300 yards away, chicks in high heels that don't want to walk 4 blocks in high heels bar hopping.

Once I drop someone off in the Gaslamp (and I LIVE in the Gaslamp), I turn off my app and high tail it out of there. If I get pinged before I get a chance to turn off the app, I ignore it. I will go back after 11 because that's when you get surge prices to bring the partiers home to their places in the suburbs. It's just strategic driving.

Avoiding grocery stores is usually smart, strategic driving.


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## HOUTXRon (Aug 23, 2015)

sellkatsell44 said:


> if someone helped me do something that isn't in their job description, I always thank them with something--if not a few dollars, than lunch, or orchids, or chocolates. heck...i've handed out pastries to consumer and business clients of mine and you have no idea how sweet they are to do the same. kindness goes a long way.


I agree that it is not in an uber driver's _job description_ to load and unload shit for people. It is supposed to be a rideshare experience not a cab service. I wonder whatever happened to common sense.

By and large, we are talking about cheapest of the cheap human beings here, that is, uber riders. Not sure about your market, but I am still waiting for my orchids and chocolate from the Rastafarian man dude who asked me to shove his muddy bicycle in my brand new SUV.


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

SanDiegoUberDriver said:


> Avoiding grocery stores is usually smart, strategic driving.


An exception to the rule is early morning or late night, when you're likely to get grocery clerks needing a ride home. They often live quite a ways from the store.


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## Uberring (Nov 7, 2015)

I don't really mind picking up pax from grocery stores with grocery ! because I don't even leave my car when I pick up a pax .
If they need the trunk i open for them while I am in my seat . If not they just hop in and that is all !
if they didn't like it this way the cancel trip option is there + the 1 star option is there as well .

and I would help if the pax is senior or disable , but never happened to me yet !!


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## cleansafepolite (Dec 14, 2015)

1 star...but i pick up in rich shopping areas...if it was blue collar or ghetto i would just cancell..im a nice guy but a saint i aint..i just dont dig parking lots with shopping carts and backing up traffic and loading and unloading for 2.85....im sorry.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Trebor said:


> Always avoid grocery stores.
> 
> When I get a commercial address, I do a simple google search to see what business i am looking for. If a store pops up, I am cancelling.
> 
> In Houston, we do not have cancel fees so it does not matter if we cancel in 5 min or not.


As I think you know, I'm in Houston. I don't drive much anymore but the last couple of times I did I had no no show cancels. The last I DID have has been a while but I did get paid for it and others when I emailed. They just didn't show up automatically.

Are we now not getting them even when we email?


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## LadyDi (Nov 29, 2015)

I had one Wal-Mart call and it was an elderly lady who was fairly new to Uber thanks to her GF that was an Uber driver. She had a few bags and it was cool. I helped load them in her doorway. Nice conversation and I felt good about helping her. Other than taking an employee there to work, haven't been near one and online yet. Dreading the lotta groceries run.


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## tohellwithu (Nov 30, 2014)

Every grocery store like Kroger, Walmart, Costco everything that sells groceries....coz its a plague that u always get 1*for not helping with their groceries if they live in second floor and u have to drop them rt in front of the ladder... This is my own experience and specially fat ass lady.....they will always hit u with 1*...


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## Trebor (Apr 22, 2015)

tohellwithu said:


> Every grocery store like Kroger, Walmart, Costco everything that sells groceries....coz its a plague that u always get 1*for not helping with their groceries if they live in second floor and u have to drop them rt in front of the ladder... This is my own experience and specially fat ass lady.....they will always hit u with 1*...


You should take this time to inform them their are companies that will deliver groceries. Amazon being a major one.


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## Casuale Haberdasher (Dec 7, 2014)

CityGirl said:


> Well...you can never tell...I picked up a lady from a grocery store near my house who had just grabbed lunch. She wanted to go out to a casino an hour away and pick up her parents AND bring them back, so I got a huge ride from that, over $100 net. Once I had someone with a few groceries, another time I had someone who had jogged too far and couldn't jog back, but it was his first Uber and now he calls me all the time for early airports, so you just never know.


POST # 13/CityGirl :That's MY kinda Gal!


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## UberXking (Oct 14, 2014)

You can tell. The odds are not in your favor. From experience and common sense it is cost prohibitive to pick up unless the surge rate puts you equal to or greater than a taxi. PERIOD


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