[Joseph_P_Brenner]

For those of you who sent preemptive text messages to riders to confirm their pin drop is at the correct location, have you found your ratings to change? If not, or if your ratings have increased, what is your text message? In trying to fine tune my text message, I'm wondering if it's too long and/or annoying. See below for my text message.

I've found that I frequently stop my car illegally (as per the link at the bottom) so the passengers have the shortest distance to traverse to get in my car. But sooner or later, I will get fined or ticketed. Have you been able to avoid illegal stopping without hurting your ratings? If so, how? I'm thinking about sending the below text message; if passengers still have an obnoxious pin drop, I'll disregard that pin drop and park as close as possible legally and call the passenger that I cannot park illegally so they will have to find me. However, I can imagine my ratings suffering as a result.

Hi, this is Joseph_P_Brenner, your Uber driver, and am on my way. In the meantime, please confirm the pin has been dropped where I can legally and safely pick you up. If it is not, please correct the pickup location by texting/calling. Law enforcement has been strict about not stopping at red curbs and the middle of streets. I will be arriving in a [color, make, and/or model of car] with tinted windows. Click the link for a photo of my car. Thank you! [URL of a photo of my car]

I don't have a large enough sample size yet to determine whether this text message has a positive/negative/neutral impact on my rating. But passengers do often text back with a confirmation, correction, or specification of landmarks. I'm also still getting 5-star ratings with my small sample size thus far. I've also gotten some comments about how I seemed to like a "pro" at this Uber thing, which I take as a compliment as I always try to streamline my work to maximize productivity/efficiency to make life easier.

If there's value to at least some of my practice, let's make them popular so riders have a new expectation to meet--legal and safe pin drops--that benefits everyone.

Link explaining what constitutes illegal stopping: http://www.driveubersd.com/perfect-the-pickup/

 

[frndthDuvel]

LOL Just ****ing drive dude! If I was a PAX and got your text it would be instant CANCEL!
And wtf would you want to give them your full name?
Again, please learn to live with your ratings or you are not going to last. How many threads about your ratings today?

I have been "trying" to avoid the most illegal spot as much as possible now. And have started asking more often to let me pull to a "safer" drop point.
I frequently let PAX know that I think it sucks UBER allows texting while we are in route to them.

 

[RockinEZ]

I think it is the "Joseph P Brenner" part.
I call and use my first name and ask them where I can legally pick them up.
They don't care if you get a ticket. They don't pay.

You do know the fine for texting is 10x the fine for parking.
In Insane Diego it will be a base fine plus 400% for New Court Building fee.

 

[RockinEZ]

Never, never use text while driving Uber.
Never read a text a PAX send you.
Call.
The fine is less.

 

[Fuzzyelvis]

For those of you who sent preemptive text messages to riders to confirm their pin drop is at the correct location, have you found your ratings to change? If not, or if your ratings have increased, what is your text message? In trying to fine tune my text message, I'm wondering if it's too long and/or annoying. See below for my text message.

I've found that I frequently stop my car illegally (as per the link at the bottom) so the passengers have the shortest distance to traverse to get in my car. But sooner or later, I will get fined or ticketed. Have you been able to avoid illegal stopping without hurting your ratings? If so, how? I'm thinking about sending the below text message; if passengers still have an obnoxious pin drop, I'll disregard that pin drop and park as close as possible legally and call the passenger that I cannot park illegally so they will have to find me. However, I can imagine my ratings suffering as a result.

I don't have a large enough sample size yet to determine whether this text message has a positive/negative/neutral impact on my rating. But passengers do often text back with a confirmation, correction, or specification of landmarks. I'm also still getting 5-star ratings with my small sample size thus far. I've also gotten some comments about how I seemed to like a "pro" at this Uber thing, which I take as a compliment as I always try to streamline my work to maximize productivity/efficiency to make life easier.

If there's value to at least some of my practice, let's make them popular so riders have a new expectation to meet--legal and safe pin drops--that benefits everyone.

Link explaining what constitutes illegal stopping: http://www.driveubersd.com/perfect-the-pickup/

Most pax won't read that much verbiage and even if they do will tell you "It's ok, you won't get a ticket."

90% don't care. You are trying to assign human emotion and caring to them but for that they have to think of you as a human being. They don't. You are a tool to get them where they want to go. Once you realize and accept that you will stop trying so hard to please them. I don't try much at all any more and my rating doesn't change.

Call and tell them where you are/will be. If they *****, cancel. Wait at the legal spot for 5 mins and cancel no show if you want. Or tell them since they don't want to walk to the legal spot to please cancel and order another uber who may be more willing to get a ticket. You can then move half a block and wait. If they don't cancel by 5 mins then again cancel.

 

[Joseph_P_Brenner]

LOL. Joseph_P_Brenner is not my real name. Wow.

I have sent this text (sans a few words) to over 50 riders and I have not gotten any cancels from it. In fact, I have gotten many texts and calls helping me find them.

If they don't think of me as a human being, I want to know so I can cancel on them. There are plenty of riders that view me as a human being based on my experience.

 

[RockinEZ]

LOL. Joseph_P_Brenner is not my real name. Wow.

I have sent this text (sans a few words) to over 50 riders and I have not gotten any cancels from it. In fact, I have gotten many texts and calls helping me find them.

If they don't think of me as a human being, I want to know so I can cancel on them. There are plenty of riders that view me as a human being based on my experience.

Then don't use it.... The PAX see your first name. We can only reply to what you post.
Call the PAX. It works best.

 

[MrsUberJax]

Well that is really cool, but here in Jacksonville, I just took a ride the other night in Uber XL. I only received a photo of the driver... No photo of the car, Just the make & model of the car, & the license plate... The car that showed up was not what was listed on the app. The driver claimed his car was in the shop. If I had been alone, I would not have taken the ride... Drivers here are doing whatever the hell they want. Unbelievable..

 

[berserk42]

Well that is really cool, but here in Jacksonville, I just took a ride the other night in Uber XL. I only received a photo of the driver... No photo of the car, Just the make & model of the car, & the license plate... The car that showed up was not what was listed on the app. The driver claimed his car was in the shop. If I had been alone, I would not have taken the ride... Drivers here are doing whatever the hell they want. Unbelievable..

Reported him, I hope? That is unacceptable.

 

[Sxndriux]

I personally get a little annoyed when a driver contacts me before they reach the destination. So I try to do the same when I'm driving.

I rather get to the address and find the closest legal parking space I can find and then call them if they're not outside already. But whatever works for you!