# Noticing a lot of riders with a 5 rating



## Ehmtbescrewingus (Oct 16, 2014)

Are these new users or has Uber caught on that riders with lower ratings are not getting picked up as much, anyone else notice that on their apps?


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## anOzzieUber (Oct 31, 2014)

I'm noticing that too, but we're only a new market, less than 12mths now so I'm guessing it's just a lot of new signups.


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## CityGirl (Nov 29, 2014)

So based on what I've been reading here, I'm giving all new riders a 4, so they lose their 5 stars, and that way other drivers will know that the 4.9 has been vetted. I decided to do it because I got a legit rider with a b.s. name. She had a very distinctive famous person name that I thought was a fake on a fake new account, and it concerned me when I was considering whether to pick her up. I wanted others to know she's a real person whose mother just coincidentally/unfortunately used that name before the celebrity became famous.

Future drivers can give them a 5 but most will never earn their way back to a 5 unless they use the service constantly.


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## Brady (Oct 6, 2014)

Many of these are brand new riders. Uber starts all riders with a 5 rating. That initial 5 is not used in future rating averages. So if a rider showing up with a 5 rating takes her first trip and is rated a 3, she will show up as a 3 to her second driver (not as a 4). The same applies to new drivers although drivers don't tend to keep their 5 rating long simply due to the higher number of ratings they receive.

Many drivers also default to a 5 rating for riders unless there was a problem. I downrate riders for not being to the car within 2 minutes from the time of arrival, not entering the correct pickup location, and not entering a destination in the app. But I doubt many drivers are as critical as I am.


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## Optimus Uber (Oct 7, 2014)

I read somewhere that uber reset all pax to 5* at the beginning of the year. I haven't experienced this. But ill be watching for it. If I start to see too many 5* out there, its going to be a 4* January to put people back to were they once where.

If this is true its BS. All that hard work reset. Just not cool, haha!!


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## CityGirl (Nov 29, 2014)

Brady said:


> Many of these are brand new riders. Uber starts all riders with a 5 rating. That initial 5 is not used in future rating averages. So if a rider showing up with a 5 rating takes her first trip and is rated a 3, she will show up as a 3 to her second driver (not as a 4). The same applies to new drivers although drivers don't tend to keep their 5 rating long simply due to the higher number of ratings they receive.
> 
> Many drivers also default to a 5 rating for riders unless there was a problem. I downrate riders for not being to the car within 2 minutes from the time of arrival, not entering the correct pickup location, and not entering a destination in the app. But I doubt many drivers are as critical as I am.


I'm not sure that's right, because I drove a girl who had only taken one ride before and she was a 4.8.


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## UberFrolic (Sep 18, 2014)

All my 5 peeps are out of towners meaning it's their first to third time using it. Rarely do I get a 5 from this city unless it's their first.


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## Brady (Oct 6, 2014)

CityGirl said:


> I'm not sure that's right, because I drove a girl who had only taken one ride before and she was a 4.8.


How could someone have a 4.8 rating if they've only taken one ride? Could you show me the math?


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## Just_in (Jun 29, 2014)

Do Rider's ever get their accounts axed because of bad rating's. I can't recall ever hearing that happen. Not even on social media.


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

Brady said:


> How could someone have a 4.8 rating if they've only taken one ride? Could you show me the math?


It's the same math that says Uber drivers make more money at lower rates because we do more trips.


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## Brady (Oct 6, 2014)

I've talked to one rider who had his account axed. It wasn't due to a bad rating but due to too many cancelled trips. He had routinely cancelled ride requests until he got a car and driver he liked.


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## CityGirl (Nov 29, 2014)

Brady said:


> How could someone have a 4.8 rating if they've only taken one ride? Could you show me the math?


The Uber math is not real math, clearly. They are not giving them the new rating in place of the old rating (4 instead of a 5 on the first ride), that's for sure.
5 and 4 averaged is 4.5. I don't think a new rider, and probably not a new driver, takes as hard a hit on the first few ratings.

I keep getting this neighbor of mine who is a 4.3. I have no idea WHY he is a 4.3, he's ready and waiting, he goes on long runs to the airport, he is pleasant and not overly talkative. I keep giving him a 5 (3 times now) and he has not come up. He must have been a 1 on somebody's list once, he is just not going to live it down. I didn't tell him, don't want him to feel disgruntled...but he's definitely a normal businessman/family man just going about his business travel. Strange.


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## Brady (Oct 6, 2014)

CityGirl said:


> The Uber math is not real math, clearly. They are not giving them the new rating in place of the old rating (4 instead of a 5 on the first ride), that's for sure.
> 5 and 4 averaged is 4.5. I don't think a new rider, and probably not a new driver, takes as hard a hit on the first few ratings.
> 
> I keep getting this neighbor of mine who is a 4.3. I have no idea WHY he is a 4.3, he's ready and waiting, he goes on long runs to the airport, he is pleasant and not overly talkative. I keep giving him a 5 (3 times now) and he has not come up. He must have been a 1 on somebody's list once, he is just not going to live it down. I didn't tell him, don't want him to feel disgruntled...but he's definitely a normal businessman/family man just going about his business travel. Strange.


I know drivers that rate any rider a 1 who doesn't tip. We've seen comments to that effect here on this website.


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## CityGirl (Nov 29, 2014)

Brady said:


> I know drivers that rate any rider a 1 who doesn't tip. We've seen comments to that effect here on this website.


That has to be it. He doesn't tip.
The first time he left a wrapper in my car, but it was dark, I think it was an oversight. He has been perfect since then, except for tipping.

One thing about this experience, it has made me a better tipper! I was always generous in restaurants, I round up from 20% . But the tip jars on convenience counters at coffee shops, donut shops, sandwich places, I wouldn't. Now I drop in a few singles plus whatever loose change they give me. I even thought about tipping the valets at this one hotel I go to pick up often, because they always open my doors and load the customer's luggage, which I typically help with. But the customers always tip them--and then not me, who gets them where they are going at obviously great personal expense...wtf?


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## thehappytypist (Oct 9, 2014)

Optimus Uber said:


> I read somewhere that uber reset all pax to 5* at the beginning of the year. I haven't experienced this. But ill be watching for it. If I start to see too many 5* out there, its going to be a 4* January to put people back to were they once where.
> 
> If this is true its BS. All that hard work reset. Just not cool, haha!!


I haven't heard that at all (we would at least have been informed) and it would be really silly. The only problem with rider ratings lately is that there are a lot of them that are stuck with a 3 star rating even though it should be higher.

Riders won't be banned just because of a low rating. There have to be complaints from drivers about their behavior or something like they cancel too much.


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

thehappytypist said:


> The only problem with rider ratings lately is that there are a lot of them that are stuck with a 3 star rating even though it should be higher.


How do you know it should be higher?


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## thehappytypist (Oct 9, 2014)

UberHammer said:


> How do you know it should be higher?


The average of the ratings they've received don't match. It does tend to be riders with only a few rides who have never been rated a 3, just 4 and 5.


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## LookyLou (Apr 28, 2014)

thehappytypist said:


> The average of the ratings they've received don't match. It does tend to be riders with only a few rides who have never been rated a 3, just 4 and 5.


Leave it to the BIG technology company to figure it out right? Pretty hard to make things average out.


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## UberFrolic (Sep 18, 2014)

CityGirl said:


> The Uber math is not real math, clearly. They are not giving them the new rating in place of the old rating (4 instead of a 5 on the first ride), that's for sure.
> 5 and 4 averaged is 4.5. I don't think a new rider, and probably not a new driver, takes as hard a hit on the first few ratings.
> 
> I keep getting this neighbor of mine who is a 4.3. I have no idea WHY he is a 4.3, he's ready and waiting, he goes on long runs to the airport, he is pleasant and not overly talkative. I keep giving him a 5 (3 times now) and he has not come up. He must have been a 1 on somebody's list once, he is just not going to live it down. I didn't tell him, don't want him to feel disgruntled...but he's definitely a normal businessman/family man just going about his business travel. Strange.


I thought asshole uber drivers give a 1 when there is no tip. That's what probably happens to his average. Every pax doesn't know tip is really NOT included


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## Ubermanpt (Dec 23, 2014)

I don't think it's fair to rate someone low because they don't tip. I was a rider before I was a driver and I never tipped. I was lead to believe it wasn't needed (and I tip well when out) just because uber has made the pax to believe not to tip that doesn't mean they are a bad pax. If the pax comes out fairly fast (within 3 minutes ) , has destination entered or tells me where they are going, and doesn't make a mess I give them a 5. Ive only given out a few 4's due to making me wait, I guess I have been lucky with my pax.


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## ElectroFuzz (Jun 10, 2014)

I have a lot of repeat customers that I drive every day so I know for a fact
that in the past Uber has reset all passenger's ratings to 5 stars.
I don't know if this is the case currently but I will keep an eye on it.
Not to worry, those 5 stars won't last long.


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## Showa50 (Nov 30, 2014)

I notice this today too. It was odd only because in the past 5 stars was kinda rare. Now everyone is 5. I think Uber reset people's ratings because drivers were 3 staring for short rides.


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## jaymaxx44 (Sep 19, 2014)

Not here in NY area. Noticing many lower pax ratings then ever before. I think other drivers are taking stars off for non tippers and other issues.
I myself am rating lower due to waiting time. location mistakes and of course tips.


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## Manotas (Dec 2, 2015)

It's simple: A 4.2 rated Pax usually takes lots of rides & complained to Uber about not getting picked up, so Uber does what's in their best interest & resets the A-hole back to a 5 or 4.8


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## GregL385 (Feb 1, 2016)

It doesnt really matter in the end. People can just make new accounts like its nothing. Fake names and all that it entails. 

That is why the SRF is complete crap. They don't check these people.


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## thehappytypist (Oct 9, 2014)

GregL385 said:


> It doesnt really matter in the end. People can just make new accounts like its nothing. Fake names and all that it entails.
> 
> That is why the SRF is complete crap. They don't check these people.


It doesn't even have to be a fake name. However...we see which accounts are associated with any particular payment method. They can't re-use the same email address or mobile number. So they can make a new account but it isn't quite as easy as you would think. If a banned rider makes one, we will eventually find out and bust their ass.


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## JaxUbermom (Jan 26, 2016)

Correct me if I am wrong: the SRF is to offset our insurance and background checks. Not theirs. In other words to keep the Riders Safe fee. It isn't about us having safety from our pax.


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