# Upfront cash tips verses mutual distrust?



## Caturria (Jun 14, 2018)

Okay, I'm not looking to ruffle any feathers here, but here's a genuine straight up quandary and I'd love to know how it's handled.
Put simply, how do you handle mutual distrust (or more accurately, mutual absence of justification to trust the other)?
What I'm talking about of course, is the expectation of cash tips upfront for a ride that might be in some way unusual, backed up by a lack of trust in the passenger to tip at the end of the ride as promised. Fair enough, but the inverse is equally probable. I as the passenger have no reason to trust that you as the driver won't shaft me in the same manner; take my cash and simply take off with it at the earliest opportunity without providing the promised service.
What do you normally do to try to reconcile this? As soon as you ask for cash, in advance, I as the passenger know it's because you don't trust me. If I acquiesce (establishing trust in me), what can you offer at the start that would establish my trust in you as well?


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## 1.5xorbust (Nov 22, 2017)

A heartfelt sincere promise.


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## SuzeCB (Oct 30, 2016)

Caturria said:


> Okay, I'm not looking to ruffle any feathers here, but here's a genuine straight up quandary and I'd love to know how it's handled.
> Put simply, how do you handle mutual distrust (or more accurately, mutual absence of justification to trust the other)?
> What I'm talking about of course, is the expectation of cash tips upfront for a ride that might be in some way unusual, backed up by a lack of trust in the passenger to tip at the end of the ride as promised. Fair enough, but the inverse is equally probable. I as the passenger have no reason to trust that you as the driver won't shaft me in the same manner; take my cash and simply take off with it at the earliest opportunity without providing the promised service.
> What do you normally do to try to reconcile this? As soon as you ask for cash, in advance, I as the passenger know it's because you don't trust me. If I acquiesce (establishing trust in me), what can you offer at the start that would establish my trust in you as well?


Depending on what the "unusual" request is? Not kicking you out of the car so you can call another driver.


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## Bbonez (Aug 10, 2018)

Standard deal when your doing illegal activity 50% down and 50% when the deal is done.


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## Caturria (Jun 14, 2018)

SuzeCB said:


> Depending on what the "unusual" request is? Not kicking you out of the car so you can call another driver.


Maybe, except kicking me out of the car is kinda hard to do if you haven't yet agreed to the ride (and hence, I haven't gotten into the car yet).
If whatever makes the request unusual involves something at the end of the trip, that still gives you a chance to bail as soon as I step out (or at some other point depending).
As for 'get out of my car right now or else', there's still nothing stopping you from doing that and no recourse for the passenger since it was an out of app transaction.



Bbonez said:


> Standard deal when your doing illegal activity 50% down and 50% when the deal is done.


Who said anything about illegal activity?
I'm talking about a round trip involving loading/unloading of something heavy, a trip involving assistance to accommodate a handicap, hauling an incapacitated vehicle, a trip to take an animal to the vet (when you don't normally accept them) that sort of thing.
Even half is a big leap of faith when the other party doesn't trust me either. I'm sure if I offered $30 for something, many would prefer $15 for zero effort as opposed to $30 for 30 minutes.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

1.5xorbust said:


> A heartfelt sincere promise.


You can offer " UBER BADGES" as Collateral !


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## Merc7186 (Jul 8, 2017)

I dont know you therefore I dont trust you.....cash up front or bounce.


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## Caturria (Jun 14, 2018)

Merc7186 said:


> I dont know you therefore I dont trust you.....cash up front or bounce.


I don't know you, therefore I don't trust you either. Most likely you'll bounce whether I give you cash upfront or not.
If that's what I have to do to prove to you that I can be trusted (which is fine), what can I ask you to do in order to prove that you're trustworthy as well?
Cash upfront, exchange phone numbers, deal? Does that work? Something else?
If I'm going to hand you cash under the table I want at least a verified last name.


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## 1.5xorbust (Nov 22, 2017)

I think the collateral for the transaction will vary depending upon what the request is. I consider myself to be a reasonable person and a good negotiator. Therefore I think the transaction can be successfully negotiated most of the time assuming it is legal or undetectable.


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## Caturria (Jun 14, 2018)

1.5xorbust said:


> I think the collateral for the transaction will vary depending upon what the request is. I consider myself to be a reasonable person and a good negotiator. Therefore I think the transaction can be successfully negotiated most of the time assuming it is legal or undetectable.


Does this work for you, personally?
I'm asking for something extra;
You want X amount in cash upfront;
I'm willing to agree to that if you give me something upfront that verifies who you are;
I'm willing to do the same and pull out my ID.
This isn't so much about negotiating price for services rendered, so much as it is about the unfairness of one party being required to establish trustworthiness while the other party refuses to reciprocate.


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## NOXDriver (Aug 12, 2018)

Since the pass has more power over the driver the driver has to even the field by getting paid up front.

Say pass agrees to pay $20 to deliver a box, but driver just keeps the cash and throws the box away.

Pass has the license plate number, car, and name of driver. That alone is enough to get a home address. OR pass can just call Uber support and make up anything they like.

So no... from the start the pass has more 'collateral' to keep the driver honest.


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## 1.5xorbust (Nov 22, 2017)

The driver has the leverage in this situation. The pax is requesting that a service be performed and the driver has the capability to perform. The driver did not ask the pax if he could perform this service. IMO the pax has more to lose than the driver and is in a weak negotiating position.


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## Caturria (Jun 14, 2018)

1.5xorbust said:


> The driver has the leverage in this situation. The pax is requesting that a service be performed and the driver has the capability to perform. The driver did not ask the pax if he could perform this service. IMO the pax has more to lose than the driver and is in a weak negotiating position.


Do you think it's fair to say than in addition to this, since both pax and driver are most likely strangers and will never see each other again, that the driver has zero incentive for keeping their end of the bargain?
Therefore, is it not equally likely that a driver will take the pax's cash and run with it, as it is that the pax will promise to tip in app at the end and not do so?


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## 1.5xorbust (Nov 22, 2017)

Caturria said:


> Do you think it's fair to say than in addition to this, since both pax and driver are most likely strangers and will never see each other again, that the driver has zero incentive for keeping their end of the bargain?
> Therefore, is it not equally likely that a driver will take the pax's cash and run with it, as it is that the pax will promise to tip in app at the end and not do so?


I can only speak for myself. I will make an offer to pax for service to be rendered and if it's not acceptable then there's no deal. It will be an upfront cash payment only and I'll forego any in app tip. I'll promise to perform the service as agreed upon. If pax doesn't trust me then so be it.


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## Caturria (Jun 14, 2018)

1.5xorbust said:


> I can only speak for myself. I will make an offer to pax for service to be rendered and if it's not acceptable then there's no deal. It will be an upfront cash payment only and I'll forego any in app tip. I'll promise to perform the service as agreed upon. If pax doesn't trust me then so be it.


How about if the offer you propose is perfectly acceptable, but the pax just wants a tiny bit of assurance that you won't simply take the money and run? If it's a significant amount of cash, could you be convince to give at least a little something? A last name or a phone number, just enough to keep honest people honest?


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## Iann (Oct 17, 2017)

One Pax I picked up from a casino after a night of gambling was running late to work.

He needed to go home and shower first and asked if I would wait?

Told him no and he offered me $100 if I did as he would be getting fired if he was late.

I said sure if you give me the $100 now.

He says how do I know you aren't going to leave when I go in the house if I give it to you? 

I said we could rip it in half and he keeps one and I keep the other. In half it went.

5 minutes later he comes out gets in and hands me the other half.

Took him to work on time and went to my bank asap and had the bill replaced with a fresh one.


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## Merc7186 (Jul 8, 2017)

Caturria said:


> I don't know you, therefore I don't trust you either. Most likely you'll bounce whether I give you cash upfront or not.
> If that's what I have to do to prove to you that I can be trusted (which is fine), what can I ask you to do in order to prove that you're trustworthy as well?
> Cash upfront, exchange phone numbers, deal? Does that work? Something else?
> If I'm going to hand you cash under the table I want at least a verified last name.


You could not ask then and save yourself the agony. Besides, are you standing outside the car when you are handing said cash over???


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## Caturria (Jun 14, 2018)

Wow!
Now there's a pretty sweet example of thinking outside the box. I love it.



Merc7186 said:


> Besides, are you standing outside the car when you are handing said cash over???


You would have to be.


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## 1.5xorbust (Nov 22, 2017)

Caturria said:


> How about if the offer you propose is perfectly acceptable, but the pax just wants a tiny bit of assurance that you won't simply take the money and run? If it's a significant amount of cash, could you be convince to give at least a little something? A last name or a phone number, just enough to keep honest people honest?


Yeah if she's hot I would probably give her my last name and phone number.


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