New Driver!

Kinchy said:

Hi everyone,
I'm a new driver and new forum member, but I haven't started driving just yet.
I had my vehicle inspection early yesterday and my account is still not active, so I'm a tad curious if anyone knows how long this takes, as the Uber reply's to my e-mails have not been especially helpful.

Click to expand...

Hi Kinchy.
I like you started this gig for the need of some well needed income to keep me out of the red. It should only take a couple of weeks at most to get on the road, but I do advise you to do your due diligence and get the real facts about becoming a driver for any share driving company.
Look at the end of the day you can make a bit of money to fill the gaps but you will have to work at hours where demand is high. It would be pointless driving during the day to find a customer. If you do go ahead the first couple of weeks driving at different times will give you a clearer picture.

Now let it be known that I did love going out for a couple of shifts a week (usually 10-12hrs total). Even picked up Scottie from "The Block" and took him to the airport.
But now I WILL NOT DRIVE anymore until there is a clear and legal way to do so. All those grey areas that we do not know about when we first get involved are just not worth the risk.

Here are a couple of things you need to consider.

1. Is my car covered if I have an accident?
2. If not. Will my policy be canceled and made void?
3. Will I be able to get insurance with another insurer? Probably NOT.
4. Will Uber pay for damage? Maybe and only if you are carrying a customer.

If I kill or mame someone on the road after becoming a registerd Uber driver and in my private time. Will my insurer cover me. Not when they find out I do share driving. In a situation like this I would be totally screwed, loose my house and any other assets to cover the costs.
Thanks to this forum and it's members I became more aware of the magnitude of the risks associated with being an Uber crash dummy for there unethical way of introducing this service to the country.

Look I loved doing it but the risk is just to high.

As you go through the forums you will read a lot of negative posts about the UberX and that is fine, everyone can have a say but for me the number one issue is insurance, insurance, insurance!!!

My advice would be to hold back, wait and see where the rules and regulations are set, if that ever happens and re-look at it then.

Feel free to voice any concerns as they are a great bunch here.

Cheers.
UberRon from Melb

Congrats Kinchy on your first weekend driving!

Make sure you take some of the posts on this forum with a pinch of salt - there are some bitter cab drivers floating around as well as some general whingers. Haters gonna hate haha..

Surge has become so common in Prahran/South Yarra that many riders are accustomed to it. Keep in mind that some riders are unaware, having blindly tapped through the warnings. What I do to reduce the risk of 1* due to surge, is make sure that before swiping to begin the trip, I turn to look at the rider and politely say "before I begin the trip, are you aware that this is a surge fare?". Most of the time they are cool with it and they appreciate the consideration given.

About three-quarters of riders are females. The reasons are various:

• She feels safer knowing that the route/driver/vehicle etc are all trackable
• She likes the certainty of a car being on the way along with an ETA (as opposed to taxis which may never arrive)
• She likes the all-round convenience and speed of service
• She has had more than one experience standing in skimpy evening dress on a freezing street corner in the rain, trying to flag down taxis for ages, when one finally stops refuses and drives away because he is "not going in that direction", eventually finding themselves feeling very vulnerable in a stinking battered non-roadworthy bomb of a vehicle with a leering cabbie with strong BO, who tries to cheat her by taking the long route at best, or at worst asks for sex as payment or even attempts to sexually assault her.

Keep in mind that your currently high rating will go down. This is because some riders one-star every Uber that isn't a Porsche Cayenne. With a clean & comfortable car, smooth driving, and a positive manner, you can maintain 4.7 - 4.9. Keep water bottles in the glove box and offer them to people who ask, on any long trips, and to anyone that obviously needs water. Skip the mints and keep chupa-chups in the car - riders LOVE being offered chupa-chups. Here's a tip: Keep a few mini chocolate bars or chocolate frogs, for the occasional fussy rider who doesn't like hard lollies. I had 2 girls whom I offered chupa chups, one accepted while the other said she as fructose intolerance. She was VERY happy when I offered her a chocolate frog instead.

Happy Ubering