[puffin]

Last night in downtown Raleigh during the surge I got a ping for 3 guys at Armadillo grill. When I picked them up they said I was the 3rd driver they pinged but only one to show up. They said the first 2 spoke to them on the phone and said they were almost there but never arrived.

What gives? Were the drivers just saying I'm coming and just sitting there waiting the 5 minutes out before rider cancelled? To get the base fare (at surge) for doing nothing. Or were they stuck trying to drive down Glenwood and getting stuck waiting to move? (I never drive on Glenwood. I always cross it. Or ask them to walk down Johnson or Tucker or to mellow mushroom's parking lot.)

 

[Disgusted Driver]

It gets pretty chaotic there and Sat. night was extra crazy. One thing that happens is that some folks will cancel a ping if the surge goes up. I have gotten to the point where if I take a 2.5 and it jumps to 3 I'll call my pax. If they answer, I arrange to get them to a place where I can pick them up, if they don't answer, I cancel and try to get a ping at the higher rate. Sorry for them but my time is to valuable at that moment, can't afford to get there and wait 5 to cancel. But seriously, there are a lot of marginal drivers out there these days, given the rates it's not surprising.

 

[driveby]

Funny thing. I think I am one of the drivers they were talking about. I got the ping on it sent me to Johnson st. I waited for couple minutes called and they said they were on Glenwood. I headed to Glenwood and it showed they were back on Johnson.

 

[Stephen]

I got the ping on it sent me to Johnson st. I waited for couple minutes called and they said they were on Glenwood. I headed to Glenwood and it showed they were back on Johnson.

Shenanigans! The pickup pin doesn't move.

 

[driveby]

No the pick up pin doesn't move but the pax does

 

[Stephen]

No the pick up pin doesn't move but the pax does

Then I'm confused by what you said:

I headed to Glenwood and it showed they were back on Johnson.

Since the PIN never moves, that's where it showed they were the whole time.

Anyhow, everyone should remember that you are under no obligation to find the passenger. It is their responsibility to wait for you to arrive at (or in the direct vicinity of) the pin they dropped. They have your picture and the picture of your vehicle. You have no way to identify them. Drive to the pin, wait 5 minutes, cancel if they don't find you to collect your tuppence.

 

[Disgusted Driver]

At 2:10 am, we don't need no stinking tuppence At that point, if I can't find them fast, I'm likely to cancel and get another pax especially if the multiplier is high. If there's no surge, I'm all about the tuppence, getting good at collecting them. I don't call nonsurge anymore, just sit and wait.

 

[ANGRY UBER MAN]

It is correct on weekends when the surge goes up I will take a surge at 1.5 but I will cancel if I see the surge go up to 2.0 or greater. This surge change can happen in minutes. If it surged more often I would not do this but the rates as low as they are the only time to make money is right after the bar close.