# Is it that difficult to be nice ???



## Mattio41 (Sep 19, 2016)

The other night, I get pinged to go to a local Costco. Roll up, Costco is closed, and I see an older woman standing with her carriage full of bags, and standing with a cane. I pull up, open the hatch, preceded to help her load the bags into the car. No big deal, it was a quick 1,2,3...

As we are driving, she tells me I am the second Uber to show up. The first uber, pulled all the way into the shopping center and then drove away and cancelled the trip. Through conversation, found out she is now legally blind, and can no longer drive, and just had knee surgery.

Ok, get to the house, not that far away. Front door is just a few steps away from the car. I unload the bags to her front door, wish her well. She preceded to hand me, what I perceived as everything she had in her wallet. It pretty much amounted to about $5.80 cents. Mostly in quarters... I told her it wasn't necessary, but she insisted. packed up, and left...

Woke up the next morning, and found that she left a nice 5 star comment.

Don't get me wrong, I understand shopping center trips can suck. But this was clearly an older woman who was in need of a helping hand. Is it really that difficult to be nice ??


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

Good on you for providing great service. I would do what you did. Ubers low rates have caused some drivers to be totally cut throat. There is a thread bragging about cancelling short trips. Threads about kicking out Pax. Threads about how its not our job to help people at grocery stores. 

I do not love Uber as a company but I try to see Pax as people and a good number are good people struggling like we are. Drivers dont have to help but I am happy too.


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## UberNomad (Oct 24, 2016)

I agree.....why is it so hard for people to be nice?

I just signed up for Uber last week and haven't been out on the road yet but I'm excited and I can't wait to give it a try. I like to drive and I'm a people person, so hope I do well. And I would do the little extra here and there for a rider, isn't it really kind of part of the job? Riders want good service but want to save money which is the purpose of Uber isn't it? And they shouldn't suffer because the driver doesn't like Uber.

I just found this forum today and I'm shocked at how many negative threads I've come across already from drivers so it's great to see a nice story like this.

You did a good job, thanks for sharing!


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

Shangsta said:


> Good on you for providing great service. I would do what you did. Ubers low rates have caused some drivers to be totally cut throat. There is a thread bragging about cancelling short trips. Threads about kicking out Pax. Threads about how its not our job to help people at grocery stores.
> 
> I do not love Uber as a company but I try to see Pax as people and a good number are good people struggling like we are. Drivers dont have to help but I am happy too.


I've had many pax tell me they wish they could pay double the rates to have the same quality service they got a year or two ago. Told them that's what Select is for. Usually a very clean car and courteous driver as we are happy with the Select rates. I'm much more patient and accommodating to my Select pax as I am for my X pax. Yet I'm sure they'll still order X and still complain about the lousy service.

You get what you pay for, and you don't pay much for X...


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## Mattio41 (Sep 19, 2016)

chitownXdriver said:


> Thank you for providing us with her address, next time I'm down in Jersey I'll make sure to say hello and ask her if she needs any assistance.


Fixed it, thanks for reminding me..


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## DriverX (Aug 5, 2015)

UberNomad said:


> I agree.....why is it so hard for people to be nice?
> 
> I just signed up for Uber last week and haven't been out on the road yet but I'm excited and I can't wait to give it a try. I like to drive and I'm a people person, so hope I do well. And I would do the little extra here and there for a rider, isn't it really kind of part of the job? Riders want good service but want to save money which is the purpose of Uber isn't it? And they shouldn't suffer because the driver doesn't like Uber.
> 
> ...


If this forum shocks you wait until you start driving pax!


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## DriverX (Aug 5, 2015)

steveK2016 said:


> I've had many pax tell me they wish they could pay double the rates to have the same quality service they got a year or two ago. Told them that's what Select is for. Usually a very clean car and courteous driver as we are happy with the Select rates. I'm much more patient and accommodating to my Select pax as I am for my X pax. Yet I'm sure they'll still order X and still complain about the lousy service.
> 
> You get what you pay for, and you don't pay much for X...


LOL, you probably avoid grocery store pick ups just like us X drivers and especially COSTCO. Stop tooting your horn. This is the wrong place to market Select.


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## Red Leader (Sep 4, 2016)

Mattio41 said:


> The other night, I get pinged to go to a local Costco. Roll up, Costco is closed, and I see an older woman standing with her carriage full of bags, and standing with a cane. I pull up, open the hatch, preceded to help her load the bags into the car. No big deal, it was a quick 1,2,3...
> 
> As we are driving, she tells me I am the second Uber to show up. The first uber, pulled all the way into the shopping center and then drove away and cancelled the trip. Through conversation, found out she is now legally blind, and can no longer drive, and just had knee surgery.
> 
> ...


Yes. It is very difficult for some people to be nice. Life is truly all about them. What's worse is, someone will be along to tell you how you are an idiot for doing what you did.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

DriverX said:


> LOL, you probably avoid grocery store pick ups just like us X drivers and especially COSTCO. Stop tooting your horn. This is the wrong place to market Select.


Who said I wouldn't avoid grocery stores? What does this have to do with what I said? I was replying to a comment about cut throat drivers with no patients. I stated that pax have said they would pay more to avoid said cut throat drivers, I assert that they can do that now by picking Select. They won't because they're cheap and never really meant what they said.

The cheap pax deserve their cut throat drivers. Not trying to sell you on Select


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## Red Leader (Sep 4, 2016)

steveK2016 said:


> Who said I wouldn't avoid grocery stores? What does this have to do with what I said? I was replying to a comment about cut throat drivers with no patients. I stated that pax have said they would pay more to avoid said cut throat drivers, I assert that they can do that now by picking Select. They won't because they're cheap and never really meant what they said.
> 
> The cheap pax deserve their cut throat drivers. Not trying to sell you on Select


This is exactly correct.


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## mikes424 (May 22, 2016)

Even if there is no financial gain to being nice, there is always Karma.

In my area, there is an elderly gentleman I pick up occasionally. Twice a week (days his caretaker is,off) he goes to a restaurant about a mile away, has dinner then goes home. Using Uber pool for both ways. He cannot see well, thus cannot drive and barely can walk. With time and distance needed to pick him up financially it might be a loser. Just remember, we are all going to be old one day so let's treat the elderly as we will want to be treated


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## DriverX (Aug 5, 2015)

steveK2016 said:


> Who said I wouldn't avoid grocery stores? What does this have to do with what I said? I was replying to a comment about cut throat drivers with no patients. I stated that pax have said they would pay more to avoid said cut throat drivers, I assert that they can do that now by picking Select. They won't because they're cheap and never really meant what they said.
> 
> The cheap pax deserve their cut throat drivers. Not trying to sell you on Select


and my point is the Select drivers are just as cut throat because they would avoid that crappy fare if they could too. I think we can agree that had this guy not been tipped that he would have thought later that picking up at costco was a bad decision in the first place and might avoid it next time. THe self righteous after the fact chiding of a driver that made a technically better business decision is what I find disingenuous.

I think we can all agree that if youre going to cancel a pax becasue its a sh*t costco pick up you should cancel immediately and spare them having to wait for you to drive all the way over to them first.


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## CrazyT (Jul 2, 2016)

I get a lot of pax who got cancelled on by other drivers. Yes a lot of grocery store or Walmart pickups. Funny thing is around 90% of the time it's people who work there going home. The rest if they have bags, it's 4 or less. Now I had a couple trips where someone wanted to load a whole cart of stuff, and I was driving a small SUV. I was nice and things worked out. Now if they have a whole cart load they cancel on me when it pops up that I'm coming in a Prius.


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## DoUHaveAnyWater? (Sep 7, 2016)

UberNomad said:


> And they shouldn't suffer because the driver doesn't like Uber.


This lady should have been helped, but in general:

Drivers don't reject grocery pickups because they dislike Uber. They reject them because they dislike grocery pickups. Which are always going to be very short distance, mostly min fare hops.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

DriverX said:


> and my point is the Select drivers are just as cut throat because they would avoid that crappy fare if they could too. I think we can agree that had this guy not been tipped that he would have thought later that picking up at costco was a bad decision in the first place and might avoid it next time. THe self righteous after the fact chiding of a driver that made a technically better business decision is what I find disingenuous.
> 
> I think we can all agree that if youre going to cancel a pax becasue its a sh*t costco pick up you should cancel immediately and spare them having to wait for you to drive all the way over to them first.


Honestly, I probably wouldn't cancel on a grocery pickup if they were on Select. That's like canceling an X ride on a 2.8 surge. You don't do that. I don't think you realize how much better select rates are if you think a select driver would cancel on many select rides.

But this is all hypothetical as I've never had anyone use select for grocery pickup. Lol.

The point was not specific to grocery pickup, however. The sentiment was that drivers are, in general, cut throat and I know I am too on X. But I'm telling ya, I'm far more accomedating to my select pax because I know the rates are better. That's the point to my reply. Grocery or no grocery, select drivers will be much more accomedating than x drivers more times than not.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

mikesmidget said:


> we are all going to be old one day so let's treat the elderly as we will want to be treated


We used to have a number of impatient drivers when I was a dispatcher. Some of them used to caterwaul about how long an elderly passenger was taking to come out, particullarly if it was from a doctor's office or from a residence where there were many elderly people. I used to tell them to give the people a few extra minutes, as they were elderly, infirm and slow. I used to add "Just think, Sir, one day _*you*_ may be elderly, infirm and slow".

We used to have some customers just as the quoted poster described in his post. The elderly people got out once or twice per week and went to this place to have dinner, lunch, go to the movies or whatever. Usually it was a short trip, or back in the Zone days it was a one zone trip or a long two zones or whatever. As a dispatcher, you could spot the trip and usually somebody would go get it because the driver understood what was happening. In addition, as a dispatcher, you could slip that driver a bone for doing it. Many elderly are on a limited budget, which is why they must choose U-Pool.

Sadly for those on a limited budget, the nature of electronic digital call assignment does not allow for letting a driver know that the requester deserves a break. For that reason, sadly, I must let those trips go along with the usual U-Pool users who are abusive in more ways than one. I will accept Wally World or grocery store requests as long as they are regular UberX, regular Lyft or Uber Taxi. I will not accept U-Pool or LL trips, regardless of where they are; too much abuse, too much trouble all for no money. If I knew that it was an elderly customer who could afford no better, I would cut him a break and go get him, but, as Uber and Lyft have no way of letting me know that for certain, there is nothing to be done.

Some might ask what if I recognise the pick-up address as a residence for elders? I got burned on that once or twice by employees of the facility who threatened one star if I accepted any more customers. I took the additional customers anyhow and informed the first customer that she had earned one star from me just by making the comment. After that, no more U-Pool/LL anywhere, unless I need to make a trip quota for a bonus. Even then, I keep LL/U-Pool to a minimum. If you want to pay bus rates, they have the bus for that; ride it. UberX base rates are low enough as it is.


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## DriverX (Aug 5, 2015)

steveK2016 said:


> Honestly, I probably wouldn't cancel on a grocery pickup if they were on Select. That's like canceling an X ride on a 2.8 surge. You don't do that. I don't think you realize how much better select rates are if you think a select driver would cancel on many select rides.
> 
> But this is all hypothetical as I've never had anyone use select for grocery pickup. Lol.
> 
> The point was not specific to grocery pickup, however. The sentiment was that drivers are, in general, cut throat and I know I am too on X. But I'm telling ya, I'm far more accomedating to my select pax because I know the rates are better. That's the point to my reply. Grocery or no grocery, select drivers will be much more accommodating than x drivers more times than not.


Fair enough, but also to be fair, X drivers would also do the pickup at 2.8X surge. SO they aren't really any more cut throat when it comes down to it. THe money is the driving factor on whether we want the ride, not the person or necessarily having to help them cart groceries around.

Bottom line: You're not making more customer friendly decisions because you are a Select driver and therefore a more benevolent good Samaritan who actually gives A F about the pax anymore than I do; you are doing it for the MONEY.


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## DriverX (Aug 5, 2015)

Another Uber Driver said:


> We used to have a number of impatient drivers when I was a dispatcher. Some of them used to caterwaul about how long an elderly passenger was taking to come out, particullarly if it was from a doctor's office or from a residence where there were many elderly people. I used to tell them to give the people a few extra minutes, as they were elderly, infirm and slow. I used to add "Just think, Sir, one day _*you*_ may be elderly, infirm and slow".
> 
> We used to have some customers just as the quoted poster described in his post. The elderly people got out once or twice per week and went to this place to have dinner, lunch, go to the movies or whatever. Usually it was a short trip, or back in the Zone days it was a one zone trip or a long two zones or whatever. As a dispatcher, you could spot the trip and usually somebody would go get it because the driver understood what was happening. In addition, as a dispatcher, you could slip that driver a bone for doing it. Many elderly are on a limited budget, which is why they must choose U-Pool.
> 
> ...


I agree, except the part about the elderly needing Pool or LL becasue they are too poor. Most are doing just fine and can easily afford the extr $1-$10 for the X ride, they are just cheap because they are old and used to 1950s prices. It isn't 1950 anymore and X is plenty cheap compared to any other transportation service available. If they are that poor and infirm there are plenty of free services they can sign up for and wait on.

That being said, when I do pick up an elderly person, I was raised to be respectful and helpful and I treat them how I would treat my own Grandparents knowing full well that they will probably tip me nothing at all or like it was 1950.

Here's a dollar sonny, don't spend it all in one place!


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

DriverX said:


> Fair enough, but also to be fair, X drivers would also do the pickup at 2.8X surge. SO they aren't really any more cut throat when it comes down to it. THe money is the driving factor on whether we want the ride, not the person or necessarily having to help them cart groceries around.
> 
> Bottom line: You're not making more customer friendly decisions because you are a Select driver and therefore a more benevolent good Samaritan who actually gives A F about the pax anymore than I do; you are doing it for the MONEY.


Exactly! You are far more accommodating to your pax on a 2.8x surge, right?

I'm not saying X is more cut throat categorically, just that at X rate we're all cut throats! But raise that rate, either by surge multiple or class upgrade and we're all far more accommodating. That's what Uber is failing to truly recognize, that their Uber Experience is really starting to deteriorate by dropping the rates. You get what you pay for, and at these rates, that ain't much!

It's much easier to be nice when you are making better money!


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## Mattio41 (Sep 19, 2016)

I agree with both of you in the sense that , better rates, will equal better service. I have been hearing complaints from different customers of how the service is going downhill fast..

But that being said, I am a firm believer in Karma as well. You never know when it is going to hit either.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

Mattio41 said:


> I agree with both of you in the sense that , better rates, will equal better service. I have been hearing complaints from different customers of how the service is going downhill fast..
> 
> But that being said, I am a firm believer in Karma as well. You never know when it is going to hit either.


I would never be a jerk to someone, a pax particularly, just because but many of the "cut throat" aspects is no show cancels at 5:01. Not being patient in finding the pax on a bad ping, etc. All of which is a complaint by many riders. All of which is usually negated with increased rates. It's a dangerous balancing act for sure. I think Uber shot themselves in the foot cutting rates so low.


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## Uberchampion (Oct 17, 2015)

Mattio41 said:


> The other night, I get pinged to go to a local Costco. Roll up, Costco is closed, and I see an older woman standing with her carriage full of bags, and standing with a cane. I pull up, open the hatch, preceded to help her load the bags into the car. No big deal, it was a quick 1,2,3...
> 
> As we are driving, she tells me I am the second Uber to show up. The first uber, pulled all the way into the shopping center and then drove away and cancelled the trip. Through conversation, found out she is now legally blind, and can no longer drive, and just had knee surgery.
> 
> ...


it looks like you got a deserving pax, if it was an elderly person I would help too. Ive however been burned a few times by being extra helpful. Almost all of the pax (mostly young) that I have helped with bags, boxes etc haven't even said thank you. Its nothing to do with tips or big recognition.....its all to do with the title of your post "*Is it that difficult to be nice ???*"

The first scratch on the inside door of my new car was from a pax with a box. (The asshole also didnt mention that he scratched my car until I went to help him get his box out).....No Thank you from him at all.

Once bitten, twice shy


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## UberNomad (Oct 24, 2016)

Yeah better rates would be nice as a driver but we all know what we're in for when signing up so why would the rates affect how you treat a paying rider. If you don't like the deal then stop doing it. It's a job, do your job the best you can and if you don't like that job, move on to another.

I don't understand this mentality of "if I was paid better I'd be nicer" or judging riders saying they're "cheap" for using Uber. It's a service we are providing for people and why wouldn't someone rather pay $10 for a ride instead of $20 for the same ride with a cab, of course they'll go with the $10 ride.

And we're using our personal cars to drive people around, things are going to happen to it and again, we know that by taking this job.

Just my two cents, not that it means anything. hahaha


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## chitownXdriver (Dec 24, 2014)

UberNomad said:


> Yeah better rates would be nice as a driver but we all know what we're in for when signing up so why would the rates affect how you treat a paying rider. If you don't like the deal then stop doing it. It's a job, do your job the best you can and if you don't like that job, move on to another.
> 
> I don't understand this mentality of "if I was paid better I'd be nicer" or judging riders saying they're "cheap" for using Uber. It's a service we are providing for people and why wouldn't someone rather pay $10 for a ride instead of $20 for the same ride with a cab, of course they'll go with the $10 ride.
> 
> ...


I agree with you to an extent and I think most drivers also do but what irks everyone are the unfair, unethical, and overall sleazy practises of the company towards the drivers as well as making abrupt changes to how the app works and to policies in general without any say on the drivers part but then refusing to call us employees for tax purposes, if the company was more fair, honest, and worked with integrity even with the rates as they currently are I'm sure a lot more drivers would act much more decently and you'd have a lot less drivers who are angry or unhappy.


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## Mean_Judge (Jan 14, 2015)

Most of Uber drivers lazy cheap bastards, who wants easy money with minimum effort, no wounder first driver was one of them and cancelled trip. 
There is no guarantee that you will not join that team after driving for a while.


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## chitownXdriver (Dec 24, 2014)

Mean_Judge said:


> Most of Uber drivers lazy cheap bastards, who wants easy money with minimum effort, no wounder first driver was one of them and cancelled trip.
> There is no guarantee that you will not join that team after driving for a while.


I don't fully understand what you are saying, but why is that a bad thing? Isn't that what everyone wants, easy money with minimum effort?


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## Mean_Judge (Jan 14, 2015)

chitownXdriver said:


> I don't fully understand what you are saying, but why is that a bad thing? Isn't that what everyone wants, easy money with minimum effort?


Minimum effort brought you to a minimum wage job. So its not a good thing. But it is your life and your choice.


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

Mattio41 said:


> Don't get me wrong, I understand shopping center trips can suck. But this was clearly an older woman who was in need of a helping hand. Is it really that difficult to be nice ??


Nothing wrong with being nice, I highly recommend it. Be pleasant with everyone, even if you are turning them down.

But if a trip is a loser, it doesn't make someone "not nice" if they refuse it. The partner is in business to make money in his ultimate side hustle. Not to do works of charity.

Good deed doers are certainly needed. But if that is your goal for Ubering, you'd probably be better off just volunteering for local do-gooder outfits.


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## chitownXdriver (Dec 24, 2014)

Mean_Judge said:


> Minimum effort brought you to a minimum wage job. So its not a good thing. But it is your life and your choice.


Uber is actually my supplemental income, I have another regular decent paying job, what I'm trying to say is that it is better to work smart with less effort compared to working hard with a lot of effort and getting paid the same.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

There's 2 things here: 

1) I have a soft spot for people in need. I just had an older woman ping me from 6 minutes away, take a solid minute to get into the car and just have me take her 4 blocks to the hospital. 4 miles and 15 minutes for 3.20 and I felt good that I was able to help her and put a smile on her face. Car's broke down, going to work and struggling to make ends meet, etc... it makes me feel good to help others have a slightly better day. 

2) Types of service: As an IC I provide a more varied menu of services to Select passengers. I will drive further to get you, I will wait for you, take you through the drive through, get out and help you with groceries (and yes I've had a few) ... My margins are much better on Select so I can afford to provide you with select service. In fact, I won't even turn X on unless I'm stranded somewhere and hoping to get a ride out OR it's surging. Once I show up on a ping, it seems to me that there's little point in driving off unless it's for safety reasons or too drunk pax. I'd rather get some payment for my trip to pick up.


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## chitownXdriver (Dec 24, 2014)

Mean_Judge said:


> You made me lough bro, You said you have decent paying job, but you drive Uber. Don`t lie to yourself. If you end up Ubering that means both of your jobs and life is suck, Period !


Yes I drive only on Saturday and sometimes Sundays and make an extra $800-$1000 a month in addition to the salary I receive from my full time job which I got because of the education I received, I'm happily married, have 3 kids all of whom go to a private school, a cat, a house and two cars, one of which i just bought brand new off the lot earlier this month for $30K I'm pretty content with my life and it definitely doesn't suck, if you must know my bio I started ubering full time 2.5 years ago after I got laid off just to stay on my feet, since then I got another job and realized i can still make decent part time money doing Uber once a week, it seems your life must suck so you think everyone who ubers their life sucks too and you just seem like a miserable person because your life didn't turn out how you had envisioned it when you were younger, the point I was trying to make earlier was that if you work smart you don't have to work hard, when I first started my career I had offers to work for 3 different companies, guess which one I chose? You got it, the one which required the least amount of work but paid the most money.


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## ddelro219 (Aug 11, 2016)

it's harder to be nice when the pax are just not nice people. it wears on you. 

this morning, my pax sneezed. common courtesy would dictate that you say something like, 'god bless you' or 'gazuntite' (is that spelled right?). but she responds, "I hate to be rude but if you're not a priest or bishop, you have no authority or power to bless others on behalf of god." really???? a simple, 'thank you' would suffice. even a small nod of acknowledgement. 

yeah, i would love to be nice to everyone but some just ask for less-than-nice treatment. and it sucks that some deservce better but don't due to someone else's poor manners.


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## Steven Ambrose (Sep 25, 2016)

I had a rider this happened to before. She was at Publix and informed me that the driver drove up, ask who she was, and then drove off and cancelled the trip. I showed up and she was not happy, but she said it was not at me, it was at the other driver. She reported him and then also gave me a nice review.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

ddelro219 said:


> it's harder to be nice when the pax are just not nice people. it wears on you.
> 
> this morning, my pax sneezed. common courtesy would dictate that you say something like, 'god bless you' or 'gazuntite' (is that spelled right?). but she responds, "I hate to be rude but if you're not a priest or bishop, you have no authority or power to bless others on behalf of god." really???? a simple, 'thank you' would suffice. even a small nod of acknowledgement.
> 
> yeah, i would love to be nice to everyone but some just ask for less-than-nice treatment. and it sucks that some deservce better but don't due to someone else's poor manners.


Sorry, that made me laugh. There are people who have a huge chip on their shoulder and need to see the negative in everything. That would have been a disaster for me because I would have laughed and when she asked why, would probably have replied something like taking yourself a bit seriously are we? It would not have been good for my ratings because pompous asses don't like being laughed at.


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## ddelro219 (Aug 11, 2016)

Disgusted Driver said:


> Sorry, that made me laugh. There are people who have a huge chip on their shoulder and need to see the negative in everything. That would have been a disaster for me because I would have laughed and when she asked why, would probably have replied something like taking yourself a bit seriously are we? It would not have been good for my ratings because pompous asses don't like being laughed at.


yeah, who wants to open that can of worms during a 15 minute ride that will pay you pennies. not worth it. have to pick your battles.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

chitownXdriver said:


> Yes I drive only on Saturday and sometimes Sundays and make an extra $800-$1000 a month in addition to the salary I receive from my full time job which I got because of the education I received, I'm happily married, have 3 kids all of whom go to a private school, a cat, a house and two cars, one of which i just bought brand new off the lot earlier this month for $30K I'm pretty content with my life and it definitely doesn't suck, if you must know my bio I started ubering full time 2.5 years ago after I got laid off just to stay on my feet, since then I got another job and realized i can still make decent part time money doing Uber once a week, it seems your life must suck so you think everyone who ubers their life sucks too and you just seem like a miserable person because your life didn't turn out how you had envisioned it when you were younger, the point I was trying to make earlier was that if you work smart you don't have to work hard, when I first started my career I had offers to work for 3 different companies, guess which one I chose? You got it, the one which required the least amount of work but paid the most money.


Got your point, but it was hard to follow your post due to the length of the first sentence. Please, throw a period in once in a while instead of a comma. It will make it easier to read. Thanks.


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## ChortlingCrison (Mar 30, 2016)

the crison is always except when the pax tries to negotiate the fare down... etc. All that I ask is for those self entitled college kids to sit in place in silence during the rate, now's that's not too hard to ask.


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## chitownXdriver (Dec 24, 2014)

Older Chauffeur said:


> Got your point, but it was hard to follow your post due to the length of the first sentence. Please, throw a period in once in a while instead of a comma. It will make it easier to read. Thanks.


Lol I just noticed that myself. Thank you!


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## kabibe (Oct 26, 2016)

One of my first trips was a pick up at WalMart. And they had a ton of bags. My priusC does not have a lot of room but if the driver is willing to cram all their crap into it, fine by me. I've done pick ups at the airport and bus and train station, and it's the same deal. They know I have a Prius. If they have a giant suitcase, they better be ready to share the back seat with it or have it in my front passenger if there is more than one person. So far, all have been cheerful about it, probably because the ride is cheap.

Also, I think nothing of being polite to jerky people and being accomodating. My full time job is retail and I eat s*** all day long. So would I help an old lady? Sure. Would I refuse a trip? Not very often. Another because they had a ton of bags. About it depends on where you are. Sometimes the trips aren't coming fast and furious in my area..


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## Mr Luc Ky (Oct 18, 2016)

being nice and courteous is a full time gig


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## Blackout 702 (Oct 18, 2016)

Dropping off a pax tonight at a concert, I pull in to the first driveway at the event. Three guys start waving red flashlights at me and shaking their heads "no."

Me: "Hi! I'm not parking, I'm just dropping someone off."
First Flashlight Guy: "You can't park here."
Me: "Yeah, I'm not parking, I'm just dropping off."
FFG: "You can't go this way."
Me: "Go it. Can you please tell me where I can drop him off?"
FFG: "Not here."
Me: "Right. So where would you like me to drop him off?"
FFG: "Make a right. Then another right."
Me: "Super. Thanks!"

I was smiling the whole time, and the flashlight guys looked like they were smelling farts. It's really not hard at all to be nice.


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## SurgeorSuckit (Apr 3, 2016)

UberNomad said:


> Yeah better rates would be nice as a driver but we all know what we're in for when signing up so why would the rates affect how you treat a paying rider. If you don't like the deal then stop doing it. It's a job, do your job the best you can and if you don't like that job, move on to another.
> 
> I don't understand this mentality of "if I was paid better I'd be nicer" or judging riders saying they're "cheap" for using Uber. It's a service we are providing for people and why wouldn't someone rather pay $10 for a ride instead of $20 for the same ride with a cab, of course they'll go with the $10 ride.
> 
> ...


I have helped plenty of people with bags when I first started doing this. It got old real quick, and even older when they don't tip. If I get a ping for a grocery store now I'll just let it go to the next person.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

Blackout 702 said:


> Dropping off a pax tonight at a concert, I pull in to the first driveway at the event. Three guys start waving red flashlights at me and shaking their heads "no."
> 
> Me: "Hi! I'm not parking, I'm just dropping someone off."
> First Flashlight Guy: "You can't park here."
> ...


In the time of that conversation, the pax could have exited the vehicle. I usually don't pay much mind to the flashing lights, especially if it's a quick drop off as it shouldn't take more than 10 seconds for everyone to get out. Pickup is another thing, most of the time you're blocking traffic for far too long...


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

I once shared a story about a lady who requested a ride for an elderly gentleman who was carrying his groceries home on foot. I thought it was an uplifting story, and I gave the lady all the credit.

The responses were appalling. I was accused of being an Uber-shill, and for self-promoting, even though I stated that I simply drove the passenger like any other ride and that the lady paying for the ride was the hero.

So, yes, apparently it IS that difficult to be nice, because some people can't handle it.


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## Blackout 702 (Oct 18, 2016)

renbutler said:


> I once shared a story about a lady who requested a ride for an elderly gentleman who was carrying his groceries home on foot. I thought it was an uplifting story, and I gave the lady all the credit.
> 
> The responses were appalling. I was accused of being an Uber-shill, and for self-promoting, even though I stated that I simply drove the passenger like any other ride and that the lady paying for the ride was the hero.
> 
> So, yes, apparently it IS that difficult to be nice, because some people can't handle it.


Screw 'em. You did the right thing. The quote in your signature line speaks volumes.


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## EX_ (Jan 31, 2016)

Mattio41 said:


> The other night, I get pinged to go to a local Costco. Roll up, Costco is closed, and I see an older woman standing with her carriage full of bags, and standing with a cane. I pull up, open the hatch, preceded to help her load the bags into the car. No big deal, it was a quick 1,2,3...
> 
> As we are driving, she tells me I am the second Uber to show up. The first uber, pulled all the way into the shopping center and then drove away and cancelled the trip. Through conversation, found out she is now legally blind, and can no longer drive, and just had knee surgery.
> 
> ...


Depends.
In this case it's certainly the right thing to do be nice and help, being polite won't kill any of us.
However (at least where I live) the majority of my pax are either drunk and/or in college so they can wear on anybody's patience, so I look squarely at my bottom line with the surge being a prime movitator.


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## ColdRider (Oct 19, 2015)

I'm always nice.


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## Mr Ocasio (Aug 9, 2016)

Unlike the UBER know it all in this forum, I have had many short trips that have set me up for very long and profitable trips. Short trip puts me in a spot to pick up a good trip after dropping off the sucky ones. My advice, use this forum as entertainment. Take thebgood advice and dont listen to the negativity. Some drivers are bitter and perhaps that is how they been all their life. They have never had human interaction, live in moms basement and have nothing to come home too other than a pet a case of budweiser and a playstation. Be nice be corteus take whatbyou want cancel what you want do pool dont do pool do as you please. It is your time and your vehicle. Although you can get good advice no one here pays yout car or your gas. You'll learn and you will come up with a strategy. You never know what a pax is going thru and it a trip might not financially profitable for you, but you might off helped someone who was in a really bad spot. The person who calls you with a cart fulk of groceries and is going 2 blocks away mightbof given you the last $3 dollars they have until next paycheck. Be kind be corteus and stop being bitter.


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## goelpellc (Oct 6, 2016)

steveK2016 said:


> It's much easier to be nice when you are making better money!


It's much easier to make more money when you are nice.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

goelpellc said:


> It's much easier to make more money when you are nice.


Agreed, although that shouldn't be the _goal _of being nice. It's more like a bonus for doing the right thing anyway.


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## El Janitor (Feb 22, 2016)

Good for you. I had a mentally challenged person tell me how upset he was that the Lyft driver didn't wait outside the convenience store for him while he bought a soda. He literally had a half empty soda in his hand when I picked him up, and yes he needs help doing simple things that you and I take for granted.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Mattio41 said:


> The other night, I get pinged to go to a local Costco. Roll up, Costco is closed, and I see an older woman standing with her carriage full of bags, and standing with a cane. I pull up, open the hatch, preceded to help her load the bags into the car. No big deal, it was a quick 1,2,3...
> 
> As we are driving, she tells me I am the second Uber to show up. The first uber, pulled all the way into the shopping center and then drove away and cancelled the trip. Through conversation, found out she is now legally blind, and can no longer drive, and just had knee surgery.
> 
> ...


Amen. Some of these I would do for free. People need to shop.
Shame on whoever left a blind woman standing there at Costco with groceries


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

goelpellc said:


> It's much easier to make more money when you are nice.


Total pipe dream. No amount of extra niceness will get you paid more. The rates stay the same, and most will tip one way or another as long as you aren't a complete scumbag.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a nice driver. I'm kind and courteous to all my pax but I don't go out of my way with loading groceries, etc. There's no mints, waters, etc in my vehicle and I'm also not going to wait beyond the 5 minutes, I'm not going to hunt you down after dropping a terrible pin in rush hour traffic in downtown... but if the rates were higher, I would. That's a fact.

Your concept of easier to make money when your nice relies on the idea that you'd get tipped for being nice, but that's not the case and you know it. Either a pax is a tipper or they are not, and as long as you weren't a total jerk, they'll tip you if they are a tipper. No amount of niceness will get a cheap, non-tipper to actually tip. Niceness is not some magical spell that gets people to open up their wallets, at least not here in Atlanta...


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## UberSchmuber (Mar 2, 2016)

Mattio41 said:


> Is it really that difficult to be nice ??


You did the decent thing and good for you! I'm tired of the bad apples governing bad behavior.

With Uber, I've always tried to maintain the Roadhouse of "Be Nice" until it's time not to be nice. I have had that happen only twice in 1600 some odd fairs. I'm not tipped all the time and I helped a woman in Princeton carry her groceries to the front door. No tip but a 5 star feedback.


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## Blackout 702 (Oct 18, 2016)




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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

UberNomad said:


> I agree.....why is it so hard for people to be nice?
> 
> I just signed up for Uber last week and haven't been out on the road yet but I'm excited and I can't wait to give it a try. I like to drive and I'm a people person, so hope I do well. And I would do the little extra here and there for a rider, isn't it really kind of part of the job? Riders want good service but want to save money which is the purpose of Uber isn't it? And they shouldn't suffer because the driver doesn't like Uber.
> 
> ...


i'm just curious how your first two weeks of Ubering will do to your stance on niceness.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

steveK2016 said:


> Your concept of easier to make money when your nice relies on the idea that you'd get tipped for being nice, but that's not the case and you know it.


Wow, that's pretty cynical.

I guess all those waiters/waiters just _really, really_ like you...


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## Mr Ocasio (Aug 9, 2016)

renbutler said:


> Wow, that's pretty cynical.
> 
> I guess all those waiters/waiters just _really, really_ like you...


Lol. Good one. Another example of people who think with their mouths.


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## NoNameNoGame (Oct 13, 2014)

All for the occasional good deed. I saw a driver help an undergrad in NYC move her stuff from dorm to dorm on an unbearably hot August day a couple of years ago. Given the heat, traffic, lack of parking, I was amazed.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

renbutler said:


> Wow, that's pretty cynical.
> 
> I guess all those waiters/waiters just _really, really_ like you...


Are you a waiter? Much different industry, much different cultural expectations of tipping.

You can't seriously believe you can compare restaurant tipping with Uber tipping. If you do, you haven't been driving too long. I get it, I wish there was the same level of tipping expectations for Uber drivers that Waiters have. If there were, I'd be kissing the pax asses too! But we all live in the real world, and in this world Uber has implied that tips are included and not necessary to maintain a cashless experience. Enough people have bought into that lie and has made tipping an extraordinary event rather than the norm.

There has been zero noticeable different in tips from back when I was a wide eyes, bushy tailed Uber driver rolling out the red carpet and opening doors for pax to now where I simply exchange pleasantries with my pax as I safely get them from point A to point B, no fuss, no muss.

That's all I mean by my exchange here. Like I said, I'm a nice guy and exchange pleasantries with my pax every time. I have a high rating and have had zero complaints. But the idea to be nice, to do things on the extraordinary... to wait excessively for pax, to be patient with bad pins in horrendous traffic... most of you would not put up with that, whether you want to admit it here or not. However, add a 2.7x Surge into the mix, and you probably would, wouldn't you?


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

I tip more when I receive exemplary service from somebody who acts like it's their pleasure to help me. And not just at restaurants.

You can't tell me that I'm the only person in the world like that.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

I_Like_Spam said:


> Nothing wrong with being nice, I highly recommend it. Be pleasant with everyone, even if you are turning them down.
> 
> But if a trip is a loser, it doesn't make someone "not nice" if they refuse it. The partner is in business to make money in his ultimate side hustle. Not to do works of charity.
> 
> Good deed doers are certainly needed. But if that is your goal for Ubering, you'd probably be better off just volunteering for local do-gooder outfits.


If all the drivers doing this for fun woukd just go drive for Meals on Wheels or other charities they'd get a lot more satisfaction and much more grateful "customers." Plus those of us only doing it for money might make more.

If I were rich and bored I wouldn't drive for Uber. I'd find a charity more deserving of my time and effort and drive for them.

And if all these folks telling us to be "nice" on this board were doing that, people who truly NEED a cheap or free service wouldn't need to call a pissed off Uber driver in the first place.


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## goelpellc (Oct 6, 2016)

steveK2016 said:


> Total pipe dream. No amount of extra niceness will get you paid more. The rates stay the same, and most will tip one way or another as long as you aren't a complete scumbag.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I'm a nice driver. I'm kind and courteous to all my pax but I don't go out of my way with loading groceries, etc. There's no mints, waters, etc in my vehicle and I'm also not going to wait beyond the 5 minutes, I'm not going to hunt you down after dropping a terrible pin in rush hour traffic in downtown... but if the rates were higher, I would. That's a fact.
> 
> Your concept of easier to make money when your nice relies on the idea that you'd get tipped for being nice, but that's not the case and you know it. Either a pax is a tipper or they are not, and as long as you weren't a total jerk, they'll tip you if they are a tipper. No amount of niceness will get a cheap, non-tipper to actually tip. Niceness is not some magical spell that gets people to open up their wallets, at least not here in Atlanta...


I was talking in general. Not Uber alone. Being nice is just a basic thing to do in my life.


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## DriverX (Aug 5, 2015)

steveK2016 said:


> It's much easier to be nice when you are making better money!


or in the very least, not losing money. +2x surge, yeah I'll do drive thru, they paid a premium.

Upfront pricing means that sometimes the pax has no idea they are getting surge prices which can be a positive for the driver, but it also means they don't understand why their driver is in such a good mood and providing a more accommodating user experience.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

ddelro219 said:


> it's harder to be nice when the pax are just not nice people. it wears on you.
> 
> this morning, my pax sneezed. common courtesy would dictate that you say something like, 'god bless you' or 'gazuntite' (is that spelled right?). but she responds, "I hate to be rude but if you're not a priest or bishop, you have no authority or power to bless others on behalf of god." really???? a simple, 'thank you' would suffice. even a small nod of acknowledgement.
> 
> yeah, i would love to be nice to everyone but some just ask for less-than-nice treatment. and it sucks that some deservce better but don't due to someone else's poor manners.


I'm an atheist and I don't get offended by the "bless you" darn near everyone says if you sneeze.

Some people really have issues.


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## DriverX (Aug 5, 2015)

renbutler said:


> I tip more when I receive exemplary service from somebody who acts like it's their pleasure to help me. And not just at restaurants.
> 
> You can't tell me that I'm the only person in the world like that.


Your expecting exemplary service but only want to pay the driver $3 for it, so that you can decide if it met your expectations of what exemplary is before deciding to give them any more. This is Horse S, you should just be willing to pay a fair price for the service of driving you from A to B safely. You want exemplary? call a Black.

When you go to a McDonalds do expect a steak? do you tip your fast food guy when your fries come out hot?


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## DriverX (Aug 5, 2015)

Blackout 702 said:


> Dropping off a pax tonight at a concert, I pull in to the first driveway at the event. Three guys start waving red flashlights at me and shaking their heads "no."
> 
> Me: "Hi! I'm not parking, I'm just dropping someone off."
> First Flashlight Guy: "You can't park here."
> ...


flashlight guys have no real authority. drop where you want.


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## Blackout 702 (Oct 18, 2016)

DriverX said:


> flashlight guys have no real authority. drop where you want.


It was actually the three cops standing behind them looking like they couldn't wait to hassle someone who had me more concerned.


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## DriverX (Aug 5, 2015)

Blackout 702 said:


> It was actually the three cops standing behind them looking like they couldn't wait to hassle someone who had me more concerned.


Was the curb red? flashlight guys don't make a legal drop off area illegal becasue they have flashlights. the cops wouldnt' have done anything if it was legal and probably nothing if it was a red curb either. They were probably paid off-duty security anyway. maybe someone yells at you... yell back!


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## NachonCheeze (Sep 8, 2015)

mikesmidget said:


> Even if there is no financial gain to being nice, there is always Karma.
> 
> d


Don't forget about voodoo, astrology and all the other science based theories


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## Blackout 702 (Oct 18, 2016)

I've worked plenty of security, with and without cops on site. The flashlight guys were just parking lot attendants, but the cops were definitely cops and definitely there to block that particular entrance. The color of the curbs don't mean squat when armed officers are giving you the stink eye and backing up guys waving drivers away.


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## DriverX (Aug 5, 2015)

Blackout 702 said:


> I've worked plenty of security, with and without cops on site. The flashlight guys were just parking lot attendants, but the cops were definitely cops and definitely there to block that particular entrance. The color of the curbs don't mean squat when armed officers are giving you the stink eye and backing up guys waving drivers away.


I wasn't advising to drive through a group of cops. Just tell the pax oh well, rides over, your here! and let them out right there in front of flashlight guys on power trip.


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## Blackout 702 (Oct 18, 2016)

Nope. Not with six knuckleheads waving me away, three of 'em armed. You wanna roll those dice, be my guest.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

goelpellc said:


> I was talking in general. Not Uber alone. Being nice is just a basic thing to do in my life.


Were on a ride share website in a subforum specifically about stories while driving ride share. This topic was specifically about being nice to pax of ride share. Thats where my comment derived from, to reply with generalities outside of ride share is for what purpose?

Its great to be nice in general, I'm not going to argue that point but the point of this thread is about being nice to pax while doing ride share and whether excessive or extraordinary service is necessary to our services provided.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Mattio41 said:


> The other night, I get pinged to go to a local Costco. Roll up, Costco is closed, and I see an older woman standing with her carriage full of bags, and standing with a cane. I pull up, open the hatch, preceded to help her load the bags into the car. No big deal, it was a quick 1,2,3...
> 
> As we are driving, she tells me I am the second Uber to show up. The first uber, pulled all the way into the shopping center and then drove away and cancelled the trip. Through conversation, found out she is now legally blind, and can no longer drive, and just had knee surgery.
> 
> ...


My cat just died. This picture is tearing me up.


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## circle1 (Sep 17, 2016)

chitownXdriver said:


> Thank you for providing us with her address, next time I'm down in Jersey I'll make sure to say hello and ask her if she needs any assistance.


(whoops)


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## Txchick (Nov 25, 2014)

Mattio41 said:


> The other night, I get pinged to go to a local Costco. Roll up, Costco is closed, and I see an older woman standing with her carriage full of bags, and standing with a cane. I pull up, open the hatch, preceded to help her load the bags into the car. No big deal, it was a quick 1,2,3...
> 
> As we are driving, she tells me I am the second Uber to show up. The first uber, pulled all the way into the shopping center and then drove away and cancelled the trip. Through conversation, found out she is now legally blind, and can no longer drive, and just had knee surgery.
> 
> ...


Good for you! We all have grandmothers!


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## Clifford Chong (May 3, 2015)

Because we're always surrounded by assholes. The more you encounter, the more you feel inclined to be like that too. Road etiquette works precisely like that. The moment when nobody will let you merge onto the freeway will highly convince you to make you not want to let others merge aswell just to "get even" with society or people you don't know. It's human nature. I say deal with it.

Sometimes I'm nice, sometimes I'm not. That's just the way it is for many, many people in the world.


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## CrazyT (Jul 2, 2016)

I still am amazed how many drivers equate being nice with money. I hate to point it out but that looks like the downward slope to prostitution. What happened to being nice just because it's the decent thing to do?

Case in point (and yes I know some butter fools are about to tear me up over this but oh well): I'm just starting the car and I get a request for an office building a couple blocks over from my house. The pax texts me and says they're at the Social Security office. Ok easier to find that door, but I'm sure some would see that as a red flag. I arrive and the woman comes to the car with her daughter who is like 10 or so. Honestly the way she looked first thought was crackhead. She just had that tired, haggard look that the addicted do. 

They get in the car, start trip, destination is like 3 miles down the road. I hear them talking in the back that at least they got that out of the way, they can walk across to Dunkin' Donuts after we get there. The woman tells me the corner where they're going and there's a 7-11 right there. On the way it starts pouring down rain, like buckets. Change of plan. She asks if I'd mind stopping at the 7-11, waiting, and then taking them home. Ok that will probably extend the trip another few miles, and honestly the way it was raining having them get out and request another uber would just be mean. 

We get there, they dash in the store, takes less than 3 minutes they were back. Can we dash across the street and meet someone in the parking lot? I need to give my baby sitter money and she's right over there. I do it. She changes the destination and we start off for her house. She starts thanking me like crazy because I did this for her, tells me how some drivers wouldn't even stop for her to grab milk at times, and then starts telling me it's been a rough few weeks because her husband passed away like 2 weeks prior. 

We talk on the way to her place. Her daughter is trying to convince mom to get pizza for dinner. Mom tells her she doesn't know she's since not many places deliver, and if she calls Dominos it's like double the price to deliver instead of pick up. We get to her house and I recognize it. I looked back and told her I've been here before. She looks at me when I turn around and starts to tear up. I never took her home before, but all summer I picked up her and her husband and took them to the hospital. He had an inoperable brain tumor and sometimes wasn't the nicest person because of it. I didn't recognize her since I've never seen her without make up and her hair done just so, and never with a little girl. 

Trip ended, I went offline, we talked while waiting for the latest drenching to ease up some. Total time from starting trip until I backed out of her driveway, about 20 minutes. Did she tip? No but it wasn't about that. How long would the trip have taken without all the extra? About 15 minutes. What she asked wasn't unreasonable so there was no reason not to be nice. Even before she mentioned her husband. 

I'm just glad she didn't get a driver who was a jerk.


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## galileo5 (Jan 16, 2016)

Mattio41 said:


> The other night, I get pinged to go to a local Costco. Roll up, Costco is closed, and I see an older woman standing with her carriage full of bags, and standing with a cane. I pull up, open the hatch, preceded to help her load the bags into the car. No big deal, it was a quick 1,2,3...
> 
> As we are driving, she tells me I am the second Uber to show up. The first uber, pulled all the way into the shopping center and then drove away and cancelled the trip. Through conversation, found out she is now legally blind, and can no longer drive, and just had knee surgery.
> 
> ...


That's a great feel-good story, but most of my grocery experiences have been long load-time, short trip, no tip. Once in a blue moon you'll get the gracious passenger, but overall, not worth it.


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## JimS (Aug 18, 2015)

I think you're awesome for helping this lady out. Honestly, I would have done the same thing. Where I live, the ghetto (slums, subsidized housing, low income neighborhoods, whatever PC term you want to use) have no super markets, pharmacies, grocery stores, department stores, etc., because they keep getting robbed and shoplifted from. It's usually much more than a minimum fare trip to get someone from such a store to their neighborhood.

But, yes, I've had local students picked up at the grocery store ding my car with a shopping cart without the hint of an apology.

Some people suck. Others are worth helping out.

That being said, in most cities that are big enough to have Uber offers free to inexpensive rides for poor and/or disabled citizens.


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## Who is John Galt? (Sep 28, 2016)

Mattio41 said:


> The other night, I get pinged to go to a local Costco.
> yadda.....yadda
> 
> As we are driving, she tells me I am the second Uber to show up. The first uber, pulled all the way into the shopping center and then drove away and cancelled the trip. Through conversation, found out she is now legally blind, and can no longer drive, and just had knee surgery.
> ...


If she was/is legally blind, how did she come to the conclusion that there had been (only one other) another uber pulled into the shopping centre and then drove away?


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## Who is John Galt? (Sep 28, 2016)

steveK2016 said:


> Who said I wouldn't avoid grocery stores? What does this have to do with what I said? I was replying to a comment about cut throat drivers with no patients.
> .....yadda......yadda.....
> 
> The cheap pax deserve their cut throat drivers. Not trying to sell you on Select


Cut throat drivers with no patients !?
Wow!
Do you drive around with a sharp knife, or is your spelling in need of attention?


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## Trebor (Apr 22, 2015)

Sorry no grocery runs. The first driver messed up by not looking up the address on google before proceeding over there. 

Cosco is a little bit different. There is not one on every corner, like a regular grocery, so you do have a greater chance of a longer ride albeit small. 

On the flip side, most cars that qualify for x are rated to only carry about 1,000lbs. So minus your weight and the riders weight can easily bring that down to 600 lbs. Since cosco is a wholesale store, this weight can add up pretty quickly. Although you may not come close to that weight, it is still putting a lot of strain on the parts that determine how much weight you can hold. 

I once had 4, easily close to 300lb women in my car. Well, Guess what? later that same night, my tire was leaking. Coincidence? Turned out I did have a nail in there, but I think their weight was what started to push it out.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

CrazyT said:


> I still am amazed how many drivers equate being nice with money. I hate to point it out but that looks like the downward slope to prostitution. What happened to being nice just because it's the decent thing to do?


I hope nobody is saying "be nice to get more money." It seems like it's more a case of "be nice because it's the right thing to do, and generally this will also pay off in the end."

There's nothing wrong with that, IMO.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

Who is John Galt? said:


> If she was/is legally blind, how did she come to the conclusion that there had been (only one other) another uber pulled into the shopping centre and then drove away?


Legally blind doesn't necessarily mean you can't see anything. It just means you can't see well enough to perform certain tasks, such as operating a vehicle, or to qualify for certain disability benefits.

I'm legally deaf in one ear, but I can still hear certain sounds. But no way could I tell what somebody is saying if I cover my good ear and can't see their lips.


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## goelpellc (Oct 6, 2016)

steveK2016 said:


> Were on a ride share website in a subforum specifically about stories while driving ride share. This topic was specifically about being nice to pax of ride share. Thats where my comment derived from, to reply with generalities outside of ride share is for what purpose?
> 
> Its great to be nice in general, I'm not going to argue that point but the point of this thread is about being nice to pax while doing ride share and whether excessive or extraordinary service is necessary to our services provided.


So you are nice in general but not to your pax? That makes sense.

No one is talking about excessive or extraordinary service but you.


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## goelpellc (Oct 6, 2016)

renbutler said:


> I hope nobody is saying "be nice to get more money." It seems like it's more a case of "be nice because it's the right thing to do, and generally this will also pay off in the end."
> 
> There's nothing wrong with that, IMO.


That's exactly what I mean. Just be nice. All the time. Everywhere. Period.


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## Spiralout06 (Sep 26, 2016)

UberNomad said:


> I agree.....why is it so hard for people to be nice?
> 
> I just signed up for Uber last week and haven't been out on the road yet but I'm excited and I can't wait to give it a try. I like to drive and I'm a people person, so hope I do well. And I would do the little extra here and there for a rider, isn't it really kind of part of the job? Riders want good service but want to save money which is the purpose of Uber isn't it? And they shouldn't suffer because the driver doesn't like Uber.
> 
> ...


Hah I'm allll about being nice. I have 4.94 rating. But trust me, I was you 3 months ago. See how you feel then. Just wait. I say this all with peace and love (quoting Ringo, quoting Stern).


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

Yam Digger said:


> The address you see is for Costco. Your more than welcomed to drop in, sign up for membership and shop.


Plus, she apparently isn't private about her address, given that every Uber driver who has dropped her off there has access to it. What's the harm of giving it to another few dozen Uber drivers scattered across the world?


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## Blahgard (Aug 16, 2016)

Do you think Travis would pick up an elderly, sight-impaired person to help them with their groceries, unless a lot of people were watching?


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## pcc (Jan 22, 2016)

Awesome. Happy to see that there are still good people out there in this world. Being an Uber driver doesn't pay as well as they advertise everywhere but sometimes it pays in intangible ways.

Thanks for helping someone in need.


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## OC Lady Uber Driver (Jun 26, 2016)

That's great that you were able to assist the rider like that. I've done the same. Had my first blind riders last week and they are great passengers.


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## fuberluber (May 13, 2016)

Travis and his hacks at FUBER JUST READ THIS and are doubling their efforts to being self driving cars.
Till then ACRO my dear friends ACRO hard.


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## OneDay (Mar 19, 2016)

It's cute how you're making generalizations about drivers but not riders. Who's to say that driver didn't have an emergency?


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## Fishchris (Aug 31, 2016)

DriverX said:


> If this forum shocks you wait until you start driving pax!


Ive been driving for about 12 weeks, and i have found 95+℅ of pax to be really friendly.... In fact, I'd go so far to say, most of them have been "almost" as cool and friendly as i am  lol

Ya'll have probably heard that thing about "treating others as you wish to be treated yourself" ? 
Or, "what goes around, comes around" ?

These statements have been true for me throughout my life, and seem to be no different driving for Uber.


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## Mr Ocasio (Aug 9, 2016)

If you are a pist off UBER driver it might be time to stop being an UBER driver and just be pist off.

Here is where the hypocrisy lies with the UBER geniouses in this forum.

You hate pool, you complain about pool you say you don't accept pool. You my friend are a liar. You dont always accept pool but you do take them once in a while.

You accept pool then call the riders cheap and treat them like garbage. But yet, you buy your crap at Walmart and Jewels and not at the mom and pop corner store. You buy your tools and home building materials at Home Depot but not at the privately owned ACE or True Value. You don't tip the guy who changes your oil nor your barber, but still complain about tips. You cry, whine and ***** about UBER but everyday at the same time you turn on the app. I my friend call you a Hypocrite.


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## CrazyT (Jul 2, 2016)

renbutler said:


> I hope nobody is saying "be nice to get more money." It seems like it's more a case of "be nice because it's the right thing to do, and generally this will also pay off in the end."
> 
> There's nothing wrong with that, IMO.


I don't think so either, but on these boards you see a lot of rude drivers who seem to equate nice to tipping which is more money. Oh I'll make a stop, if you tip. I'll wait, a couple minutes if they tip. If they tip is the key to unlocking a decent person in a lot of drivers. Sad that it's the way things have gotten.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

CrazyT said:


> I don't think so either, but on these boards you see a lot of rude drivers who seem to equate nice to tipping which is more money. Oh I'll make a stop, if you tip. I'll wait, a couple minutes if they tip. If they tip is the key to unlocking a decent person in a lot of drivers. Sad that it's the way things have gotten.


Okay, I get what you are saying.

I was thinking more about having a nice and friendly personality, moreso than being a servant beyond the main job of driving people from A to B.

I know the latter notion was the original point of the thread, but I thought (perhaps wrongly) that the conversation had shifted a bit.


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## Fireguy50 (Nov 23, 2015)

Mattio41 said:


> The other night, I get pinged to go to a local Costco. Roll up, Costco is closed, and I see an older woman standing with her carriage full of bags, and standing with a cane. I pull up, open the hatch, preceded to help her load the bags into the car. No big deal, it was a quick 1,2,3...
> 
> As we are driving, she tells me I am the second Uber to show up. The first uber, pulled all the way into the shopping center and then drove away and cancelled the trip. Through conversation, found out she is now legally blind, and can no longer drive, and just had knee surgery.
> 
> ...


I too had a similar situation, took a mother an son home after shopping, and they tipped me a dollar. The son loaded all the bags, and the $1 is more than 99% of the rich college kids tip after drinking until 3am. That dollar meant more to me than any larger tip I ever received.

I think the people that try to make it a full time job have more trouble with small paying drives. Being part time, I can go home if I don't want to be Uber'ing. My cancellation rate is currently at 2%, Acceptance rate is in the high 70's%, it's just easier to be a part time driver!


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

goelpellc said:


> It's much easier to make more money when you are nice.


and, it is much easier to be nice when you are making more money.


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## lbuberchick562 (Sep 13, 2016)

UberNomad said:


> I agree.....why is it so hard for people to be nice?
> 
> I just signed up for Uber last week and haven't been out on the road yet but I'm excited and I can't wait to give it a try. I like to drive and I'm a people person, so hope I do well. And I would do the little extra here and there for a rider, isn't it really kind of part of the job? Riders want good service but want to save money which is the purpose of Uber isn't it? And they shouldn't suffer because the driver doesn't like Uber.
> 
> ...


Welcome...

Word of advice...these forums can be extremely toxic if you allow. So much negativity, whining, complaining, discrimination, sexism...name it and you will find it in these forums. That being said. ..there is some good advice here and many positive people.

Take the good, learn from the mistakes and reject the stupidity and you will be fine.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Thats good advice ... for a chick.
(ugh. sorry, had to.)

~UberSexist~


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## Wifey1203 (Oct 26, 2016)

chitownXdriver said:


> Thank you for providing us with her address, next time I'm down in Jersey I'll make sure to say hello and ask her if she needs any assistance.


?????? Where is her address it looks like it's marked out......


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## chitownXdriver (Dec 24, 2014)

Wifey1203 said:


> ?????? Where is her address it looks like it's marked out......


It was edited after I posted that, I'll delete that post


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## Melissa C (Oct 25, 2016)

Yesterday I got a ping around 2am trying to drive back to the mad Surge rush happening a few miles away. It was ridiculously close, so I decided to take it. I arrived at destination, and there's ALOT of cars and a lot of people in costumes. I get to the location, I call this person. Turns out she was the sister of pax and kept reassuring me him and his friends were there. It took me almost 10 minutes to find this group of guys. I wanted to give up so many times but I couldn't bring myself to cancel.
They all get in the car and are super grateful and apologetic. We have a laugh then they tell me I was the 3RD UBER Driver his sister had pinged, and the only patient enough to find them.
They were very happy with me. After I dropped them off and drove off, I went offline. I checked my center console and noticed they left me a fresh green nug of weed with the words TIP on a receipt and $5. 
Well dang, being nice and there for you pax can make a whole night of a difference.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

So their tip was to put you at risk for illegal possession? Brilliant.


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## chitownXdriver (Dec 24, 2014)

Melissa C said:


> Yesterday I got a ping around 2am trying to drive back to the mad Surge rush happening a few miles away. It was ridiculously close, so I decided to take it. I arrived at destination, and there's ALOT of cars and a lot of people in costumes. I get to the location, I call this person. Turns out she was the sister of pax and kept reassuring me him and his friends were there. It took me almost 10 minutes to find this group of guys. I wanted to give up so many times but I couldn't bring myself to cancel.
> They all get in the car and are super grateful and apologetic. We have a laugh then they tell me I was the 3RD UBER Driver his sister had pinged, and the only patient enough to find them.
> They were very happy with me. After I dropped them off and drove off, I went offline. I checked my center console and noticed they left me a fresh green nug of weed with the words TIP on a receipt and $5.
> Well dang, being nice and there for you pax can make a whole night of a difference.


Although cash is king these types of tips are awesome too! I've been tipped in weed, Adderall, and coke previously. The passengers that give these types of tips are generally really cool low maintenance passengers.


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## Beachbum in a cornfield (Aug 28, 2014)

DriverX said:


> and my point is the Select drivers are just as cut throat because they would avoid that crappy fare if they could too. I think we can agree that had this guy not been tipped that he would have thought later that picking up at costco was a bad decision in the first place and might avoid it next time. THe self righteous after the fact chiding of a driver that made a technically better business decision is what I find disingenuous.
> 
> I think we can all agree that if youre going to cancel a pax becasue its a sh*t costco pick up you should cancel immediately and spare them having to wait for you to drive all the way over to them first.


For every one of these stories, I can tell a dozen where I did something nice for an x pax and barely even got a thank you. If what this driver did makes them feel good then good for the driver. If it makes you fine people feel good to read then good for you. But do this rideshare thing long enough and you will learn that about half of the (X) Pax are not very considerate. Have you noticed that wait staff (especially Millennials) will sit in your car and ***** about customers who don't tip at least 18% and then cheerfully hop out, slam the door and not even a thank you....let alone a tip.


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## Fake_UberX (Sep 19, 2016)

I've done the same for an older lady , same results . Yesterday a less than fortune immigrant family got in my car and I wanted to drive off , kids was smacking his mom in the face screaming the entire ride . I dropped them off , the lady forget the phone , I returned it with no TIP or FEE just a smile. 
One hour later , not lying , I find $15 .
Divine intervention. Lol


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## Blackout 702 (Oct 18, 2016)

Here's my story of karma for the week.

I accept a ping and pick up a guy and his two female companions. He is older and very large. He gets in front, pushes the seat all the way back, and doesn't put on the seat belt. It might not have fit him anyway. The two ladies are much younger, very good looking, and get into the back seat. The first thing he asks me to do is take him to the branch of his bank that's closest to his destination. He Googles it on his phone and shows me the results.

I said I'm pretty sure that address is just ATMs and ask if that's going to be ok with him. He says no because he needs to get more cash than he can get out of an ATM. Um, wow. Ok. I say I know of a branch office that's a little farther away and he says that's fine, and then he makes a phone call while I start driving.

The person he's calling answers and he asks what are the best tickets he can get for a huge act that's playing in town that night. I can only hear his side of the conversation, but the numbers he's throwing out for ticket prices are incredible. He asks for the best the guy has, and then he says he wants better and wants to know what it's going to cost him. No no, that's too far back. He wants orchestra, fifth row at least. Then he tells the guy to hang on, and he says to his female friends, "Do you two want to see (insert name of ridiculously famous performer) tonight?" They say sure, and he gets back on the phone. So he was just doing this on a whim, not even knowing if this was what the young ladies wanted to do. Just then we get to the bank. He tells his ticket scalper that he'll get back with him and he goes into the bank.

The girls and I wait, he comes back, and we head to his original destination on the strip, a complex of million dollar condos and high end shopping. While we're driving he finishes the deal with the scalper, and then he and the girls talk about his new condo and the kind of parties he's going to throw. He jokes about getting a stripper pole, only I'm not sure if he's joking.

We get to the tower, and I pull up to the curb where I get a dirty look from the valet because I used the wrong lane, but screw them, this guy gets the damn curb as far as I'm concerned. He and the girls get out, and he palms me a crisp bill and says, "This is for taking me to the bank." A quick glance down and all I see is a new bill, tightly folded. I'm putting two and two together and thinking it adds up to twenty, and I sincerely thank him and drive away.

At the first light I unfold the bill and see it's a brand new $100.

*blink*

Time for breakfast. I head to my favorite greasy spoon for a cup of joe and something to harden my arteries. As I'm manducating I think what the heck, call it a day. Then I remember I'm here to work and make some bank. I still have a few hours before I really need to knock off, so I hit the road again. As I'm pulling out of the parking lot, just before I slide the button to go back online, I see a really well dressed young man walking down the sidewalk. This a part of town where there's really nothing within walking distance, and he's wearing his Sunday best: three piece wool suit in blue windowpane check and a pair of nice leather dress shoes. I roll down the passenger side window and get his attention. "You need a ride somewhere, brother?"

"I'm walking to the Stratosphere," he says, "but I don't know this town and I'm kind of lost."

I point to the distance and I say, "You see that tower with the needle on top? That's where you're going. It's about five miles away. You're going to ruin your shoes and probably your feet as well. How about a ride instead. On the house." He says that would be much appreciated, and as I'm unlocking the door I reach over and pull the Uber sign out of the window and toss it in the glove box.

So we drove, and as we were driving we had a nice talk. Of course he was a tourist, and of course he was from a small town in the south, and of course he had no idea how big Las Vegas is and how to get around. I told him about ridesharing and how the fees compare to taxis and other services, and then we just shot the breeze for awhile. All tourists like to ask about Las Vegas, and the smaller the town they're from the more questions they have.

Finally I pull up to the valet entrance at the Stratosphere. Again I pull to the the right, because this guy deserves curb service, too, just like the millionaire with the pretty girls and the expensive condo. He asks me if he can give me his business card, and I said no man, it's all good, but do me favor. Give someone a ride sometime. He says he's a firm believer in karma and he tries to do the right thing every chance he gets.

I wished him well and pulled back out into traffic, sliding button to "online" and waiting for my next ping. Time to get back to work.

(edited for typo)


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## ChortlingCrison (Mar 30, 2016)

Blackout 702 said:


> Here's my story of karma for the week.
> 
> I accept a ping and pick up a guy and his two female companions. He is older and very large. He gets in front, pushes the seat all the way back, and doesn't put on the seat belt. It might not have fit him anyway. The two ladies are much younger, very good looking, and get into the back seat. The first thing he asks me to do is take him to the branch of his bank that's closest to his destination. He Googles it on his phone and shows me the results.
> 
> ...


Very well put.


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## Red Leader (Sep 4, 2016)

renbutler said:


> So their tip was to put you at risk for illegal possession? Brilliant.


She is in CA. That amount won't even get you a ticket virtually anywhere in CA.


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## UberLou (May 5, 2015)

steveK2016 said:


> Who said I wouldn't avoid grocery stores? What does this have to do with what I said? I was replying to a comment about cut throat drivers with no patients. I stated that pax have said they would pay more to avoid said cut throat drivers, I assert that they can do that now by picking Select. They won't because they're cheap and never really meant what they said.
> 
> The cheap pax deserve their cut throat drivers. Not trying to sell you on Select


Why are riders automatically cheap because they choose X? I bet if I followed you around a retail or a grocery store I bet you buy items on sale or that cost less. Should I follow you around and call you cheap because you bought something at Walmart instead of Target? Or JC Penny instead of Nostrums?

Why blame people for wanting to spend less and/or dilute the level of service because you classify them as cheap?

I HATE the cop out "You get what you pay for." That is an extremely ignorant statement.


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

mikesmidget said:


> Even if there is no financial gain to being nice, there is always Karma.
> 
> In my area, there is an elderly gentleman I pick up occasionally. Twice a week (days his caretaker is,off) he goes to a restaurant about a mile away, has dinner then goes home. Using Uber pool for both ways. He cannot see well, thus cannot drive and barely can walk. With time and distance needed to pick him up financially it might be a loser. Just remember, we are all going to be old one day so let's treat the elderly as we will want to be treated


The "Me" generation will leave you standing on the curb


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

UberLou said:


> Why are riders automatically cheap because they choose X? I bet if I followed you around a retail or a grocery store I bet you buy items on sale or that cost less. Should I follow you around and call you cheap because you bought something at Walmart instead of Target? Or JC Penny instead of Nostrums?
> 
> Why blame people for wanting to spend less and/or dilute the level of service because you classify them as cheap?
> 
> I HATE the cop out "You get what you pay for." That is an extremely ignorant statement.


Ignorant? No, it's true. Walmart's prices are low because they sell inferior goods and pay crap wages


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

UberNomad said:


> Yeah better rates would be nice as a driver but we all know what we're in for when signing up so why would the rates affect how you treat a paying rider. If you don't like the deal then stop doing it. It's a job, do your job the best you can and if you don't like that job, move on to another.
> 
> I don't understand this mentality of "if I was paid better I'd be nicer" or judging riders saying they're "cheap" for using Uber. It's a service we are providing for people and why wouldn't someone rather pay $10 for a ride instead of $20 for the same ride with a cab, of course they'll go with the $10 ride.
> 
> ...


You haven't driven yet so you have no idea what you're in for. You're not getting $10.00, you're getting $3.00. Pax will leave trash in your car and damage it because they don't give a shit.


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

Mean_Judge said:


> Minimum effort brought you to a minimum wage job. So its not a good thing. But it is your life and your choice.


The job is often less than minimum wage


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

Blackout 702 said:


> Dropping off a pax tonight at a concert, I pull in to the first driveway at the event. Three guys start waving red flashlights at me and shaking their heads "no."
> 
> Me: "Hi! I'm not parking, I'm just dropping someone off."
> First Flashlight Guy: "You can't park here."
> ...


It's been my experience the pax start getting out anyway. What are the flashlight guys going to do anyway? Yell at me as I drive away?


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

ddelro219 said:


> it's harder to be nice when the pax are just not nice people. it wears on you.
> 
> this morning, my pax sneezed. common courtesy would dictate that you say something like, 'god bless you' or 'gazuntite' (is that spelled right?). but she responds, "I hate to be rude but if you're not a priest or bishop, you have no authority or power to bless others on behalf of god." really???? a simple, 'thank you' would suffice. even a small nod of acknowledgement.
> 
> yeah, i would love to be nice to everyone but some just ask for less-than-nice treatment. and it sucks that some deservce better but don't due to someone else's poor manners.


I would have told her priests have no more "authority" than anyone else.


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

Blahgard said:


> Do you think Travis would pick up an elderly, sight-impaired person to help them with their groceries, unless a lot of people were watching?


Only if a camera was on him.


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

Yam Digger said:


> The new service agreement for Ontario says that drivers are allowed to negotiate a LOWER fare than what Uber charges. That is so not going to happen in my car. You don't like the rate, Frat Boy? Then GTF out of my car and hail cab so you can pay even more.


How are they going to do that? The app bills at Uber's rates.


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

Fishchris said:


> Ive been driving for about 12 weeks, and i have found 95+℅ of pax to be really friendly.... In fact, I'd go so far to say, most of them have been "almost" as cool and friendly as i am  lol
> 
> Ya'll have probably heard that thing about "treating others as you wish to be treated yourself" ?
> Or, "what goes around, comes around" ?
> ...


Friendly pax are still cheap


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

Melissa C said:


> Yesterday I got a ping around 2am trying to drive back to the mad Surge rush happening a few miles away. It was ridiculously close, so I decided to take it. I arrived at destination, and there's ALOT of cars and a lot of people in costumes. I get to the location, I call this person. Turns out she was the sister of pax and kept reassuring me him and his friends were there. It took me almost 10 minutes to find this group of guys. I wanted to give up so many times but I couldn't bring myself to cancel.
> They all get in the car and are super grateful and apologetic. We have a laugh then they tell me I was the 3RD UBER Driver his sister had pinged, and the only patient enough to find them.
> They were very happy with me. After I dropped them off and drove off, I went offline. I checked my center console and noticed they left me a fresh green nug of weed with the words TIP on a receipt and $5.
> Well dang, being nice and there for you pax can make a whole night of a difference.


Probably shouldn't have mentioned the nug


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## UberLou (May 5, 2015)

Rat said:


> Ignorant? No, it's true. Walmart's prices are low because they sell inferior goods and pay crap wages


Nope it's still ignorant.


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## CatchyMusicLover (Sep 18, 2015)

Rat said:


> Ignorant? No, it's true. Walmart's prices are low because they sell inferior goods and pay crap wages


But is a pair of Levi's from Walmart inferior to one at Target? Is the Dejorno pizza at Walmart inferior to the one at Kroger?


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## JustDave (Aug 17, 2016)

Dejorno is inferior to Digiorno.


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

CatchyMusicLover said:


> But is a pair of Levi's from Walmart inferior to one at Target? Is the Dejorno pizza at Walmart inferior to the one at Kroger?


No, but the wages they pay everybody in the supply chain are less


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

CatchyMusicLover said:


> But is a pair of Levi's from Walmart inferior to one at Target? Is the Dejorno pizza at Walmart inferior to the one at Kroger?


the dejorno pizza is a yes. all frozen food items i bought from walmart was either freezer-burned or expired with new date codes. i see a noticeable difference in freshness quality from the packaging of the food to the food itself.


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

Rat said:


> Ignorant? No, it's true. Walmart's prices are low because they sell inferior goods and pay crap wages


Walmart has its faults but they dont sell inferior goods. They have plenty of name brand stuff. They keep cost down by supressing wages like you said and selling a bunch of items to a lot of people for minimal profit each item but much profit over time. A lot like Uber X


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## Blackout 702 (Oct 18, 2016)

Rat said:


> It's been my experience the pax start getting out anyway. What are the flashlight guys going to do anyway? Yell at me as I drive away?


Read on, chum. I was more concerned about the three cops standing right behind them who looked like they couldn't wait to make someone's day more interesting.


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## Aaron Beauchamp (Apr 18, 2016)

Being compassionate costs nothing and pays back 10 fold. I have had people that just needed help......I put aside my feelings and such and help them. God sees all, and knows all. Nothing gets by Him.


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

CatchyMusicLover said:


> But is a pair of Levi's from Walmart inferior to one at Target? Is the Dejorno pizza at Walmart inferior to the one at Kroger?


Yes. Walmart receives what are known as "seconds".


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## Rat (Mar 6, 2016)

Blackout 702 said:


> Read on, chum. I was more concerned about the three cops standing right behind them who looked like they couldn't wait to make someone's day more interesting.


I've had cops harass me over it. I just say, "What you want me to do? Drive off with them halfway out of the car?" They then do what they are there for and tell me to move along.


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## melusine3 (Jun 20, 2016)

Another Uber Driver said:


> We used to have a number of impatient drivers when I was a dispatcher. Some of them used to caterwaul about how long an elderly passenger was taking to come out, particullarly if it was from a doctor's office or from a residence where there were many elderly people. I used to tell them to give the people a few extra minutes, as they were elderly, infirm and slow. I used to add "Just think, Sir, one day _*you*_ may be elderly, infirm and slow".
> 
> We used to have some customers just as the quoted poster described in his post. The elderly people got out once or twice per week and went to this place to have dinner, lunch, go to the movies or whatever. Usually it was a short trip, or back in the Zone days it was a one zone trip or a long two zones or whatever. As a dispatcher, you could spot the trip and usually somebody would go get it because the driver understood what was happening. In addition, as a dispatcher, you could slip that driver a bone for doing it. Many elderly are on a limited budget, which is why they must choose U-Pool.
> 
> ...


It's funny how Uber, in looking to supplant city buses, are using current drivers' resources (their car, gas, time) to justify this insane idea. We currently drive through a maze of apartment "streets" over numerous speed bumps (how will the driver-less cars handle those, do they sense them?)(probably I guess) anyway, we pick up these what should be bus riders at their door and drive them a couple of miles for a minim fare to the door of their destination. At a minim, when riding the bus normally they would have to walk out to the street and be waiting "toes on the curb." But not so with us. I'm sure once Uber is trying to do the UberBus, they will require at least this much of them.


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## melusine3 (Jun 20, 2016)

steveK2016 said:


> I would never be a jerk to someone, a pax particularly, just because but many of the "cut throat" aspects is no show cancels at 5:01. Not being patient in finding the pax on a bad ping, etc. All of which is a complaint by many riders. All of which is usually negated with increased rates. It's a dangerous balancing act for sure. I think Uber shot themselves in the foot cutting rates so low.


More along the lines they are shooting their drivers...


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## melusine3 (Jun 20, 2016)

Disgusted Driver said:


> Sorry, that made me laugh. There are people who have a huge chip on their shoulder and need to see the negative in everything. That would have been a disaster for me because I would have laughed and when she asked why, would probably have replied something like taking yourself a bit seriously are we? It would not have been good for my ratings because pompous asses don't like being laughed at.


I would have said, "Why, yes, I *am* a priest! The Catholic church has been in a lot of financial trouble lately, so I'm forced to do this!"


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## iamkitkatbar (Nov 17, 2015)

Hard to be nice running a brand new '16 car for 0.90c a mil 0.15 a min


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## Mark Johnson (Nov 24, 2015)

iamkitkatbar said:


> Hard to be nice running a brand new '16 car for 0.90c a mil 0.15 a min


You have it good...

Ours is *$0.75*/mile and *$0.12*/min... Hence why whenever more than 4 pax try to fit in my car I tell them to get the f*** out and cancel after 5min and collect a cancellation fee

At these cheap rates, my tolerance is much lower than in used to be...


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

Mark Johnson said:


> You have it good...
> 
> Ours is *$0.75*/mile and *$0.12*/min... Hence why whenever more than 4 pax try to fit in my car I tell them to get the f*** out and cancel after 5min and collect a cancellation fee
> 
> At these cheap rates, my tolerance is much lower than in used to be...


I do that even on select at 1.60 a mile. There is no way I'm breaking the law for pax that know better. I always cancel as no show so they can't get back at me and rate me.


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## Mark Johnson (Nov 24, 2015)

Disgusted Driver said:


> I do that even on select at 1.60 a mile. There is no way I'm breaking the law for pax that know better. I always cancel as no show so they can't get back at me and rate me.


^^^ This...

Made the mistake early on of taking 4 pax after politely telling them their "best friend" couldn't squeeze in my car. The next day, my rating dropped real good. Apparently I was a "bad 1-star driver" for not breaking the law and risking a $200 ticket.

Lesson learned...


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

Mark Johnson said:


> ^^^ This...
> 
> Made the mistake early on of taking 4 pax after politely telling them their "best friend" couldn't squeeze in my car. The next day, my rating dropped real good. Apparently, I was a "bad 1-star driver" for not breaking the law and risking a $200 ticket.
> 
> Lesson learned...


Sorry to hear it, I feel you. There are a number of nasty folks out there who get pissed when they can't have their way.

Even after 5K rides I still get a surprise once in a while. Got a Select ride for a 4.5 pax last night. Select rides are hard to come by especially during the week so I took it. They get in, it's a weird vibe, I do my best to be nice and cheerful to them and take them on their 3 mile ride. I hear them eating candy but don't think anything of it. Get to where we are going and rate them 5 stars and think nothing more as I drive off to mutual thank you's. Get a block away and look back and see 2 candy wrappers on the floor in the back, pisses me off since I'm not a toilet for you to throw your waste in. Get another 3 or 4 blocks and pull over to the side to assess and clean up. Check my rating and guess what, it dropped .01 which means someone gave me a 1 or 2. Since they are the only ride I did so far this evening, it's probably him. Ok, just as I'm checking around to see if there are any pieces of candy on the seats my phone rings. It's a-hole and he thinks he left his phone in the back. I ask him if he's the one that just gave me a bad rating and he hems and haws and then lies and says nope, he just gave me 5 stars. I said, bs., hang on and let me look, saw the phone on the back seat, told him nope, I found the candy wrappers you left on the floor but no phone. Rolled down the window, threw candy wrappers and phone out the window onto the tree lawn and said good luck finding it. Hung up and drove off with a big smile on my face. I try to be nice but all bets are off for pricks.


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## Jerrie C (Aug 20, 2016)

Mattio41 said:


> The other night, I get pinged to go to a local Costco. Roll up, Costco is closed, and I see an older woman standing with her carriage full of bags, and standing with a cane. I pull up, open the hatch, preceded to help her load the bags into the car. No big deal, it was a quick 1,2,3...
> 
> As we are driving, she tells me I am the second Uber to show up. The first uber, pulled all the way into the shopping center and then drove away and cancelled the trip. Through conversation, found out she is now legally blind, and can no longer drive, and just had knee surgery.
> 
> ...


I work retail during the day . Customer Service is ingrained in my mind forever !lol . I've been with my other company 19 years . It's very sad that some people are so rude and self serving that they can't and won't help out a fellow human being who needs help . Like it or not, we are a service industry . Without customers you don't have a job or paycheck . I have read many threads in utter disgust as to how they treat Pax. Good job to you . Thank you for the post affirming that there are still good people out there !


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## Mark Johnson (Nov 24, 2015)

Jerrie C said:


> Like it or not, we are a service industry . *Without customers you don't have a job or paycheck* . I have read many threads in utter disgust as to how they treat Pax. Good job to you.


And without Uber drivers, the pax would be getting DUI, suspended licenses, have to figure out how to park in heavy traffic downtown with limited parking spaces, and in some cases have to go car shopping as I have driven several pax who told me they sold their vehicles because it was cheaper to use Uber on a daily basis -- and at these cheap UberPool rates, I don't blame them...

I don't disagree that drivers can be nicer to pax, but do you mean to tell me if your boss at your retail job cut your pay in half (when your buddy who works at the another retail spot gets better pay) but asks that you still provide top tier customer service, you would still be content and full of joy when attending to customers?

Btw, in my example above, "your buddy who works at the other retail" are the taxi drivers that we UberX drivers are much cheaper than and yet Uber expects us to offer much more "conveniences" such as aux cord, phone charging, making additional stops (when the per minute rate is a joke)...


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

Jerrie C said:


> I work retail during the day . Customer Service is ingrained in my mind forever !lol . I've been with my other company 19 years . It's very sad that some people are so rude and self serving that they can't and won't help out a fellow human being who needs help . Like it or not, we are a service industry . Without customers you don't have a job or paycheck . I have read many threads in utter disgust as to how they treat Pax. Good job to you . Thank you for the post affirming that there are still good people out there !


so you're saying you got brainwashed into thinking slavery demands is ok? its not a paycheck if you are losing money on the deal. you give those so called "trouble" customer an inch, they expect a foot next time. then it snowballs. 
let say the company you worked for 19 years started deducting money from your paycheck in order to satisfy the "trouble" customer, i think you would be preaching a different tune. in your other customer service job, you don't take a hit on your paycheck, you get your hourly pay no matter what. the cost is absorbed by the company. 
OP's story is good and all but many drivers here would have done the same thing.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

freddieman said:


> so you're saying you got brainwashed into thinking slavery demands is ok?


Holy cow, somebody tried the slavery nonsense again!

Look up what slavery truly entailed, and then think long and hard about comparing it to a job that pays wages (however low), a job that people can leave at any time, while living where they want, and existing with all the legal freedoms of every other citizen.

Good freakin' grief, people.


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## Blackout 702 (Oct 18, 2016)

renbutler said:


> Holy cow, somebody tried the slavery nonsense again!
> 
> Look up what slavery truly entailed, and then think long and hard about comparing it to a job that pays wages (however low), a job that people can leave at any time, while living where they want, and existing with all the legal freedoms of every other citizen.
> 
> Good grief, people.


Serious. entitled first-world crybabies.

freddieman You have a car or you wouldn't be doing this job, you're healthy enough to drive for a living, you have a computing device of some sort or you wouldn't be on this forum, you have some minimaal level of education and literacy or your posts would be even harder to read, I assume you don't live in a cardboard box and eat from other people's garbage or you'd be complaining about that as well... Do you realize how large you won in the Cosmic Lottery? SLAVERY??? Get down on your knees and thank the universe for the bounty that it has bestowed upon your thankless rear end. And go do something nice for someone who really has been screwed by life.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

I fall somewhere in between. Ultimately it is your choice to do this or not. I have much malice towards Uber because of their deceitful tactics but I start off with nice to passengers, wanting to help them and making their day a little better. With that said, things can go south very quickly. If you are rude, inappropriate, ask me to break the law, treat my car poorly, etc... I am not having it. I will entertain a larger variety of expectations if you are paying for Select service than if you are paying for X (the few times I do X rides). That's a fact of life. I will wait for you on Select, take you through the drive through, ... multiple stops, etc... because I am being appropriately compensated even without a tip. On X I am not willing to provide services that cost me, you are not paying for them and have no right to expect them. You get a safe timely ride in a clean car, a say in the route taken, a say in the climate, a choice of station or aux if you like and a pleasant conversation if you so desire. That's it.


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

renbutler said:


> Holy cow, somebody tried the slavery nonsense again!
> 
> Look up what slavery truly entailed, and then think long and hard about comparing it to a job that pays wages (however low), a job that people can leave at any time, while living where they want, and existing with all the legal freedoms of every other citizen.
> 
> Good freakin' grief, people.


please don't call ubering wages. wages are paid by employers to employee. don't forget its our business. in order to survive, we do whats necessary to make it profitable. non profitable or pax that cost you money will destroy your business real quick. yes we can leave at any time but thats an easy way out of any discussion.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

freddieman said:


> please don't call ubering wages. wages are paid by employers to employee. don't forget its our business. in order to survive, we do whats necessary to make it profitable. non profitable or pax that cost you money will destroy your business real quick. yes we can leave at any time but thats an easy way out of any discussion.


So that's your reply? That's it's not a wage? I was using the term generically, but okay, it's technically not a wage. I'm fully aware that it's self-employment.

Anyway, at least you're calling it a business now instead of _slavery. _Hopefully you're done with that hyperbole.


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## d0n (Oct 16, 2016)

Yeah, the elderly and kids are my kryptonite when it comes to difficult rides.


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

renbutler said:


> So that's your reply? That's it's not a wage? I was using the term generically, but okay, it's technically not a wage. I'm fully aware that it's self-employment.
> 
> Anyway, at least you're calling it a business now instead of _slavery. _Hopefully you're done with that hyperbole.


i called it slave DEMANDS. never called it slavery. lets get that straight. for example.....customer wishes to visit drive through burger or else he/she 1 star you. that is slave demand.


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

I hear horror stories like that from a lot of riders. I don't really get it. I gave a ride to a man in a collapsable wheelchair tonight, and just gave him common courtesy. He was so taken aback by me treating him like a human being that he told me he actually owns his own ice cream shop and he'll give me free ice cream if I ever drop by. It makes me wonder what other drivers are doing to people like that. When I drive in the burbs quite a few of them are shopping trips. It takes what... an extra 30 seconds to open the trunk and help them load their bags in?


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

freddieman said:


> i called it slave DEMANDS. never called it slavery. lets get that straight. for example.....customer wishes to visit drive through burger or else he/she 1 star you. that is slave demand.


OMG, and SMDH.

Equating getting 1 star with the "demands" of slavery.

I can't believe you doubled down after getting called out on it.


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## Null (Oct 6, 2015)

I picked up one elderly lady, who went out for a walk and wasn't interested in the walk back, had a little cart. Dropped her off, took cart to front door. She gave me a $1 tip.

3 weeks later, I got her again. Going to the same place, found out she works 2 days a week at the local University. She gave a $1 tip again.

She had a low rating both times I got her. 4.67 or the like. Not sure why, she moved slow, but had accurate pin drops and was ready to go, proper address in destination. She made idle conversation that was a little bit floaty on subject matter, but was otherwise a very independent older woman who probably used a smart phone with better accuracy than a lot of millennials. She didn't remember me, but gave her some credit as she probably takes a ton of rides and has forgotten more than I've ever known.


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## DrivingZiggy (Jun 4, 2016)

Null said:


> I picked up one elderly lady, who went out for a walk and wasn't interested in the walk back, had a little cart. Dropped her off, took cart to front door. She gave me a $1 tip.
> 
> 3 weeks later, I got her again. Going to the same place, found out she works 2 days a week at the local University. She gave a $1 tip again.
> 
> She had a low rating both times I got her. 4.67 or the like. Not sure why, she moved slow, but had accurate pin drops and was ready to go, proper address in destination. She made idle conversation that was a little bit floaty on subject matter, but was otherwise a very independent older woman who probably used a smart phone with better accuracy than a lot of millennials. She didn't remember me, but gave her some credit as she probably takes a ton of rides and has forgotten more than I've ever known.


The way I got my 81 year old mother to quit driving was to get her to sign up for Uber. She moves slow and uses a walker. She has had many, many different drivers now. I don't know her rating, but it seems like she may be in that same situation--minus the computer literacy.


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## kbrown (Dec 3, 2015)

I may be screamed at or something, but here goes.

Yes, if it is a grocery store pickup, I'm cancelling. Nearly every pickup from a store is negstive. I don't get paid enough to help with bags or costco boxes full of food. I don't expect a tip, since Uber pax are trained and conditioned to not tip. Why would it be any different for a grocery store?

In our DC forum, a driver pulled up to the store and a pregnant woman is standing there with multiple bags of groceries. She asks the driver to help load the groceries because she's pregnant. He loads it up, takes her home, unloads her car and helps her get them inside. And she gives no tip! So not only has he lost time where he could have been paid for another trip, he is also dealing with a spoiled, self-absorbed, knocked up millennial cheap ***** who used her PREGNANCY to get someone else to do her bidding. If being pregnant was such a chore, she should have kept her damn legs closed until she got her IUD inserted.

So, I sound pretty unfriendly. I'm not. But fuber has turned me into this- their no tipping policy, lowering rates over and over, taking a chunk of our hard-earned pay, forcing us to take pool, making our cars look like clown cars as we drive low paying, low class, cheap pax all over the city in our clown cars, holding ratings that aee often based subconsciously off stereotyoes off of us, creating fake surges to reallocate drivers to different areas, creating metal status so drivers are pitted against drivers, taking the word of lying, cheap pax over drivers when they lie and make crap up to get their money back AND deducting it from us without telling us, allowing pax to cancel over the 5 minute limit and not charging, killing the surge by hiring thousands of drivers to dlood eveey street, which limits our income as well....

Do you aee how morale can be lower? And fuber doesn't think this won't spill over into our treatment of passengers?

Every person that parks their butts in my back seat is a dollar sign, at the end of the day. I don't forget that. If I do, I won't nake money. These people aren't our buddies, friends, lifetime pals, etc. They are passengers who are given the cheapest rates by fuber. The fact that they can get in my car and brag about how cheap it is without thinking about how their cheapness affect me, as I am driving them 40 minutes across the city to their kickball game in the park for $6.50, is further proof that my attitude is a direct result of how fuber treats us drivers.

Fuber, I know you are reading. Mark my words, there is another rideshare service out there that will compete with you and treat us drivers better. We will leave you. So will your passengers. I have no doubt you will not be in existence in 5 years. Your business model is not sustainable. Your solution to turnover isn't retention and better treatment, but to hire more. That is no business model. That's just straight up stupid. Be afraid. Be very, very afraid. Your days are numbered. I will laugh when your doors close and piss on your charter. And I won't be the only one doing that either.

sarcasm/ Uber on! /sarcasm


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

kbrown said:


> But fuber has turned me into this


Yes, our ******y behavior is _always_ somebody else's fault, isn't it?


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## Mark Johnson (Nov 24, 2015)

kbrown said:


> Yes, if it is a grocery store pickup, I'm canceling. Nearly every pickup from a store is negative.


Although I have some sympathy for the situation of the lady described by the OP, I would have never gotten the chance to see her because I would have ignored the request in the first place. Grocery runs just aren't worth it IMO. Recently got a request from two ppl (roommates) on UberPool from the local Publix. They had at least 1 month of groceries and were going no more than 2 miles...

Apparently they were too cheap to request an UberX and split the cost between themselves. I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened had I gotten matched with another Pool pax who had 1 month of groceries as well -- got *$3* for the fare. That was the last time I did a grocery store pickup



kbrown said:


> Every person that parks their butts in my back seat is a dollar sign, at the end of the day. I don't forget that. If I do, I won't nake money. These people aren't our buddies, friends, lifetime pals, etc. They are passengers who are given the cheapest rates by fuber.


Sad but true... Most of these ppl don't care about my financial situation, and I don't fault them for that as it really isn't their problem. They are simply taking advantage of a situation that favors the pax at the driver's expense.

But at the same time, I have to look at this "job" as a business. Hence why I recently had to cancel a trip before it started as I informed the pax that I wasn't willing to drive to their destination due to the dead miles I would incur coming back. They weren't happy but I could care less. As an "independent contractor" it was within my right to do so. Ofcourse, I didn't charge them a cancel fee.


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## kbrown (Dec 3, 2015)

renbutler said:


> Yes, our ******y behavior is _always_ somebody else's fault, isn't it?


Sure is in this case.


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

renbutler said:


> OMG, and SMDH.
> 
> Equating getting 1 star with the "demands" of slavery.
> 
> I can't believe you doubled down after getting called out on it.


reaching hard aren't ya?


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

There's definitely some reaching going on, but it's from the person using extreme amounts of hyperbole.


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

renbutler said:


> There's definitely some reaching going on, but it's from the person using extreme amounts of hyperbole.


reach further now! LOL.


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## Red Leader (Sep 4, 2016)

Jerrie C said:


> I work retail during the day . Customer Service is ingrained in my mind forever !lol . I've been with my other company 19 years . It's very sad that some people are so rude and self serving that they can't and won't help out a fellow human being who needs help . Like it or not, we are a service industry . Without customers you don't have a job or paycheck . I have read many threads in utter disgust as to how they treat Pax. Good job to you . Thank you for the post affirming that there are still good people out there !


You get the service you pay for.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

Reaching for the Ignore button. I have no tolerance for that level of absurdity.


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## Shangsta (Aug 15, 2016)

freddieman said:


> i called it slave DEMANDS. never called it slavery. lets get that straight. for example.....customer wishes to visit drive through burger or else he/she 1 star you. that is slave demand.


stop digging your hole deeper. There is nothing slave like about Uber if you hate it so much quit.


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## kabibe (Oct 26, 2016)

Jerrie C said:


> I work retail during the day . Customer Service is ingrained in my mind forever !lol . I've been with my other company 19 years . It's very sad that some people are so rude and self serving that they can't and won't help out a fellow human being who needs help . Like it or not, we are a service industry . Without customers you don't have a job or paycheck . I have read many threads in utter disgust as to how they treat Pax. Good job to you . Thank you for the post affirming that there are still good people out there !


I'm the same way. I've been in retail or some other form of dealing with the public for thirty five years! Being polite to customers is second nature. But I put up with a lot less in my car. I'm never rude, though, and always try to accommodate them if I can. But no more than four in my car. Too bad.


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## kabibe (Oct 26, 2016)

Also, I have picked up people at the airport, bus stop, grocery store, but have never helped them load their stuff and they have never asked. None were elderly or pregnant, though. I guess it would be nice to offer but I have a bad back and tendonitis in my right wrist, along with arthritis over all. So if someone looks like they can handle it, good for them. If they look in worse shape than me, I'll help.


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

freddieman said:


> i called it slave DEMANDS. never called it slavery. lets get that straight. for example.....customer wishes to visit drive through burger or else he/she 1 star you. that is slave demand.


Ur getting paid by the min to sit in a drive through.


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

kbrown said:


> I may be screamed at or something, but here goes.
> 
> Yes, if it is a grocery store pickup, I'm cancelling. Nearly every pickup from a store is negstive. I don't get paid enough to help with bags or costco boxes full of food. I don't expect a tip, since Uber pax are trained and conditioned to not tip. Why would it be any different for a grocery store?
> 
> ...


Hmm. Mostly problems with Uber. I talk to pax about that stuff sometimes in a friendly manner and they usually are on my side. I mentioned uber problems one time and the guy pulled out a crisp $20 tip and wanted to make sure uber got none of it. The fare itself was only $5 down one easy to drive road and the pax was pleasant and friendly. People are more decent than you'd think. Those are mostly issues with Uber. Not the pax problem, they're just using the platform.

Also... a 45 min ride for $6? I know rates vary but a 45 min ride usually makes me around $25-$30 depending on mileage and that's with no surge. I'd gladly fill my day with back to back 45 min rides. that would be like a dream day.

If a pregnant woman needed my help that's just a human to human thing. Ive had to help load only 3 or 4 times. It takes literally 15-20 sec. Even if you want more $$ doesn't it take longer to find another ping than just throw stuff in the trunk for 20sec and go?

Then again, if ppl like u are my competition I hope they keep rating you bad so the saturation of too many drivers can work itself out naturally.


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

K-pax said:


> Ur getting paid by the min to sit in a drive through.


yeah if you like .25 cents a min when its costing you much more in gas, your work time, any cleaning work.


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

Shangsta said:


> stop digging your hole deeper. There is nothing slave like about Uber if you hate it so much quit.


how about fully reading the words and understanding it before you go spouting off.


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

freddieman said:


> yeah if you like .25 cents a min when its costing you much more in gas, your work time, any cleaning work.


Your car uses more than $0.25 a min in gas while idling? Do you drive a tank? I use a hybrid to drive and it maybe costs me around $1 an hour when actively driving and nothing when idling cause it goes to electric when it idles. How long are you going to wait in a drive thu? 3-4 min max? Collect the extra buck on the fare. SomeIf it's too ridiculous of a request just decline. You can do that. I declined a scetchy customer making a stop last night very respectfully because he gave me a bad feeling. No drama involved. My rating didn't fall and he apologized for asking in kind of a paranoid 3am guy high on meth sorta way. No tip, but it didn't have to turn into a big confrontation. I just dropped him off and everyone moved on with the night. Made my $7 just the same. Driving an old lady he from the grocery store is no where near as questionable as picking up a tweaker at 3am, and I managed.


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## Red Leader (Sep 4, 2016)




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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

K-pax said:


> Ur getting paid by the min to sit in a drive through.


You call $4.75 an hour pay? Before expenses. I call it insulting. Maybe on your market it's actually pay.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

K-pax said:


> Your car uses more than $0.25 a min in gas while idling? Do you drive a tank? I use a hybrid to drive and it maybe costs me around $1 an hour when actively driving and nothing when idling cause it goes to electric when it idles. How long are you going to wait in a drive thu? 3-4 min max? Collect the extra buck on the fare. SomeIf it's too ridiculous of a request just decline. You can do that. I declined a scetchy customer making a stop last night very respectfully because he gave me a bad feeling. No drama involved. My rating didn't fall and he apologized for asking in kind of a paranoid 3am guy high on meth sorta way. No tip, but it didn't have to turn into a big confrontation. I just dropped him off and everyone moved on with the night. Made my $7 just the same. Driving an old lady he from the grocery store is no where near as questionable as picking up a tweaker at 3am, and I managed.


Must be nice to have drive thrus that only take 3-4 mins.


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## Mark Johnson (Nov 24, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> Must be nice to have drive thrus that only take 3-4 mins.


Was about to say the same thing... Over here, from 11 pm to 3 am on the weekend, all major fast-food chain drive thrus have at list 8-10 cars in que and a *15-30min* wait time *before* they can take your order...

Not to mention having to navigate back onto the street towards the original destination.


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

K-pax said:


> Your car uses more than $0.25 a min in gas while idling? Do you drive a tank? I use a hybrid to drive and it maybe costs me around $1 an hour when actively driving and nothing when idling cause it goes to electric when it idles. How long are you going to wait in a drive thu? 3-4 min max? Collect the extra buck on the fare. SomeIf it's too ridiculous of a request just decline. You can do that. I declined a scetchy customer making a stop last night very respectfully because he gave me a bad feeling. No drama involved. My rating didn't fall and he apologized for asking in kind of a paranoid 3am guy high on meth sorta way. No tip, but it didn't have to turn into a big confrontation. I just dropped him off and everyone moved on with the night. Made my $7 just the same. Driving an old lady he from the grocery store is no where near as questionable as picking up a tweaker at 3am, and I managed.


not all people have hybrids. and that .25 cents calculation is not for gas only....wear and tear of car such as battery, head lightbulbs, oil, radiator, a/c, etc........and ....your time.


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

Mark Johnson said:


> Was about to say the same thing... Over here, from 11 pm to 3 am on the weekend, all major fast-food chain drive thrus have at list 8-10 cars in que and a *15-30min* wait time *before* they can take your order...
> 
> Not to mention having to navigate back onto the street towards the original destination.


 So.... you can't tell them no, then? There is literally nobody who can tell you not to say no to something like that. I've respectfully said no to customers several times and it never affected me significantly.


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

freddieman said:


> not all people have hybrids. and that .25 cents calculation is not for gas only....wear and tear of car such as battery, head lightbulbs, oil, radiator, a/c, etc........and ....your time.


Well sure, but when you run a business, it makes sense to reduce costs as much as you can while still being able to perform the service the customer reasonably expects. For me, getting a hybrid was worth the cost, because the savings in gas was quite a lot. (it costs me roughly around $1/hr in gas if I'm really busy and driving almost the whole time). Not sure exactly what drive thru's you're talking about. Most of the time, unless it's a particularly busy rush hour/dinner time, most drive thrus take 10 min tops. I used to work at a fast food joint years ago, and if people had waited 30 min just before their order could be taken the manager of the store would have been livid and looking for people to fire. If there's 8-10 people in a drive thru, I'd be talking to the pax about it, and explain that you have to move on to other customers. Still, you're getting a per min rate on top of what the fare would be, so if you're sitting still for 30 min... that's an additional $15... how is sitting still in a drive thru putting that much wear and tear on your car? It's idling.

There is literally nothing stopping you from saying no to that. Even if they tried to retaliate against you... it's one friggin passenger. I said no the other night to a sketchy guy who wanted me to 'take a detour' at 3am. My rating didn't even drop after that night (it went up), so even if he did try to get back at me for saying no, didn't affect me. There was no confrontation, and I dropped him off at his destination as expected. A little polite assertiveness if one of your customers is being unreasonable shouldn't be a big deal, and if it is... the passenger might have to be kicked out of the car and reported to Uber. They are a guest in a car that's someone else's property... just as a store could kick an unruly customer out, so can you (if they give you good reason).

I'm still not getting this scenario. Never once had someone want to pay for us to sit in a drive thru for a half hour, even at 2am in the University district with a pax that is drunk and stoned out of their mind. They're usually tired from drinking the night away and want to get home to go to sleep I could think of a lot of REAL things to complain about, like Uber misplacing pins far away from where the person is, UberPool in general, and 20 cars sitting on every street corner. Something tells me you just hate driving for a living and/or customer service in general.


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> You call $4.75 an hour pay? Before expenses. I call it insulting. Maybe on your market it's actually pay.


In my market, I typically make around $20 an hour most of the time. I've had some bad days where I've made less typically from making a dumb call like being in the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time, or picking a dumb day/time to work (like working the night before a big event and then being too tired the day of the event to be on my A game). I'm still fairly new at it so I'm figuring out a lot of the people patterns of the area, but if you're making $4.75 an hour, you may want to change something up somewhere. I'm new and I make more than that.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

K-pax said:


> In my market, I typically make around $20 an hour most of the time. I've had some bad days where I've made less typically from making a dumb call like being in the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time, or picking a dumb d inay/time to work (like working the night before a big event and then being too tired the day of the event to be on my A game). I'm still fairly new at it so I'm figuring out a lot of the people patterns of the area, but if you're making $4.75 an hour, you may want to change something up somewhere. I'm new and I make more than that.


I think he's saying that waiting is less than $5 an hour. If you're not in motion, you're not really making money


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

renbutler said:


> I think he's saying that waiting is less than $5 an hour. If you're not in motion, you're not really making money


Well sure, but there's nothing stopping him from saying no to the passenger. I've done it and it's never been an issue. The worst thing I had like that was someone who went 3 miles from their house to a 7/11 to pick up a case of beer and back... He was in the 7/11 for 2 or 3 min tops.... well other than the weird sketchy tweaker guy the other night, but even that didn't cause a problem to say no. I wasn't mean about it, just respectfully told him I didn't want to do that and we'd have to go to his destination. I'm not quite understanding where these folks think they HAVE to do anything a customer wants even if it's ridiculous. I had a sh*tfaced pax one night ask me to go the wrong way down a one way street to get there faster. I calmly said no and it was no issue. These are the same people who lose their sh*t over someone putting bags in a car (apparently they've never done airport runs. ??? Little old ladies coming home from the store are easy peasy fares. It takes only a couple of seconds to help them throw a few bags into the trunk and go and you actually have a place off the busy street to pull over... Tonight I picked up a couple from out of town on one of the most confusing intersections in Seattle, with all 1 way streets, half the roads closed with detours due to construction and the pin was a block and a half away from where they were. I had cabbies flipping me off, a drunk driver almost sideswiped me, I was getting honked at because there was no shoulder, no parking lots, unless I wanted to drive 10 blocks out of the way due to the one way streets ... I ended up making $25 from that fare cause it was surging heavily, so meh... it was worth frustration for a couple of min. I hardly thought about it 5 min after starting the trip. Picking up an old lady at a Safeway parking lot and helping her throw a few bags in the trunk is smooth friggin sailing, you don't have drunken bros behind the wheels of sports cars aiming for your back bumper).

They are only slaves in their own minds, judging from the evidence provided IMHO. These aren't real complaints. They're just a case of people making bad choices which are theirs to make.


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## kabibe (Oct 26, 2016)

K-pax said:


> So.... you can't tell them no, then? There is literally nobody who can tell you not to say no to something like that. I've respectfully said no to customers several times and it never affected me significantly.


I agree, you can say no. I don't think there is a rule that says you have to do everything they want.


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## Mark Johnson (Nov 24, 2015)

K-pax said:


> So.... you can't tell them no, then? There is literally nobody who can tell you not to say no to something like that. I've respectfully said no to customers several times and it never affected me significantly.


Never said I couldn't say no. Was simply giving others an idea of the conditions in my market...

I always politely explain that I am willing drop them off but siting and waiting in a drive thru isn't a profitable venture...



K-pax said:


> I used to work at a fast food joint years ago, and if people had waited 30 min just before their order could be taken the manager of the store would have been livid and looking for people to fire. If there's 8-10 people in a drive thru, I'd be talking to the pax about it, and explain that you have to move on to other customers. *Still, you're getting a per min rate on top of what the fare would be, so if you're sitting still for 30 min... that's an additional $15...* how is sitting still in a drive thru putting that much wear and tear on your car? It's idling.


Sorry but that math doesn't add up. According to freddieman his rate is *$0.25*/min. Thus --> 0.25 * 30 mins = *$7.50*. Which would be *$5.63* after Uber's 25% commission.

Funny enough, freddieman has it good because in ATL it's *$0.12*/min which means I would earn *$2.70* after Uber's 25% commision for the same time interval.

Not worth it...


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## SibeRescueBrian (May 10, 2015)

How did this turn into a discussion about math when that's not even remotely related to the topic of the thread?


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## Mark Johnson (Nov 24, 2015)

SibeRescueBrian said:


> How did this turn into a discussion about math when that's not even remotely related to the topic of the thread?


Respectfully, the segue into a conversation of math isn't that far off if you look at it from this angle...

The OP describes a scenario where he picked up an elderly pax who pointed out that the previous driver had purposely cancelled the ride once he/she saw the situation -- pax outside a grocery store with a bunch of bags/boxes. He then poses the topic in question... _*Is it that difficult to be nice ???*_

If you go on to read additional posts made by other members, some bring up how the current low rates have caused many drivers to be "mean" due to the present financial conditions. Hence, drivers often ignore or cancel grocery store rides as they find from previous experience that they are often very short trips and require labor -- helping with bags/boxes. This is where the "math" segue comes in. Considering the negligible per min rate in many cities, often grocery pick ups aren't worth it.

Therefore, I would presume that the response by some drivers to the topic in question is -- *Yes, it is that difficult to be nice with the current rates...*


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## SibeRescueBrian (May 10, 2015)

Mark Johnson said:


> Respectfully, the segue into a conversation of math isn't that far off if you look at it from this angle...
> 
> The OP describes a scenario where he picked up an elderly pax who pointed out that the previous driver had purposely cancelled the ride once he/she saw the situation -- pax outside a grocery store with a bunch of bags/boxes. He then poses the topic is question... _*Is it that difficult to be nice ???*_
> 
> ...


Thank you. That's an excellent and well thought out answer. Carry on.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

K-pax said:


> In my market, I typically make around $20 an hour most of the time. I've had some bad days where I've made less typically from making a dumb call like being in the wrong neighborhood at the wrong time, or picking a dumb day/time to work (like working the night before a big event and then being too tired the day of the event to be on my A game). I'm still fairly new at it so I'm figuring out a lot of the people patterns of the area, but if you're making $4.75 an hour, you may want to change something up somewhere. I'm new and I make more than that.


You're not paying attention. I was referring to the pay while sitting in a drive thru, since it's time only.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

K-pax said:


> Well sure, but when you run a business, it makes sense to reduce costs as much as you can while still being able to perform the service the customer reasonably expects. For me, getting a hybrid was worth the cost, because the savings in gas was quite a lot. (it costs me roughly around $1/hr in gas if I'm really busy and driving almost the whole time). Not sure exactly what drive thru's you're talking about. Most of the time, unless it's a particularly busy rush hour/dinner time, most drive thrus take 10 min tops. I used to work at a fast food joint years ago, and if people had waited 30 min just before their order could be taken the manager of the store would have been livid and looking for people to fire. If there's 8-10 people in a drive thru, I'd be talking to the pax about it, and explain that you have to move on to other customers. Still, you're getting a per min rate on top of what the fare would be, so if you're sitting still for 30 min... that's an additional $15... how is sitting still in a drive thru putting that much wear and tear on your car? It's idling.
> 
> There is literally nothing stopping you from saying no to that. Even if they tried to retaliate against you... it's one friggin passenger. I said no the other night to a sketchy guy who wanted me to 'take a detour' at 3am. My rating didn't even drop after that night (it went up), so even if he did try to get back at me for saying no, didn't affect me. There was no confrontation, and I dropped him off at his destination as expected. A little polite assertiveness if one of your customers is being unreasonable shouldn't be a big deal, and if it is... the passenger might have to be kicked out of the car and reported to Uber. They are a guest in a car that's someone else's property... just as a store could kick an unruly customer out, so can you (if they give you good reason).
> 
> I'm still not getting this scenario. Never once had someone want to pay for us to sit in a drive thru for a half hour, even at 2am in the University district with a pax that is drunk and stoned out of their mind. They're usually tired from drinking the night away and want to get home to go to sleep I could think of a lot of REAL things to complain about, like Uber misplacing pins far away from where the person is, UberPool in general, and 20 cars sitting on every street corner. Something tells me you just hate driving for a living and/or customer service in general.


How is 72% of 11 cents a minute (rate for newer driver in my market) $15 in 30 minutes? Is your math THAT bad?


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

renbutler said:


> I think he's saying that waiting is less than $5 an hour. If you're not in motion, you're not really making money


She. I'm female btw.


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

Mark Johnson said:


> Never said I couldn't say no. Was simply giving others an idea of the conditions in my market...
> 
> I always politely explain that I am willing drop them off but siting and waiting in a drive thru isn't a profitable venture...
> 
> ...


its not worth it at Uber/seattle rate of .25 cents a minute. .12 cents a min is just plain insult. don't know why its low. cabs charge .50 cents. pax moves a little quicker knowing the clock is ticking a little heavier.

i once had a customer tell me to start the meter while his wife needed to go back in the house to search for something. took 10 mins or so. could have easily just gotten another uber. he knew how much per minute rate was. as if he was doing me a favor so that he can feel less guilty not tipping me at the end of the ride. waiting around 10 minutes feels like an eternity. especially with pax inside car.


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

And another nice customer service story. I picked someone up last night from a Dicks Drive in. The rider liked my customer service so much that he literally fed me my dinner of a bunch of Dicks burgers and gave me a 5 star rating... so I got paid to eat dinner, which I got free and fresh off the grill... and the drive was really easy from the U district to a sleepy neighborhood in North Seattle... oh the humanity!!


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## BaitNSwitch (May 12, 2015)

My niceness is positively correlated with the amount of money i'm being paid.










At $30+ an hour I transform into Mother Teresa.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

K-pax said:


> And another nice customer service story. I picked someone up last night from a Dicks Drive in. The rider liked my customer service so much that he literally fed me my dinner of a bunch of Dicks burgers and gave me a 5 star rating... so I got paid to eat dinner, which I got free and fresh off the grill... and the drive was really easy from the U district to a sleepy neighborhood in North Seattle... oh the humanity!!


Literally? You mean he held the fork? Did he "fly the airplane into the hangar?"


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

So I decided to test the theory. I drove to the local supermarket about 3 o'clock on Sunday today. It took me about 3 to 5 minutes to get a ping. The passengers Had two full shopping carts full of groceries. I put my phones timer on, and it took about 15 second for them to load all the groceries in the car. I drove them to their location and it took roughly 15 to 20 seconds for them to unload the groceries. For a grand total of 30 seconds added to the trip. For 15 minutes of my time, I made about $8.50 mid afternoon, on a Sunday, in the suburbs. More business for me, I guess. lol


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

renbutler said:


> Literally? You mean he held the fork? Did he "fly the airplane into the hangar?"


Yes. He even burped me. Seattle is an odd place.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

UberNomad said:


> I agree.....why is it so hard for people to be nice?


Too often, out of frustration, we treat passengers the way we are treated by Uber. When we feel abused by Uber (or Lyft) it comes out in how we treat riders. It shouldn't be that way - we *should* be able to voice our frustration over exploitation to Uber... but there is no outlet for that - so the riders suffer, usually unjustly. And since they have no idea why their driver refuses to wait in line for 20 minutes at 2AM at a Taco Bell, they assume the driver is a jerk.

That being said - kudos to the OP.

Edit: 
Someone asked 
'_Who in their right mind would wait for 30 minutes in drive thru for $5 an hour?..._'​- but they deleted their msg. 
FWIW: I am happy to sit in a drive-thru on an XL trip for 30 min at 2AM on a 4.0 surge... I'll even look for traffic to get stuck in on the way there (at $72/hr and $5.20/mi).


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## CatchyMusicLover (Sep 18, 2015)

K-pax said:


> Well sure, but when you run a business, it makes sense to reduce costs as much as you can while still being able to perform the service the customer reasonably expects. For me, getting a hybrid was worth the cost, because the savings in gas was quite a lot


Sure, but how many thousands extra did you pay for said hybrid?


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

CatchyMusicLover said:


> Sure, but how many thousands extra did you pay for said hybrid?


That's the hidden cost that a lot of people don't account for.

They pay a lot up front, and it takes a while to break even based on gas/maintenance savings.

In the end, it _might_ save money.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

renbutler said:


> That's the hidden cost that a lot of people don't account for.
> 
> They pay a lot up front, and it takes a while to break even based on gas/maintenance savings.
> 
> In the end, it _might_ save money.


I'm too lazy to do the math again but I recall looking at one 7 years ago and figuring that at $3.00 a gallon, you had to do something like 15K miles a year for 7 years to break even on a Prius then.

What I really wonder about is carbon footprint for a hybrid. You are burning less gas, putting less CO2 in the atmosphere BUT how much extra CO2 was emitted to mine for the exotic materials necessary to make the batteries and charging system? Where's the "breakeven for that?


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

Disgusted Driver said:


> I'm too lazy to do the math again but I recall looking at one 7 years ago and figuring that at $3.00 a gallon, you had to do something like 15K miles a year for 7 years to break even on a Prius then.
> 
> What I really wonder about is carbon footprint for a hybrid. You are burning less gas, putting less CO2 in the atmosphere BUT how much extra CO2 was emitted to mine for the exotic materials necessary to make the batteries and charging system? Where's the "breakeven for that?


It might be improving along with the technology.

But I do recall a study that found the environment benefits vary widely by region. In areas with a lot of renewable power, the hybrids/electrics reduce CO2. However, in areas powered most heavily by coal, the "green" cars are no better than gas cars, and in fact could end up putting more CO2 into the air.

Some people seem to think that electric power for vehicles is generated by magic, or happy thoughts.


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## Mark Johnson (Nov 24, 2015)

Disgusted Driver said:


> I'm too lazy to do the math again but I recall looking at one 7 years ago and figuring that at $3.00 a gallon, you had to do something like 15K miles a year for 7 years to break even on a Prius then.
> 
> What I really wonder about is carbon footprint for a hybrid. You are burning less gas, putting less CO2 in the atmosphere BUT how much extra CO2 was emitted to mine for the exotic materials necessary to make the batteries and charging system? Where's the "breakeven for that?


I will save you the trouble...

Here is an article by what I consider a reputable source -- AutoTrader -- from 2013 comparing the long-term savings between a *2014 Prius Hybrid* vs. *2014 Corolla* priced @ *$25,000* and *$20,000* respectively.

Using *$3.52*/gallon as a reference point, it would take at least *90,000 miles* to break even on the initial cost of the Prius if you drove mainly in the city... (Prius' 51 mpg vs 28 mpg Corolla)

And *400,000 miles* to break even if you drove mainly on the hwy... (Prius' 48 mpg hwy vs 42 mpg Corolla)

http://www.autotrader.com/car-tips/is-a-hybrid-car-worth-the-extra-money-215304


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## Slim Pete (Nov 21, 2014)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> You call $4.75 an hour pay? Before expenses. I call it insulting. Maybe on your market it's actually pay.


Anybody willing to work for $4.75 an hour should be ashamed of themselves. Even an illegal alien wouldn't work for that rate. Pathetic!
and that 4.75 is probably before deducting gas.


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## Slim Pete (Nov 21, 2014)

iamkitkatbar said:


> Hard to be nice running a brand new '16 car for 0.90c a mil 0.15 a min


really bad decision to use a brand new car for uber. the depreciation on the car due to the mileage will offset big chunk of what you earn.

I'm in NJ, we are at 85 cents a mile, and I use a 2007 camry hybrid that I bought for 5,300. My per mile costs for gas, depreciation, repairs and maintenance comes to 0.21 cents per mile, over all miles driven, with pax in car and dead miles. Yours would be much higher.

I only do destination filter trips or boosts / surges 2.0 or higher, or at minimum 1.7 if i happen to be in the area. Not worth it otherwise.


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## Slim Pete (Nov 21, 2014)

Aaron Beauchamp said:


> Being compassionate costs nothing and pays back 10 fold. I have had people that just needed help......I put aside my feelings and such and help them. God sees all, and knows all. Nothing gets by Him.


Instead of helping cheap ass pax who don't tip, at least help out in a soup kitchen people who deserve help.

Recently did my richest pax to date drop off. Massive house. 5.3 million as per zillow. 75k a year in property taxes. Any tip? You guess. answer is No.
such rich folks can't even tip 5 bucks on an 85 cents a mile trip. Luckily for me, it was a destination filter trip. Or I would have felt like slapping myself for even accepting.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

Slim Pete said:


> Recently did my richest pax to date drop off. Massive house. 5.3 million as per zillow. 75k a year in property taxes. Any tip? You guess. answer is No.
> such rich folks can't even tip 5 bucks on an 85 cents a mile trip. Luckily for me, it was a destination filter trip. Or I would have felt like slapping myself for even accepting.


As much as I loved your first post, you lost me on this one.

I have received very large tips from people living in very nice houses.

Every socioeconomic class has its generous and stingy people. Their wealth doesn't change who they are at heart. It just allows them to live out their nature in more obvious ways.


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## Slim Pete (Nov 21, 2014)

renbutler said:


> I have received very large tips from people living in very nice houses.


unfortunately my experience has been different. I have received majority tips from people from middle class backgrounds. I know the tip may just be $2, but for them it still means something.

I have only occasionally got tips from rich pax (though when I did, the amounts were larger).


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

Okay, but what are the percentages? The vast majority of Uber rides are likely from low and middle classes. So even if all classes were equally generous in theory, the vast majority of your tips would come from the classes that take the most rides.

Also, you can't always tell wealth by the size of a house or clothes worn. Check out a fascinating book called "The Millionaire Next Door" sometime.


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## freddieman (Oct 24, 2016)

Slim Pete said:


> Instead of helping cheap ass pax who don't tip, at least help out in a soup kitchen people who deserve help.
> 
> Recently did my richest pax to date drop off. Massive house. 5.3 million as per zillow. 75k a year in property taxes. Any tip? You guess. answer is No.
> such rich folks can't even tip 5 bucks on an 85 cents a mile trip. Luckily for me, it was a destination filter trip. Or I would have felt like slapping myself for even accepting.


isn't it amazing with these folks? i get flabbergasted whenever i drop these kinds of pax off.


Disgusted Driver said:


> I'm too lazy to do the math again but I recall looking at one 7 years ago and figuring that at $3.00 a gallon, you had to do something like 15K miles a year for 7 years to break even on a Prius then.
> 
> What I really wonder about is carbon footprint for a hybrid. You are burning less gas, putting less CO2 in the atmosphere BUT how much extra CO2 was emitted to mine for the exotic materials necessary to make the batteries and charging system? Where's the "breakeven for that?


also don't forget that batteries need replacing. and it will also take special trained technicians(higher costs) to work on the vehicle.


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

CatchyMusicLover said:


> Sure, but how many thousands extra did you pay for said hybrid?


Less than I save on gas. I'm driving 8 hours a day and I still pay out roughly the same for gas when I was commuting to and from a day job... and in Seattle there are a lot of REALLY steep hills that I drive up and down which would have been CRAZY with a full gas car (it charges the battery exclusively as I'm going downhill any time it's not in full electric mode, so the hills don't seem to affect the mpg all that much). My gas costs run somewhere between $8-$10 per day, driving full time. I can work two full days on a full tank of gas, which takes only around $20 to fill up, and it still usually has a little bit of gas left over after 2 8 hour days... and keep in mind.. I don't typically camp out on street corners that much, I'm moving around looking for opportunities almost the entire time I'm working save for quick stretch/bathroom/food breaks.

The car payments are also partially tax deductible, so it's kind of relative. Outside of work, I also save a ton on gas getting from here to there. The car payment seems like it's a lot, but when you actually start looking at all the variables of having a hybrid, that car payment is bothering me a lot less, I make a good chunk of it back in the difference between fuel efficiency of my car and a full gas car.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

Cool. Got some math?


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

renbutler said:


> Cool. Got some math?


I got the hybrid through Uber. It's a lease that's $181 a week. My costs are around $8-$10 for 8-10 hours of driving(It's almost exactly $1/hr consistently). I don't camp out much in one area between rides, as sometimes rides take me to quiet areas that wouldn't be profitable, so I'm pretty much in motion almost the entire time outside of quick breaks to stretch, refill my coffee, pee, or jump into one of those evil drive thrus to refill my belly. I am typically getting much higher than the stated mpg... sometimes 59mpg or even 62mpg with city driving and around 53/mpg usually on the freeway (the dash computer has you put in what you paid for the gas and it will literally tell you exactly how much gas you used vs the mileage since you last started the car, and spit out a mpg figure with an estimation of how much that trip cost you down to the penny -pretty neat). The Uber lease doesn't have a mileage limit/penalty so that's not an issue.

So if I go to a mpg calculator... let's say, A Ford Taurus (the car I drove before) vs. the Toyota Prius C.

a brand spanking new Ford Taurus 2017 model (mine, that is paid for 100% so has no car payment, was too old to Uber with). The MPG is listed as UP TO 20mpg for city driving (which is 90% of my driving), and UP TO 29mpg on the freeway. (Keep in mind, I don't have an XL qualified vehicle so we're talking purely X and Pool rates, before you throw that wildcard in there)

In the last two weeks I have it logged that I've driven 2,226.78 miles. Divide that in half for an estimate of about 1,113.39 miles for a week of full time driving.

Using the Carmax mpg calculator and the price I paid for gas last time I filled up, let's crunch some numbers. I'll have to round down to 1,000 miles, because it will only let me do increments of 1,000 miles, and the gas cost inputted is $3.59 per gallon. I'm also going to calculate based on the 2016 Prius C states 55mpg city and 50mpg Hiway (even though my car is getting better than that almost every time I finish a trip (from the time you turn the key in the ignition to start it to the time you pull the keys out of the ignition is counted as a trip).

The savings of driving the Prius C would be about $114 a week for city driving, or $52 a week for hiway driving. My weekly payment is $181. I'd say my ratio of city vs hiway driving is 90/10 so the estimated actual cost of leasing a hybrid is somewhere in the ballpark of $60(ish) a week if I compare that to what I'd be paying out to gas stations driving the brand new 2017 Ford Taurus sedan.

PLUS... It is WAY easier to maneuver a small car like that through busy city streets/bar districts, and so I would assume there is some savings on time as I can fit into really small spaces and get away with throwing the hazards on without causing too terribly much of a traffic issue around me when there's no place to pull over.

Just like I said, the up front price of the car lease is scary, but when you crunch the numbers, it's actually not nearly as scary as it looks. If I were driving part time, it wouldn't be worth it at all, but for 40+ hours a week of driving? I can handle $60 a week, which is partially tax deductible (because I'm using it as a personal car as well). Plus, it's a nice new car to drive around, I get good feedback from pax, the bluetooth audio system is convenient, the car looks nice, etc.

Back to my practical gas costs. I'm typically making an average of $20 an hour in non-surge times and close to $30 an hour average when I'm doing bar rush or events after the uber cut (I hustle like a BAMF). So let's see... If I figure in gas, I'm only losing about a buck an hour. $19/hr - $26/hr and I'm still fairly new at it, so I've got a lot of efficiency to gain with experience. 

Maintenance is covered in the lease, so I don't have to pay for brake jobs, replaced tires, oil changes, etc etc etc etc. After all that, the only penalty to ending the lease early is I lose the $250 deposit that I paid, so if I choose not to do this anymore, I can just return the car and go back to my gas guzzler as if nothing happened (though tbh, I'm kinda liking how cheap that car is to drive even in my time off, so going back to gas only would kinda suck). The downside, though... is I can't do the daily pay with Uber since I got the car through them (though I can with Lyft).


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## ChortlingCrison (Mar 30, 2016)

renbutler said:


> Cool. Got some math?






 Here's some cool math right here.


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## renbutler (Jul 25, 2015)

K-pax said:


> I got the hybrid through Uber. It's a lease that's $181 a week. My costs are around $8-$10 for 8-10 hours of driving(It's almost exactly $1/hr consistently). I am typically getting much higher than the stated mpg... sometimes 59mpg or even 62mpg with city driving and around 53/mpg usually on the freeway (the dash computer has you put in what you paid for the gas and it will literally tell you exactly how much gas you used vs the mileage since you last started the car, and spit out a mpg figure with an estimation of how much that trip cost you down to the penny -pretty neat). The Uber lease doesn't have a mileage limit/penalty so that's not an issue.
> 
> So if I go to a mpg calculator... let's say, A Ford Taurus (the car I drove before) vs. the Toyota Prius C.
> 
> ...


Thanks, I like math.

All the math I had previously seen was for a vehicle purchase, so that was what I was familiar with.


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

ChortlingCrison said:


> Here's some cool math right here.


 Abbott and Costello FTW... though for me the math works. I'm not well off really, so I didn't already own a car that would have qualified to do Uber. I'm usually more of a side of the road beater with the for sale sign that you buy off someone who can't trade it up for anything, drive it till it dies or gets too expensive for a few years, then get another one sorta guy. Buying a nice car would not have been an option for me... no $ for the down payment and my credit isn't all that amazing (could be worse, could be better).

If I had leased a gas only, or if I were a part time driver, it wouldn't have been worth it, but for the amount of miles I drive, I save enough in costs that it's actually not THAT bad. If I already had a nice car, then sure... my costs would be lower, but it is what it is.


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## CHVY9900 (Nov 13, 2015)

UberNomad said:


> Yeah better rates would be nice as a driver but we all know what we're in for when signing up so why would the rates affect how you treat a paying rider. If you don't like the deal then stop doing it. It's a job, do your job the best you can and if you don't like that job, move on to another.
> 
> I don't understand this mentality of "if I was paid better I'd be nicer" or judging riders saying they're "cheap" for using Uber. It's a service we are providing for people and why wouldn't someone rather pay $10 for a ride instead of $20 for the same ride with a cab, of course they'll go with the $10 ride.
> 
> ...


And this is coming from a lady who has not been on the road yet. Lets see if you have the same attitude by march.


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## CHVY9900 (Nov 13, 2015)

goelpellc said:


> It's much easier to make more money when you are nice.


I guess your way of making money is by earning stars


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

CHVY9900 said:


> I guess your way of making money is by earning stars


Stickers too!


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