# Picking up in da 'hood/ghetto?



## upyouruber (Jul 24, 2017)

What's your opinion/experience? Do you do it? What city/area do you drive in?


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## day tripper yeah... (Dec 21, 2015)

never....also learned where not to pick up, to not get taken there ...it was always mega dead miles getting out of there too.....


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## Uberyouber (Jan 16, 2017)

Judging from news reports it seems to be a bad idea.


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## nickd8775 (Jul 12, 2015)

Nope.


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## Uber Crack (Jul 19, 2017)

I'm in Sacramento. Yes I go to any 'hood. I've always been pleasantly surprised. Yes it's scary as **** but cool once you get out alive.


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

I've been to a couple scary areas that I wasn't familiar with when I got the ping. But yes, I've dropped off in areas where I make sure to stay offline when I'm done with the ride.


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## day tripper yeah... (Dec 21, 2015)

Uber Crack said:


> I'm in Sacramento. Yes I go to any 'hood. I've always been pleasantly surprised. Yes it's scary as **** but cool once you get out alive.


TROLL ALERT!


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## Uber Crack (Jul 19, 2017)

day tripper yeah... said:


> TROLL ALERT!


Lol  I'm not a troll. I can honestly say that I've been in some sketchy neighborhoods several times. I work nights. The Pax themselves have been great. Polite. They call me ma'am. Most were going to/coming home from work. 
There are other issues in these areas aside from my Pax. These include debris in the road and people loitering. I always do a U turn and go out the same way I go in for my safety.


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

Why would a sane person go there of their own volition? Crime, and thus risk, increases exponentially in the ghetto. Every bit of available data confirms this. It doesn't pay any better, and it's almost never where the highest concentration of paying riders are. It's exposing yourself to more potential issues (from crime to car accidents where the other party is not insured), for nothing.

If this job required me to go there to find riders, I'd quit. If I do happen to go there to drop someone off (which is rare), I'm careful and get out as quickly as I can accepting no pings.



Uber Crack said:


> I'm in Sacramento. Yes I go to any 'hood. I've always been pleasantly surprised. Yes it's scary as **** but cool once you get out alive.


You're so progressive. <that's not a compliment>


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## Uber Crack (Jul 19, 2017)

swingset said:


> Why would a sane person go there of their own volition? Crime, and thus risk, increases exponentially in the ghetto. Every bit of available data confirms this. It doesn't pay any better, and it's almost never where the highest concentration of paying riders are. It's exposing yourself to more potential issues (from crime to car accidents where the other party is not insured), for nothing.
> 
> If this job required me to go there to find riders, I'd quit. If I do happen to go there to drop someone off (which is rare), I'm careful and get out as quickly as I can accepting no pings.
> 
> You're so progressive. <that's not a compliment>


I like people. All kinds. I've had more wealthy rude people in my uber than anyone I ever had to or from a 'hood. I'm not going to engage in a debate or listen to insults because that's a waste of my time. I was simply answering the topic about what I do.


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

Uber Crack said:


> I like people. All kinds. I've had more wealthy rude people in my uber than anyone I ever had to or from a 'hood. I'm not going to engage in a debate or listen to insults because that's a waste of my time. I was simply answering the topic about what I do.


You don't listen to insults in a written format, you read them, but I'm not leveling any. I think you're virtue signaling.

I said absolutely nothing about manners and what socio economic sector has superior ones.


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## Uber Crack (Jul 19, 2017)

swingset said:


> You don't listen to insults in a written format, you read them, but I'm not leveling any. I think you're virtue signaling.
> 
> I said absolutely nothing about manners and what socio economic sector has superior ones.


I apologize that my reply seemed aimed at you specifically. I should have added it to a general reply instead. I wasn't arguing with you. 
People / drivers should only do what they feel comfortable with in their environments.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

I dont risk it. Short distances, no tip, no surge and more risk.

Surviving life is a game of mitigating risk, live as you see fit.


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## Ezridax (Aug 3, 2017)

As a paramedic, I worked in some of the worst gang/ghetto areas of my county. On mobile crisis, we went into people's houses even in the ghetto. 

I may have been desensitized to fear of these places, or lost my good sense as some may say, but I'm not afraid to go anymore. I still have the option not to allow a pax in my car if Imnot feeling comfortable and I DO still have good perceptions about people specifically.


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## Uber_Yota_916 (May 1, 2017)

I bought a home in the hood. I will filter my pickups according to to their passenger rating. Never have a problem with ubers over 4.8. lyft's are another story.


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## Uber Crack (Jul 19, 2017)

steveK2016 said:


> I dont risk it. Short distances, no tip, no surge and more risk.
> 
> Surviving life is a game of mitigating risk, live as you see fit.


I took a player from a major league baseball team and got no tip. 
I took a very sketch character to a scary area and he gave me a $20.
My point here is, you can never generalize about who tips and who doesn't.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

Uber Crack said:


> I took a player from a major league baseball team and got no tip.
> I took a very sketch character to a scary area and he gave me a $20.
> My point here is, you can never generalize about who tips and who doesn't.


I sure can in my area wyen ive taken 1700+ tips and never gotten one from the ghetto. I only drive bar scene nights, if i recall correctly from a previous post, you lean more towards day time. Day time may be relatively docine in the hood but come 1am and full of liquor?

Again, mitigating risk...


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## Uber Crack (Jul 19, 2017)

steveK2016 said:


> I sure can in my area wyen ive taken 1700+ tips and never gotten one from the ghetto. I only drive bar scene nights, if i recall correctly from a previous post, you lean more towards day time. Day time may be relatively docine in the hood but come 1am and full of liquor?
> 
> Again, mitigating risk...


I drive nights... Over 1000 late night trips. Maybe my area is different from your area. My rides into and out of lower income areas have usually been to take Pax to work or home from work. I came to the conclusion that one reason was because there is no public transportation available between 4-5 am. Usually drunk Pax going home from bars /clubs at 2 am aren't going to the 'hood. Some employees example dishwashers, from late night restaurants may be though.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

upyouruber said:


> What's your opinion/experience? Do you do it? What city/area do you drive in?





upyouruber said:


> What's your opinion/experience? Do you do it? What city/area do you drive in?


There's a lot of biz in the hood, if you are willing to drive there. Most of your rides won't be gansta's, just lower income people trying to get to work, and what not, they need rides just like anyone else. I've picked up there a number of times and found it to be uneventful. When I drove for Yellow, that was scary because everyone knew we were carrying cash. With Uber, every move is tracked and on a CC card, and so you are less likely to invite trouble than if you were driving a taxi.


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## Brian G. (Jul 5, 2016)

It's simple take your own risk. I know I wouldn't pick up in the less desirable areas of Boston at night because I don't carry a weapon and or have a safety plastic divider between the pax and I. I do only drive during day light hours so picking up in the less desirable areas are cool with me. We aren't paid enough to deal with thugs, hoes and or low lifes but these corp thugs in southie (South Boston where young Financial riders live) are just as bad even though they have no record.


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## westsidebum (Feb 7, 2015)

I have a lot of rides under my belt. Not saying how many cause I could get i.d. cause there are not a lot of us left. When I started I would drop off in low income areas and turn off app not because I was afraid of crime but because there was less demand. I still do same thing in wealthy suburban areas. I don't want to get sucked deeper into low demand, areas particularly if it's up in the hills like Malibu with longer pickup times. Now with rates much lower there is more demand in poorer areas. The rides tend to be shorter but the driving is good because in older parts of city there is nice grid layout which is easy to navigate. I go to inner city areas,when I want short rides to get my bonus. The people are pleasant. Never had a problem or felt threatened. They are helping me make money. Yes I have a college degree, but right now driving for lyft I cant look down on anyone cause I make less, than the dishwashers I give rides to in the hood. I feel more solidarity now like we are all in the struggle. I would add that my city is gentrifying so quickly there really are very few hardcore bad areas. I'm taking everybody everywhere and doing same with pickups.


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## Terri Lee (Jun 23, 2016)

I gained a skill called "street sense" when....well it doesn't matter when, or where. But trust me I earned it.

So, I take these pickups on a case by case basis.

My basic advice would be embrace your fear and trust your gut.


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## Brian G. (Jul 5, 2016)

Terri Lee said:


> I gained a skill called "street sense" when....well it doesn't matter when, or where. But trust me I earned it.
> 
> So, I take these pickups on a case by case basis.
> 
> My basic advice would be embrace your fear and trust your gut.


It's not about fear bud it's about commonsense. Why pick up where most cabbies like to stay away from. It's not gonna cost much in gas to get out of those less desirable areas to those longer and or less problem riders.


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## westsidebum (Feb 7, 2015)

The best way to stay out of,trouble is to just focus on your task which is just,to give people rides and focus on taking them where they want to go and be courteous and professional about it. Don't try to be a boy scout or a cop. Dont judge or argue. If you have an unpleasant ride the safest revenge is to flag the pax...dont confront them or try to manage the,situation.


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## Brian G. (Jul 5, 2016)

westsidebum said:


> The best way to stay out of,trouble is to just focus on your task which is just,to give people rides and focus on taking them where they want to go and be courteous and professional about it. Don't try to be a boy scout or a cop. Dont judge or argue. If you have an unpleasant ride the safest revenge is to flag the pax...dont confront them or try to manage the,situation.


Screw that kick them out if they give you lip!! Dashcam and zero tolerance for bs riders bye.


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## westsidebum (Feb 7, 2015)

Brian G. said:


> It's not about fear bud it's about commonsense. Why pick up where most cabbies like to stay away from. It's not gonna cost much in gas to get out of those less desirable areas to those longer and or less problem riders.


The,woman who hacked a driver to death was white and the location was not in the hood. I'm guessing she would have been a less problem rider?


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## Bevital (Mar 9, 2017)

The hood in Albuquerque is nothing like say Chicago, Detroit, South Central L.A. but here's what I have found. More than half almost three quarters of all my requests for pickups in "the war zone" (what they call the hood here) wind up being no shows. Not sure why. I get paid every time. I normally don't target this area, but if I have a drop off, I usually leave my app on, because I know, most likely it will be a cancel and I get paid just for showing up. The ones that do turn out to be actual fares, are usually old people, or others without cars trying to get to work.


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## UBERPROcolorado (Jul 16, 2017)

I feel for all that have to deal with the ghetto, especially at night. Denver really doesn't have any ghettos left. Mass gentrification fixed that. Be careful. No amount of $$$ is worth the risk!


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## Nick781 (Dec 7, 2014)

Just bump rap music and nod your head to it and you'll fit in,



Brian G. said:


> It's simple take your own risk. I know I wouldn't pick up in the less desirable areas of Boston at night because I don't carry a weapon and or have a safety plastic divider between the pax and I. I do only drive during day light hours so picking up in the less desirable areas are cool with me. We aren't paid enough to deal with thugs, hoes and or low lifes but these corp thugs in southie (South Boston where young Financial riders live) are just as bad even though they have no record.


I been driving in Southie alot, I like it. I mean not the snobs I pick up but the people visiting the bars from other areas or picking up the bartenders/workers. I picked up a cop today from a bar in southie its her first year had a nice chat but you are right some are worse than people in the ghetto.



UBERPROcolorado said:


> I feel for all that have to deal with the ghetto, especially at night. Denver really doesn't have any ghettos left. Mass gentrification fixed that. Be careful. No amount of $$$ is worth the risk!


I've driven in the worst parts a few times its not that bad, usually its young girls/guys who need rides but don't want to walk for obvious reasons. Never had a situation that made me feel unsafe. The reality is risk is everywhere, it can strike you in the suburbs. We never know. The only thing that sucks is even young kids are dangerous nowadays. For example teens carry guns nowadays and use it to rob people frequently, so you can think your good but than your robbed. This happened in Boston by a group of 2-3 teens where they robbed at least two Uber drivers other sources say more not sure if it is the same or not can't remember. Some sources also say they hit the drivers. The reality is plenty of people still drive in the ghettos. I don't mind unless it is a really bad area for example Mattapan in Boston, is one of the worst neighborhoods when it comes to crime. Do your research and your good.


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## Woohaa (Jan 15, 2017)

people's fear and stereotyping cause them to refuse to go to places where they've had absolutely no problem. They imagine the worst of the worst based on nothing but hearsay and rumor.

I've dropped off in "the hood" and picked up in "the hood" with zero problems. It's actually where I go to complete PDBs when I have the time to do them since so many drivers actively avoid that part of town so there isn't much competition to complete PDBs there.

Bit if I'm not doing PDB then I rarely hit those areas since it doesn't hit high PT often enough.


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## uberRog (Jul 1, 2017)

I've done a number of dropoffs in the hood without incident. There are a lot of pretty sketchy areas in the ATL, so it's pretty hard to avoid unless you are really trying. However, I usually go offline and drive back to a reasonably "safe" part of town before accepting another trip. I'm not inherently afraid to be there, I just don't care to increase my odds of trouble by staying there all day.


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## chamomiami (Jan 23, 2015)

as i know from an article ... the reason why Uber dont show the destination prior to p/u is to avoid the driver option to decline any bad area that taxis refuse to go before... thats an way of uber to manipulate that but we as a humans that worries for our integrity figure out call the pax sometimes to know the destination in advance


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## JimKE (Oct 28, 2016)

Ezridax said:


> As a paramedic, I worked in some of the worst gang/ghetto areas of my county. On mobile crisis, we went into people's houses even in the ghetto.
> 
> I may have been desensitized to fear of these places, or lost my good sense as some may say, but I'm not afraid to go anymore. I still have the option not to allow a pax in my car if Imnot feeling comfortable and I DO still have good perceptions about people specifically.


I've spent a LOT of time in the hood, both as a police officer (working alone the vast majority of the time) and on rescue trucks. Going there as an Uber driver is very, very different.

I go to various hoods all the time, but I drive about 75% daytime and no late nights. I have no problem going to the worst of the worst areas in the morning. I know the areas, I know what to look for, I have a finely-tuned danger awareness, and I know what to do if a problem arises (No, I'm not armed.).

And I know from experience that 90% of the people who live in high-crime areas are good people, no matter what race they might be. They're the victims, not the bad guys.

I also know better than to go to those areas in the late afternoon or at night. I would do it as a cop or with rescue without hesitation -- but not as an Uber driver.



chamomiami said:


> as i know from an article ... the reason why Uber dont show the destination prior to p/u is to avoid the driver option to decline any bad area that taxis refuse to go before... thats an way of uber to manipulate that but we as a humans that worries for our integrity figure out call the pax sometimes to know the destination in advance


That's actually just Uber's PR BS, groveling to political correctness. The real reason they don't show us destinations is they want us to accept all rides to make the system more reliable and efficient. They don't want us only taking long rides when pax are requesting short rides.


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## dirtylee (Sep 2, 2015)

upyouruber said:


> What's your opinion/experience? Do you do it? What city/area do you drive in?


Nope.


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

My favorite rationale for exposing yourself to increased risk is "I've been doing it for years and I've never had a bad experience".

Lol. As if that negates the risk? "Sure, I eat nothing but sugar and carbs and vastly too much of it, but I've never had a heart attack!"

"I've been banging sketchy prostitutes for over 12 years and I haven't caught any fatal infectious diseases!"

I just have to shake my head at people's ability to rationalize bad decisions. It's pretty amazing, really.

Or, the grand poobah of head-in-sand misunderstanding of statistical data: "Yeah, but crime happens in good neighborhoods".

Uh.....

No one ever said it didn't. Odds, how does they work? Like magnets apparently...it's a miracle.

There's no getting around the reality of it. Ghettos expose you to a greater chance of crime. And, those areas tend to be awash in other problems at a greater statistical likelihood than more affluent neighborhoods. More car accidents. Less drivers with insurance. More drug use. More con/scam artists. It's not racial, it's socio-economic. Yes, it's stereotyping to avoid these neighborhoods. Just as realty companies, pizza-delivery, and money-handling institutions routinely and openly refuse to service them. Risk avoidance requires profiling.

Most people, instinctively, avoid the ghetto because they're risk averse.

That's why people with good jobs and a growing family don't relocate to the ghetto, folks. It's not a good place to be, and your odds go up the more you spend time there of being caught in a bad situation.

I worked in a bad part of town for 20+ years, and hated every second of it. I saw a lot of bad stuff, and thankfully never got hurt or caught up in it directly, but my car was broken into numerous times, our shop robbed repeatedly, panhandlers/con artists were in our face routinely, and even when things were good, it was a soul-sucking gross place to work. I can't think of a single good reason to service these areas, if you care about your car or your well being.

It's foolish, frankly. If you want to be foolish, awesome, don't encourage others to be.


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## Tommy Vercetti (Aug 28, 2016)

Ezridax said:


> As a paramedic, I worked in some of the worst gang/ghetto areas of my county. On mobile crisis, we went into people's houses even in the ghetto.
> 
> I may have been desensitized to fear of these places, or lost my good sense as some may say, but I'm not afraid to go anymore. I still have the option not to allow a pax in my car if Imnot feeling comfortable and I DO still have good perceptions about people specifically.


When you said "as a paramedic", it occurred to me that firefighters and paramedics would be exempt from any issues right? I mean you're only helping out the people of that particular neighborhood right? I would think you guys would get a green light no?


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## Dchap08 (Jul 29, 2017)

Drop off because sometimes you get stuck, but then turn that shit off and get outta dodge. Too many low star ghetto rides already. 
Bad enough picking up tweakers from my home area.


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## JimKE (Oct 28, 2016)

Tommy Vercetti said:


> When you said "as a paramedic", it occurred to me that firefighters and paramedics would be exempt from any issues right? I mean you're only helping out the people of that particular neighborhood right? I would think you guys would get a green light no?


Generally...but not always. Believe it or not, police get a generally positive response in the hood. It's actually unusual for anybody to show their ass.

Rescue, even moreso. They rarely have problems in the hood -- but they ARE a symbol of authority/government, and every once in a while they get a bad reception.

One huge difference between police/rescue and Uber is that the first responders carry radios that they can scream into and the entire Western world will respond in seconds. Uber drivers call 911, and get "Your call is very important to us..."


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## Uber Crack (Jul 19, 2017)

swingset said:


> My favorite rationale for exposing yourself to increased risk is "I've been doing it for years and I've never had a bad experience".
> 
> Lol. As if that negates the risk? "Sure, I eat nothing but sugar and carbs and vastly too much of it, but I've never had a heart attack!"
> 
> ...


That was VERY well written. I'm still going to go into hoods though but, as I did before, I will continue to be very careful and aware of my environment. I think some people feel more comfortable with it than others and also I think some hoods are more dangerous than others. What I've learned on this forum is that a lot of our experiences are very different depending on where we live etc. Contributions like this one I just read of yours add value to forums like this. Thank you.


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## Leo1983 (Jul 3, 2017)

upyouruber said:


> What's your opinion/experience? Do you do it? What city/area do you drive in?


I don't generally work in the hood but I do drive by sometimes throwing subway• sandwiches and condoms at the youth.



Oscar Levant said:


> There's a lot of biz in the hood, if you are willing to drive there. Most of your rides won't be gansta's, just lower income people trying to get to work, and what not, they need rides just like anyone else. I've picked up there a number of times and found it to be uneventful. When I drove for Yellow, that was scary because everyone knew we were carrying cash. With Uber, every move is tracked and on a CC card, and so you are less likely to invite trouble than if you were driving a taxi.


It only takes one time. Low class people are often poor and desperate.


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## MadTownUberD (Mar 11, 2017)

The ghettos in Madison are pretty tame compared to those in bigger cities, and I've never had a problem or even close to a problem. That said, I am hesitant to do pickups in the half dozen or so neighborhoods which tend in that direction. Dropoffs are another thing altogether...can't really avoid them unless you want to risk being DA'd. 

I started a thread about getting a 1* in which I explained how my hesitance to go around to the back of an apartment building in the dark probably got me down rated. I'll bet the pax could feel the rage building inside her as I tried in vain to drop her off just at the entrance of the parking lot, then a little further in, then just around the back corner...


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## Uber Crack (Jul 19, 2017)

MadTownUberD said:


> The ghettos in Madison are pretty tame compared to those in bigger cities, and I've never had a problem or even close to a problem. That said, I am hesitant to do pickups in the half dozen or so neighborhoods which tend in that direction. Dropoffs are another thing altogether...can't really avoid them unless you want to risk being DA'd.
> 
> I started a thread about getting a 1* in which I explained how my hesitance to go around to the back of an apartment building in the dark probably got me down rated. I'll bet the pax could feel the rage building inside her as I tried in vain to drop her off just at the entrance of the parking lot, then a little further in, then just around the back corner...


I think possibly because I'm a woman, I always try to drop women off at their door and watch them get inside safely. I usually tell them that as they're getting out so that they don't think Im creepy, and most of them really appreciate it and thank me for doing that. Even at apartments when I could drop them at the gate, I always offer to take them right to their apt. I know some paranoid people don't want you to know exactly where they live and if that's the case I don't push it.


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## Nick781 (Dec 7, 2014)

Uber Crack said:


> I think possibly because I'm a woman, I always try to drop women off at their door and watch them get inside safely. I usually tell them that as they're getting out so that they don't think Im creepy, and most of them really appreciate it and thank me for doing that. Even at apartments when I could drop them at the gate, I always offer to take them right to their apt. I know some paranoid people don't want you to know exactly where they live and if that's the case I don't push it.


Yea I've thought about that like letting girls know maybe... "I'll wait until you get inside, I know its late" or such. But never have done that.


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## Uber Crack (Jul 19, 2017)

Nick781 said:


> Yea I've thought about that like letting girls know maybe... "I'll wait until you get inside, I know its late" or such. But never have done that.


Do it. I think you'll find most appreciate it.


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## upyouruber (Jul 24, 2017)

swingset said:


> My favorite rationale for exposing yourself to increased risk is "I've been doing it for years and I've never had a bad experience".
> 
> Lol. As if that negates the risk? "Sure, I eat nothing but sugar and carbs and vastly too much of it, but I've never had a heart attack!"
> 
> ...


Very informative response!


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## driverx.nj (May 15, 2017)

Uber Crack said:


> I took a player from a major league baseball team and got no tip.
> I took a very sketch character to a scary area and he gave me a $20.
> My point here is, you can never generalize about who tips and who doesn't.


So true, my best tips have come from people who DID NOT live in Mansions or who were NOT Flying First Class.


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## UberLaLa (Sep 6, 2015)

Was on an LAX DF last week. App pings me on the 110 Frwy into Compton 8 minutes away...I know this is an LAX pickup for certain reason. Chose to take it and there was a Canadian dude with no luggage smoking a cig with two homeless guys.

Turns out he had been arrested at LAX the night before for _Drunk In Public_ and tossed into a South Central jail, where he had just been released from and called Uber for his new flight. Freakin' LAXpd....lol


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

The hood isn't as bad as people think it is.
(and honestly a runner is about only twice as bad as a no-show for a taxi)

Depending on how well the taxis are wired up and how wise the drivers are, people know better than to shake down a cab driver here.

The locals know that most of the cabbies willing to go to the hood are a minority of the drivers and they know not to screw with them. They also know that the most $ they will get off a driver is $50 or so, like I said, for the minority who will go to the hood, they are smart enough to know how to pretend to only have $40 in cash or so.

Me personally I have a second wallet with $100 in "motion picture" money and an expired drivers license, my old blockbuster card and some other crap...


The last armed robbery out here ended in $50 to the thug and they caught her in like 10 days.


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## RideshareSpectrum (May 12, 2017)

I ride the algorithm where it takes me. Thats what DF is for so I fear not dead miles and always make my way back home.. Plus I live in the hood and that's where you get the most tips. Street smart drivers know whats up.


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## Soullust (Jan 29, 2015)

I go there a the time because that's where I live lol


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## Statia (Jan 19, 2017)

westsidebum said:


> The,woman who hacked a driver to death was white and the location was not in the hood. I'm guessing she would have been a less problem rider?


And she was a kid


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## Nick781 (Dec 7, 2014)

Yes kids are more scary nowadays than adults. Even in the hood, kids from 13-17 have guns now and are willing to use it.


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## Statia (Jan 19, 2017)

Nick781 said:


> Yes kids are more scary nowadays than adults. Even in the hood kids from 13-17 have guns now and are willing to use it.


Hood kids? Is that what you call children that come from lower income neighborhoods?


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## Nick781 (Dec 7, 2014)

Statia said:


> Hood kids? Is that what you call children that come from lower income neighborhoods?


No it wasn't supposed to be read "hood kids" I didn't put a comma lol


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## Statia (Jan 19, 2017)

Nick781 said:


> No it wasn't supposed to be read "hood kids" I didn't put a comma lol


Lol.


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## Nick781 (Dec 7, 2014)

Statia said:


> Lol.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Statia said:


> Hood kids? Is that what you call children that come from lower income neighborhoods?


You never heard of "HOODIES"?
Hood is just short for NeighborHOOD.
" its a beautiful day in the NeighborHOOD
A beautiful day if you feeling good
Would you be my
Could you be my HOODIE"?



Statia said:


> Hood kids? Is that what you call children that come from lower income neighborhoods?


You never watch MR.ROBINSONS NEIGHBORHOOD when you were coming up ?
( Eddie Murphy used to play Mr. Robinson.)


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## kdyrpr (Apr 23, 2016)

Uber Crack said:


> Do it. I think you'll find most appreciate it.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Leo1983 said:


> I don't generally work in the hood but I do drive by sometimes throwing subway• sandwiches and condoms at the youth.
> 
> It only takes one time. Low class people are often poor and desperate.


Well
If you walk into a bar
And theres a big basket of Condoms on the bar
The HEALTH UNIT PUT THEM THERE FOR A REASON !
( it could be a hint )


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## Fubernuber (Jan 15, 2017)

upyouruber said:


> What's your opinion/experience? Do you do it? What city/area do you drive in?


I would pick up in the hood but black passengers love to rate me low for being very white, blonde, blue eyed and witj foreign accent. They must be those blacks for trump we see on tv sometimes? I just turn off in the hood or cancel if i get a low rated lequisha. Worst part is i know they rating me low for being white. I also know that black drivers get lower rating for being black. Indians for being indian.......d.o.j. needs to step in. Drivers are subject to racial bias thanks to ubers ratings


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Nick781 said:


> Yes kids are more scary nowadays than adults. Even in the hood, kids from 13-17 have guns now and are willing to use it.


Lids can murder you
Carjack you
And get out at 21 with a SEALED RECORD.


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## Nick781 (Dec 7, 2014)

Leo1983 said:


> I don't generally work in the hood but I do drive by sometimes throwing subway• sandwiches and condoms at the youth.
> 
> It only takes one time. Low class people are often poor and desperate.


Typically ignorant response assuming the people in the hood accept subway sandwiches as food and condoms as a way to stopping unplanned pregnancies


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## Alison Chains (Aug 18, 2017)

Not that we have much of a 'hood here but, if you give me a choice between a hood pickup and a trailer park, you can bet your last quarter that my lily-white, foreign-sounding ass will take the hood call every day and night of the week.


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## LA_Native (Apr 17, 2017)

swingset said:


> You don't listen to insults in a written format, you read them...


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## Cableguynoe (Feb 14, 2017)

Uber Crack said:


> I always try to drop women off at their door *and watch them get inside safely*.


This is also a good way to check her out without her knowing I'm a creep


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## Leo1983 (Jul 3, 2017)

Nick781 said:


> Typically ignorant response assuming the people in the hood accept subway sandwiches as food and condoms as a way to stopping unplanned pregnancies


It was a joke. I throw in n out.


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## Uber Crack (Jul 19, 2017)

tohunt4me said:


> Lids can murder you
> Carjack you
> And get out at 21 with a SEALED RECORD.


Are they called "lids" cuz the records are... sealed?


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## freeFromUber (Mar 1, 2016)

swingset said:


> Why would a sane person go there of their own volition? Crime, and thus risk, increases exponentially in the ghetto. Every bit of available data confirms this. It doesn't pay any better, and it's almost never where the highest concentration of paying riders are. It's exposing yourself to more potential issues (from crime to car accidents where the other party is not insured), for nothing.
> 
> If this job required me to go there to find riders, I'd quit. If I do happen to go there to drop someone off (which is rare), I'm careful and get out as quickly as I can accepting no pings.
> 
> You're so progressive. <that's not a compliment>


The only thing he suffers from is an extreme amount of common sense.


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## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

Yes

Its lower-middle-class and lower-upper-class areas that give you trouble



Brian G. said:


> It's not about fear bud it's about commonsense. Why pick up where most cabbies like to stay away from. It's not gonna cost much in gas to get out of those less desirable areas to those longer and or less problem riders.


Surge and need.

Ghetto dont have JOBS there... yet a lot of people still work. And, being on the poorer end of the spectrum, have car trouble more often.

Meanwhile, many drivers avoid the area... so, surge.

Its sort of like "why bother with the stress of airport pickups?" --- because theres long surge rides in there


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## Androidcoder (Mar 27, 2017)

Nick781 said:


> Yes kids are more scary nowadays than adults. Even in the hood, kids from 13-17 have guns now and are willing to use it.


I had just made a City Works UberEats pickup on Hennipen Ave in downtown Minneapolis about 900PM one night where a group of black males, ages around 15, surrounded my bike, with one bouncing a basketball going around me and my bike real close. The more I ignored him the closer he got. As a result of political correctness police can no longer do preemptive measures and the boldness of intimidation and crime, including broad daylight assaults, has skyrocketed downtown. See 'A Town Turned Mean: What happened to downtown Minneapolis?' in City Pages here http://www.citypages.com/news/a-town-turned-mean-what-happened-to-downtown-minneapolis/431137653. Thugs in training are immune from any real consequences that might face adults, and they know it. I don't think drivers (or bikers) can afford to ignore reality.


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## Bluebird97 (Jul 12, 2017)

I drive in Metro Detroit. Trying to stay away from the bad areas is a major challenge. Even when I start out 50 miles West of the city in a wealthy area, I can guarantee I'll be pulled right back to Detroit at least a couple of times per day. I drop off a lot of pax there, but I generally don't hang around. Boarded up houses, burned down houses, everything is an overgrown mess, and when I drive through some of these neighborhoods, it's like the residents can smell new blood that doesn't belong there. I get evil stares, and that's when the app goes off and I "nope" the heck outta there.


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## Nick781 (Dec 7, 2014)

Leo1983 said:


> It was a joke. I throw in n out.


Now that is very generous. You have my respect.


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## MattChance (Aug 26, 2017)

I am torn on this, because I think "bad neighborhoods" have mostly been ingrained in us by what the news tells us, or people we know. How can the neighborhoods ever turn things around if all they get is "bad press"? In my state, "bad" neighborhoods are traveled by business people as main thoroughfares all day to get to work. So why would it be any different at night? I am trying hard to remember that Uber will suggest anything nearby whether I like it or not, and I should probably get over any preconceived notions about certain neighborhoods if I want steady work rather than sporadic. There are a lot easier ways to rob someone than getting into a car with them.

The airport in my area is surrounded by mostly run down housing, but there are bright spots to the area, and reasons worth visiting when I am not driving for Uber. Because you are eventually going to drop someone off at the airport if you are an Uber driver, then you are guaranteed to get a ride offer from the areas that already look creepy during the daytime (nighttime doesn't do them much favors). So when I first started driving, I was split-second judging the street that would pop up and decide whether to ignore it, but then I started thinking about the person standing out on the street just waiting and hoping someone would come by (because I am doing early AM pickups, and not many drivers are out in my area to begin with). If I was the one on the other end looking at my phone, I wouldn't like that feeling of knowing people are purposely avoiding my street.

As a new driver, being thrilled to take any job has quickly shown me that I was wrong to fall into the trap of worrying about where a pickup was. Thus far, every one I have picked up from a neighborhood I pre-judged has been perfectly normal, nice, and was just needing a ride to work. Afterward I would always feel like a jerk for even thinking negatively about someone I haven't even met. In my experience, the people in the underserved lower income neighborhoods seem extremely grateful that someone did care enough to come.


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## canyon (Dec 22, 2015)

Uber Crack said:


> I like people. All kinds. I've had more wealthy rude people in my uber than anyone I ever had to or from a 'hood. I'm not going to engage in a debate or listen to insults because that's a waste of my time. I was simply answering the topic about what I do.


Are you liberal?


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

MattChance said:


> I am torn on this, because I think "bad neighborhoods" have mostly been ingrained in us by what the news tells us, or people we know. How can the neighborhoods ever turn things around if all they get is "bad press"? In my state, "bad" neighborhoods are traveled by business people as main thoroughfares all day to get to work. So why would it be any different at night? I am trying hard to remember that Uber will suggest anything nearby whether I like it or not, and I should probably get over any preconceived notions about certain neighborhoods if I want steady work rather than sporadic. There are a lot easier ways to rob someone than getting into a car with them.
> 
> The airport in my area is surrounded by mostly run down housing, but there are bright spots to the area, and reasons worth visiting when I am not driving for Uber. Because you are eventually going to drop someone off at the airport if you are an Uber driver, then you are guaranteed to get a ride offer from the areas that already look creepy during the daytime (nighttime doesn't do them much favors). So when I first started driving, I was split-second judging the street that would pop up and decide whether to ignore it, but then I started thinking about the person standing out on the street just waiting and hoping someone would come by (because I am doing early AM pickups, and not many drivers are out in my area to begin with). If I was the one on the other end looking at my phone, I wouldn't like that feeling of knowing people are purposely avoiding my street.
> 
> As a new driver, being thrilled to take any job has quickly shown me that I was wrong to fall into the trap of worrying about where a pickup was. Thus far, every one I have picked up from a neighborhood I pre-judged has been perfectly normal, nice, and was just needing a ride to work. Afterward I would always feel like a jerk for even thinking negatively about someone I haven't even met. In my experience, the people in the underserved lower income neighborhoods seem extremely grateful that someone did care enough to come.


Again, because this is super important when anecdotes counter common sense:

Your likelihood of being involved in bad stuff goes up exponentially in poor and high crime areas. I'm sorry that it's that way, but you can't argue with the FBI's uniform crime data, or your local law enforcement crime statistics, or the actuarial tables. They're not a conspiracy.

And, your experience with pax may be stereo-type shattering, and that's wonderful - but it's only a PART of the risks you face in these neighborhoods. Accident rates are higher, drivers with unsafe and uninsured vehicles is higher. Drunk and impaired drivers are higher, incidents of robbery (when you have to sit still or get out of your car, or gas up, or go into a convenience store to pee) are higher. Rates of road rage and indiscriminate personal violence are higher.

Them's the facts, and there's more at stake than your feel goods about doing right by the poor folk. The way these neighborhoods can help themselves is by not killing each other, engaging in drug and gang trades, and not robbing and causing problems for anyone dumb enough to set up shop in their neighborhoods. Which, frankly, never happens. What is a for certain is that the proven way to clean up a neighborhood like that is to gentrify it and chase out the bad elements with higher prices and rents. And, that's another unfortunate reality that isn't going to change.


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## Kalee (Feb 18, 2015)

westsidebum said:


> I have a lot of rides under my belt. Not saying how many cause I could get i.d. cause there are not a lot of us left. When I started I would drop off in low income areas and turn off app not because I was afraid of crime but because there was less demand. I still do same thing in wealthy suburban areas. I don't want to get sucked deeper into low demand, areas particularly if it's up in the hills like Malibu with longer pickup times. Now with rates much lower there is more demand in poorer areas. The rides tend to be shorter but the driving is good because in older parts of city there is nice grid layout which is easy to navigate. I go to inner city areas,when I want short rides to get my bonus. The people are pleasant. Never had a problem or felt threatened. They are helping me make money. Yes I have a college degree, but right now driving for lyft I cant look down on anyone cause I make less, than the dishwashers I give rides to in the hood. I feel more solidarity now like we are all in the struggle. I would add that my city is gentrifying so quickly there really are very few hardcore bad areas. I'm taking everybody everywhere and doing same with pickups.


What do you do to prevent bedbugs and cockroaches that are coming into your vehicle via pax?



Alison Chains said:


> Not that we have much of a 'hood here but, if you give me a choice between a hood pickup and a trailer park, you can bet your last quarter that my lily-white, foreign-sounding ass will take the hood call every day and night of the week.


Not me ... I'll take the trailer park pickup over the ghetto pickup.

I would rather take a hit to the head by a red Solo cup than a bullet - any day.


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## LAbDog65 (Nov 29, 2016)

I drive a lot at night and in my area the ghetto and upper class can be a matter of a few blocks. I have had good and bad pax in both. I will get out of ghetto area fast after a drop off though.


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## Uber Crack (Jul 19, 2017)

MattChance said:


> I am torn on this, because I think "bad neighborhoods" have mostly been ingrained in us by what the news tells us, or people we know. How can the neighborhoods ever turn things around if all they get is "bad press"? In my state, "bad" neighborhoods are traveled by business people as main thoroughfares all day to get to work. So why would it be any different at night? I am trying hard to remember that Uber will suggest anything nearby whether I like it or not, and I should probably get over any preconceived notions about certain neighborhoods if I want steady work rather than sporadic. There are a lot easier ways to rob someone than getting into a car with them.
> 
> The airport in my area is surrounded by mostly run down housing, but there are bright spots to the area, and reasons worth visiting when I am not driving for Uber. Because you are eventually going to drop someone off at the airport if you are an Uber driver, then you are guaranteed to get a ride offer from the areas that already look creepy during the daytime (nighttime doesn't do them much favors). So when I first started driving, I was split-second judging the street that would pop up and decide whether to ignore it, but then I started thinking about the person standing out on the street just waiting and hoping someone would come by (because I am doing early AM pickups, and not many drivers are out in my area to begin with). If I was the one on the other end looking at my phone, I wouldn't like that feeling of knowing people are purposely avoiding my street.
> 
> As a new driver, being thrilled to take any job has quickly shown me that I was wrong to fall into the trap of worrying about where a pickup was. Thus far, every one I have picked up from a neighborhood I pre-judged has been perfectly normal, nice, and was just needing a ride to work. Afterward I would always feel like a jerk for even thinking negatively about someone I haven't even met. In my experience, the people in the underserved lower income neighborhoods seem extremely grateful that someone did care enough to come.


I really enjoyed reading that. Thank you.


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## Brandon3456 (Oct 14, 2017)

Cableguynoe said:


> This is also a good way to check her out without her knowing I'm a creep


Im pretty sure they can still tell you are a creep. If they live in the hood. They are pretty used to what goes on there. lol



Uber Crack said:


> Are they called "lids" cuz the records are... sealed?


kids, underage. Get their records sealed, and get out when they grow up.


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Out here in Orlando...

On a busy night working the hood will lower your earnings from amazing to mediocre

On a slow night working the hood will raise your earnings from terrible to Mediocre


I've also had less trouble in ALL of the hoods of Orlando put together than in a 4 block stretch of downtown Orlando where all the clubs are.


I won't go out of the way to work the hood, but i won't turn down fares in the hoof if that's where I happen to be.


I will also say that the hood has saved some of my nights, especially in the off season.


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## mark_mark (Aug 26, 2017)

nothing good comes from the hood 

uber in the hood, nope, rather be in the woods


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## LA_Native (Apr 17, 2017)

Kalee said:


> What do you do to prevent bedbugs and cockroaches that are coming into your vehicle via pax?


The only thing I think you can do to minimize transferring them into your place is steam clean TF outta your interior.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> people know better than to shake down a cab driver here.
> 
> The locals know that most of the cabbies willing to go to the hood are a minority of the drivers and they know not to screw with them


It is getting to that point, here. All of the recent cab driver robberies here have been part of a string of them. Every time that you rob a driver, it increases the odds of your getting caught. What has happened, here, is that hardly anyone pays for a cab with cash, any more. Thus, the thug gets only ten to twenty dollars from the driver he robs. That is not enough for him, so he must rob another driver. He keeps it up until he gets what he wants, but the odds of his being caught have increased geometrically and he does get popped.

One evening, I picked up this lady near the downtown. She gave me an address in Mayfair-Parkside, which was a pretty bad area, In fact, it had become so bad and the police had failed so miserably in doing anything about it, that the local Nation of Islam went in there and were patrolling it. I was not to worried about her, but was worried about what might be waiting for me when I got there. We got there, she paid me, gave me a dollar tip and started to open the door. Four young men were standing there. One finished opening the door for her, greeted her by name, and got in, followed by three of the others in the back and one in the front. Out of nowhere, these two guys in bowties appeared at both front windows. It went something like "How is everybody doing this evening?; where are we going, gentleman; pay the driver now and we know who you are, so we'd better not be hearing about this cab driver on the Ten O'Clock News. You know why cab drivers won't come to this side of the river." They "yes sir-ed" the guys in the bowties and paid me before we went. They went to a rough area, but when we got there, they got out and went down the street.



Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> On a slow night working the hood will raise your earnings from terrible to Mediocre I won't go out of the way to work the hood, but i won't turn down fares in the hoof if that's where I happen to be. I will also say that the hood has saved some of my nights, especially in the off season.


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

When I was an official of a company, politics sometimes went funny. Every official or even dispatcher would have his turn in the proverbial barrel. This meant that you got booted out of the office, out of the radio room and were left to drive your cab. There was this time when it was my turn in the proverbial barrel. The management that had taken over tolerated corruption in the radio room to the point where the Six A.M. to Noon shift was a total wash seven days per week. If you did not pay, you got nothing decent. If you were lucky, you got mostly mediocre. If you were not, your whole morning was ruined with garbage jobs and you had to work a few extra hours to make up for it. You would run the street as much as you could, since at least if you found garbage there, it was strictly random as opposed to deliberate. Further, you had a better chance of getting gold on the street than from the radio when the crooks were allowed.

One morning, shortly after I went into the proverbial barrel, the dispatcher gave me a job that took me across the river. He thought that he was being funny. It was strictly revenge, as I crimped his style when I was in the office. I dropped off the customer, and, realising that METRObus service stunk over there (and still does), I headed for a main street. Soon, my cab was full (we did not have meters, then. We had zones, so you could take on additional passengers who were going the same way.). I received a pretty good return on that trip, so I ignored my radio and headed into another 'hood closer. Again, full cab coming back downtown. I between drop offs I acquired another passenger somewhere downtown who wanted to go to Capitol Hill, so after I dropped him, I went back across the river. Again, I filled up the cab going downtown. On a slight variation from Monty Python, as long as it was my turn in the proverbial barrel, it was _*Intercourse the dispatcher, I'm working the 'hood!*_ What was funny was every time that I saw one of the two crooks who were on the microphone in the morning, he would remark about how rarely he heard from me. .....yeah, well.

Of course, these silly fellows failed to remember the cyclical nature of working in the radio room of the office. Once my turn in the barrel was finished, I was back in the office. The weekend guy went first. He was more hated by the drivers than was the weekday guy, because : 1) he was not as skilled. The weekday guy was one of the best in the City and most importantly, 2) he tried to make in payola in two days what it took the weekday guy five. Eventually and after much work, I did manage to get the rest of Senior Management to agree that the weekday guy had to go, as well. What also kept him there longer was that when I did sack the weekend guy, it wised him up for a minute. He would not touch a telephone for six months. In addition, I called in some of the payola boys that I had caught and handed out suspensions from the radio ranging from seven to thirty days. I told all of them that the next time, it would be six months.



LA_Native said:


> The only thing I think you can do to minimize transferring them into your place is steam clean TF outta your interior.


Never have any of my customers from the 'hood, be it on UberX or Uber Taxi or any other taxi customer, brought any sort of vermin into the car.


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## LA_Native (Apr 17, 2017)

Another Uber Driver said:


> Never have any of my customers from the 'hood, be it on UberX or Uber Taxi or any other taxi customer, brought any sort of vermin into the car.


Well, it's extremely hard to see a bed bug, and at night it's pretty much impossible. But I doubt it's anymore likely for a pax to transfer a bed bug from the "hood" than from an affluent area. I'd be worried about pax from hotels (ANY) transferring bed bugs than pax from "pooer" areas.


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## Uber_Yota_916 (May 1, 2017)

LA_Native said:


> The only thing I think you can do to minimize transferring them into your place is steam clean TF outta your interior.


There are drivers who go weeks without cleaning their cars. It is disgusting to think about it.


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## LA_Native (Apr 17, 2017)

Uber_Yota_916 said:


> There are drivers who go weeks without cleaning their cars. It is disgusting to think about it.


that's hard to believe, and a bit disturbing.

My interior is black leather and I clean and condition it about every three weeks (Ive been driving about 1 weekend a month). I wipe down the dash and doors every other week or as needed, and vacuum about every three days or as needed.


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## Uber_Yota_916 (May 1, 2017)

LA_Native said:


> that's hard to believe, and a bit disturbing.
> 
> My interior is black leather and I clean and condition it about every three weeks (Ive been driving about 1 weekend a month). I wipe down the dash and doors every other week or as needed, and vacuum about every three days or as needed.


I wipe down my vehicle every day. Use a lint roller, stoner window wipes and McGuire's interior wipes. Plus a vacuuming every other day. The lint roller reveals a lot of ickness!

One more item. Ozium. Lots of it.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

LA_Native said:


> that's hard to believe, and a bit disturbing. .


Believe it. You should see some of the Uber hoopties around here. I have ridden in more than one of them. I would be ashamed to haul a customer in a filthy car, be it my cab or UberX car. One reason why I keep a Dustbuster®, a roll of paper towels and a bottle of Spray Nine® in the trunk is so that when a customer decides to leave a mess in the car (and of course, does not let you know--it is your next customer who *does*, and, if an Uber or Lyft customer, one stars you), I can address the problem readily.


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## LA_Native (Apr 17, 2017)

Uber_Yota_916 said:


> The lint roller reveals a lot of ickness!


Good idea.

I have a lint roller in my hatch, but for use in case I transport a pet. I think I'll run it over the seats now, just to see.


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## TBone (Jan 19, 2015)

I live in the hood so yeah but not so close that people will recognize my sweet ride


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Another Uber Driver said:


> It is getting to that point, here. All of the recent cab driver robberies here have been part of a string of them. Every time that you rob a driver, it increases the odds of your getting caught. What has happened, here, is that hardly anyone pays for a cab with cash, any more. Thus, the thug gets only ten to twenty dollars from the driver he robs. That is not enough for him, so he must rob another driver. He keeps it up until he gets what he wants, but the odds of his being caught have increased geometrically and he does get popped.
> 
> One evening, I picked up this lady near the downtown. She gave me an address in Mayfair-Parkside, which was a pretty bad area, In fact, it had become so bad and the police had failed so miserably in doing anything about it, that the local Nation of Islam went in there and were patrolling it. I was not to worried about her, but was worried about what might be waiting for me when I got there. We got there, she paid me, gave me a dollar tip and started to open the door. Four young men were standing there. One finished opening the door for her, greeted her by name, and got in, followed by three of the others in the back and one in the front. Out of nowhere, these two guys in bowties appeared at both front windows. It went something like "How is everybody doing this evening?; where are we going, gentleman; pay the driver now and we know who you are, so we'd better not be hearing about this cab driver on the Ten O'Clock News. You know why cab drivers won't come to this side of the river." They "yes sir-ed" the guys in the bowties and paid me before we went. They went to a rough area, but when we got there, they got out and went down the street.
> 
> ...


Well..here (at least for the company I drive for) dispatch corruption doesn't really happen in any large scale organized fashion.

Simply put there's so much business that doesn't come off dispatch that choosing not to ever work dispatch can be a viable strategy.

Some guys will literally just go through the aiport queue the entire shift.

They also frequently audit dispatchers to make sure they are properly putting fares into the computer dispatch system to be transmitted to the first car available in that dispatch zone.

When all phone calls are logged and having a cell in the dispatch room is against the rules, getting a fare to a specifIf car/driver is really hard to do without announcing it to the world what you're doing..

The last incIdent or dispatcher corruption I even know about,

One of the dispatchers made a special code for special request fares so his friend could snag big fares off the special request system.

He would take high dollar fares and throw them on the system as being "need 2 car seats for zone 720 to 719, book 775"

On th surface this is an incredibly lousy fare, with multiple car seats being needed and the fare probably would be a 5-6 minute drI've

Well... someone is who actually had 2 car seats and was in 720 was trying to get in one last fare...

He was also faster in getting on grabbing the fare off the digital fare board.

They have been using s computer dispatch system that's very hard to corrupt since the late 90s


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> Simply put there's so much business that doesn't come off dispatch that choosing not to ever work dispatch can be a viable strategy.
> 
> Some guys will literally just go through the aiport queue the entire shift.
> 
> ...


Before Uber, fewer than ten per-cent of the cabs in the City were radio or "dispatch" cabs. More drivers are doing it now, because they must find more sources of customers. At the time that I describe, most drivers bumped kerbs, anyhow. You did have your hotel payola clubs and some even had taken to paying off desk clerks and doormen at apartment buildings. I do have days where I get all of my customers from the street, although I have had some sort of "dispatch" in my cab since I got my first hack licence in the City. I use the term "dispatch" loosely, here, to include computer/satellite/GPS based electronic call assignment. True dispatch requires a human being who knows what he is doing, is honest and looks out for the drivers. Thus, true dispatch has become an obsolete practice.

In the suburbs, while you have some stand cabs, who work the METRO stops, hotels and what few tourist spots may be in that particular suburb, dispatch is important to the revenue stream. Uber has hurt both suburban drivers and companies more than it has hurt those in the City. One reason, out of several, that many suburban drivers went to UberX is that they could not pay their cab rent on what they were collecting in fares any more. The suburban companies have reduced their rents, but it is not enough to compensate for the lost revenue. Add to that the suburban companies' historic foul mistreatment of their drivers and it is a wonder that they have not gone bankrupt, yet.

We have full time airport hackers here, as well, at National, at least. National has a line that is open to any driver who will get a special licence from the WMAA. The licence is available to any driver who holds a hack licence from any jurisdiction in the Washington Metropolitan Area and will pay the fee. Dulles has a closed oligopoly and Friendship has a closed monopoly on the cab line. I will not deal with the cab line there, as those holding pens are too chaotic and the wait can be several hours for a fare. I can do far better in the City.

We have had dispatchers and telephone operators who used to misrepresent destinations. They have been caught, often when a customer left something in the cab, called to ask about it, we pulled the ticket and while the pickup address was the same, the destination was not, The corrupt telephone operators, in particular, would then write a high dollar destination on a garbage trip, and if the wrong driver got it, he would complain which would spark an investigation. I personally popped several corrupt operators that way. My company allowed officials to drive. One of the privileges of being a company official was that dispatchers did not knowingly give you garbage jobs. I got run on one, one morning, so when I got to the office, I pulled the ticket. A high dollar destination was on it. I pulled a few more of her tickets, called in some drivers "at their convenience" or simply caught them at the office, asked them about the trips, and sure enough, they were garbage jobs with high dollar destinations. I told the Head Operator to fire her. She balked, so I told her that I would fire her myself and she could join her. I did offer to be present when the Head Operator fired her. The Head Operator took me up on that one. In fact, if I told either the Chief Dispatcher or Head Operator to fire a subordinate, I always offered to be present, I wanted the Supervisor to do the actual firing, though, as it did boost the supervisory authority among the other employees. Everyone there knew that I could fire anyone in that Radio Room. There were some who were less respectful of the Supervisors.

While one company did get a computer-assist system in 1985, the satellite/computer/GPS based digital electronic call assignment system did not appear at any City cab company until 2007. The rest of us thought that it was a bold step, since given our zone system for the cabs (no meters, 1931-2008), it would not work well. Once Our Former Dear Revered Leader Kim il-Fenty told us that we wanted meters in the cabs (ALL HAIL the Divine, Malevolent and all-Wise Dear Revered Leader Kim il-Fenty, the Font of All Wisdom and Knowledge!!!!!!). At that point, it became more practical to use the modern systems. I worked on the installation and implementation of those systems on two companies. By that time, I was no longer a company official.

The major suburban companies did go to the digital systems in the mid to late 1980s.

The thing about the computer is that it does leave tracks. Corrupt Radio Room personnel will try not to enter something into a computer, but since the telephones are integrated, if you see too many numbers that do not result in an order, you can start asking questions. This goes double if you recognise a telephone number as belonging to a regular and do not see an order.

We did not allow wireless telephones in the Radio Room, either, but corrupt dispatchers kept them in their cars and corrupt operators would hide them in their purses. Searching an employee's purse at a D.C. cab company would have given rise to all sorts of legal troubles. Management simply had to be more clever and spend time at the random monitoring telephone conversations and comparing order logs to telephone logs.


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## Kalee (Feb 18, 2015)

Mears Troll Number 4 said:


> Out here in Orlando...
> 
> On a busy night working the hood will lower your earnings from amazing to mediocre
> 
> ...


With all the good things you describe that working the hood has offered you as opposed to other areas, why would you ever consider working anywhere else?
Unless, that is, that you're only saying these things to make yourself look and feel better for the way you really think about working the hood.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Kalee said:


> With all the good things you describe that working the hood has offered you as opposed to other areas, why would you ever consider working anywhere else?


His view of it is not that different from mine. For years, I drove for and was an official of a cab company that got most of its business from where the money was. As I am in the Big City, there are also street hails. Thus, every once in a while, you do wind up in the "hood. If someone wants a cab, you take him. If you drop in the 'hood and someone there wants a cab, you take him. Back in the Zone Days, here, you could make some fast money if everything clicked just the right way. There were not that many cabs over there and the bus service stunk (and still does). People over there did want to go places. People over there did have jobs and had to get to them. Those people got fired for being late just like everyone else, so when the bus did not show up, which was frequently, they had to get to the job. Morning Rush was a good time to work the 'hood.

Still, your better fares came out of either Downtown or the neighbourhoods where the money was. You could make money working the 'hood and still can, but you had to work harder to do it.

In one of my anecdotes above, as it was My Turn In The Proverbial Barrel and the Radio Room was totally corrupt, the 'hood was my best choice in the morning Rush, as I was working those hours back then. Once everyone was at work, Downtown was the better choice.


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