# Lyft Streak Shenanigans



## Atom guy (Jul 27, 2016)

It's almost impressive how Lyft finds clever ways to mess with us. I've noticed a couple good zingers regarding streaks. So a couple weeks ago I started a streak late. I was in a bad area, and the first trip was a longer pick up, but that would bring back to civilization, so I took it. 3/4 of the way there I get flipped to a different passenger. I kept going, and completed the streak. No bonus. What gives?! Oh, when Lyft flipped me to the new passenger THAT passenger had requested the trip AFTER the streak period was over, so it didn't count anymore. Sucker.

Now today I turn on Lyft promptly at 1pm for the 3 trips for $12 streak. I do 3 really fast, and have time to start another set of 3 on that same streak bonus. I get done with what I think is the 6th trip, but I only have 5. What gives? Oh, even though I turned on the app at 1pm and accepted the first trip I was offered, that passenger requested the trip at 12:56 so it didn't count towards the streak. Got me again.

They really must sit around the conference table brainstorming ways to mess with is.

Ooh, ooh, here's another one: I completed a trip and didn't have another one pending, so I saw that I was in a pink bonus zone. Super! I sit right there and watch it count up the money. It goes from $4 to $7, then the app sends me the "are you ok?" warning because I am still sitting at my last drop off, and it gives me 2 options "stay logged off" and "go online," both of which are wrongly worded options since I was already online. I hit "go online" and the bonus resets to $4 and starts counting up all over again. 🤦‍♂️


----------



## CheepShot (May 11, 2020)

Atom guy said:


> It's almost impressive how Lyft finds clever ways to mess with us. I've noticed a couple good zingers regarding streaks. So a couple weeks ago I started a streak late. I was in a bad area, and the first trip was a longer pick up, but that would bring back to civilization, so I took it. 3/4 of the way there I get flipped to a different passenger. I kept going, and completed the streak. No bonus. What gives?! Oh, when Lyft flipped me to the new passenger THAT passenger had requested the trip AFTER the streak period was over, so it didn't count anymore. Sucker.
> 
> Now today I turn on Lyft promptly at 1pm for the 3 trips for $12 streak. I do 3 really fast, and have time to start another set of 3 on that same streak bonus. I get done with what I think is the 6th trip, but I only have 5. What gives? Oh, even though I turned on the app at 1pm and accepted the first trip I was offered, that passenger requested the trip at 12:56 so it didn't count towards the streak. Got me again.
> 
> ...


I agree, one of the worst things in ride-sharing are programs like this in that they take earnings from everyone and dole it out in manipulative programs in the guise of bettering the service for us. Then they play games like you describe above. What happened to an honest days pay for an honest days work? The best way to play that game is not to. 

Someone in this forum suggested turning off new ride requests after accepting an order to avoid getting switched to a different order on the way to their pickup. Suddenly every time I finish a trip and have already turned off ride requests I am in a bonus zone. 

I believe there is an algo to try and spread the bonuses out to appear to be fair. One way or another it's taking from everyone to train cats to jump thru hoops they don't want to. I'm sure there is an algo (like in the flesh dispatchers would do) to try and keep drivers within a certain amount of bookings/hr/wk as well.

It would be better to educate us instead of taking from all the drivers and trying to manipulate us with either the carrot or stick. Email the drivers _why_ it's better to find the closest strip mall or gas station to wait for the next order. That the AI operates more efficiently and that your depreciating asset costs you 25 cents a mile to own/operate. The AI could figure out a live rough estimate of your True Cost of Ownership while driving Lyft and post it on your Driver Dashboard. That Everything Is Awesome when you are part of the team. ;-)


----------



## Delilah5 (Mar 20, 2017)

Or with 2 trips to go with half hour they send you a long trip


----------



## CheepShot (May 11, 2020)

Delilah5 said:


> Or with 2 trips to go with half hour they send you a long trip


The AI is very literal, I set the filter for rides only heading towards home. I got a 2hr round trip order just down the street from where I live that I had to drive 20 minutes to get to. Yep it was on the way home alright. TBH, it was ok by me since usually my last order sends me in to a different state with a dead head drive home. If we are forced to become employees we won't be able to cancel, at least for now we can cancel upon arrival when we find out the details of the order.


----------



## Atom guy (Jul 27, 2016)

Here's a new one: this afternoon I was on the 2nd 3 of the 2:15-3:15 3 for $15 streak. I had already completed 3 trips and started a second 3. When I finished with the first trip, the second trip was waiting for me. So there's message and it's the account holder telling me that I'm picking up his elderly mother. But in the message it says "have a nice trip." Nice trip??? So I message him. The trip is from Hartford CT to Bronx NY - a 3 hour one way trip to be started about 3:30pm on a Friday. Basically it's a suicide run. Traffic, tolls, and no possibility of a return trip - everything. So I tell him that it's too far and I don't have time, and he replies "but I scheduled this yesterday." Needless to say I cancelled that one and lost the streak.


----------

