# Runaway Surge



## Modern-Day-Slavery (Feb 22, 2016)

I've noticed lately that the surge seems to be everywhere that I'm not. I actively try to go into the surge area and magically it's reverts back to normal fare and the area I was in surges. It's like trying to catch a fish with your bare hands. It keeps on happening. Why is it so evasive? I'm starting to wonder if it is all just a tease built into the algorithm to entice drivers. Kind of like a gamblers fallacy- you keep driving to try get that surge back.

I see surges of 2.5x but can only pick up 1.1x surges or none at all. Please tell me what I'm doing wrong. I really need the surge fares as I'm saving up to buy fuel.


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## UberDriverAU (Nov 4, 2015)

Don't chase it, the chances of you "catching it" are slim and you're just wasting fuel. Especially when surge prices are high, you can expect far fewer people to actually click on that "REQUEST UberX NOW" button. It can work out cheaper for them to use a taxi or a different Uber service (UberBLACK, etc) if UberX is surging too high.


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## Modern-Day-Slavery (Feb 22, 2016)

UberDriverAU said:


> Don't chase it, the chances of you "catching it" are slim and you're just wasting fuel. Especially when surge prices are high, you can expect far fewer people to actually click on that "REQUEST UberX NOW" button. It can work out cheaper for them to use a taxi or a different Uber service (UberBLACK, etc) if UberX is surging too high.


If I am a few blocks away I'll go there but any further I won't.


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## Burdo (Apr 24, 2016)

As soon as X amount of vehicles get into that zone, it decreases in Surge costs and eventually disappears


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## LevelX (Aug 7, 2015)

Modern-Day-Slavery said:


> I actively try to go into the surge area and magically it's reverts back to normal fare and the area I was in surges.


Surge is used to move drivers around. So as soon as you get there, the surge disappears as a 'driver' is there now.

Heres a example of a 'surge' on the edge of Uber coverage in Melbourne, far out east... Is it surging or just trying to get drivers out that way?










I'm going to say the later!



Modern-Day-Slavery said:


> If I am a few blocks away I'll go there but any further I won't.


Same... go offline, then move into the area, and go back online again.

But I don't chase anymore unless its a few blocks away. The surge in Melbourne can come and go in minutes. It can be showing as 2.5x surge and 2 min later, nothing! WTF?


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## UXDriver (May 20, 2015)

Surge changes every minute now.

The uber reasoning is that it gets drivers to areas that need cars

Since surge lasts only minutes this is false 

Another uber LIE


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## LevelX (Aug 7, 2015)

UXDriver said:


> The uber reasoning is that it gets drivers to areas that need cars


Thats all the surge has EVER done..... even a long time ago. It dulls down demand and helps increase supply.

The problem is today, they they have played with it and it changes so quickly its not even worth driving 3 mins to get into a 'surge' area, you might as well stay online and try your luck where you are, cause by the time you get there, it goes.

I've been driving straight for a surge area, and as I get closer the surge gets smaller..... oh cause there is a car there now 



UXDriver said:


> Surge changes every minute now.


I think you'll find its every 30 seconds the map updates.


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