I agree with you 100%. The riders are rarely in the car long enough to enjoy even one song so i really don't like it when they mess with my radio or the controls, it is a distraction and then I have to put everything back when they get out of the car. I just moved here from Bowling Green, OH and I stopped driving for Uber until I moved because I could not stand the entitled behavior from college students. A lot of college students (at least in BG) seem to have little respect for other people and their cars. A kid once puked all over the side of my car and then acted like it was just my job to clean it up (I didn't know you could charge for cleanup on the outside of the car). I would also have kids demanding that I pick them up in unsafe locations, trying to sneak open beers into the car, and calling me just a few minutes after requesting the ride to ask where I was as if I was their servant. I find that in Columbus people seem to be a lot nicer but I still try to stay away from the campus area.
Rant and a couple of observations
The new tipping feature seems to be working out well for me. Granted, I only do this part time a couple of days a week, mostly as a 'hobby', but now that Uber has included tipping in the app, it is becoming worthwhile for me to drive again. I have gotten quite a few $5 - $10 tips, and the percentage of people tipping has gone from 1 in 15 rides to about 1 in 4 rides.
Now, on to the rant - I loaded 4 guys, late 20's/early 30's Friday night from Gatsby's in Gahanna to the Arena district - About a 12 minute ride down 670. As soon as they get in my car they ask if I have a USB connection in the backseat and if they can plug into it. Yes I do, and I show them where it is. While the one guy is screwing around with his phone, the other three are being just generally loud and obnoxious and all asking me distracting questions simultaneously while I'm trying to drive on the highway. Now, I don't get distracted easily and I was doing fine until the guy in the backseat hands his phone up to me and asks me to plug it in up front because he cant get it to work in the back. As I'm plugging his phone in up front, the guy in the front seat starts dicking with my radio, pushing buttons, turning the volume up etc. I ask him what he's looking for on the radio, and he says "I'm trying to help you get Spotify on here".
Well, I don't have Spotify, never used it, don't really care about it. I tell the guy I don't have Spotify, but I do have XM. Now they all get pissed because they cant listen to their music for the last 3 minutes of the ride and proceed to make comments about how this is one of the worst Uber rides they've ever had and something about not giving me 5 stars. Yeah, whatever. I drop them off, pull up a little, park and get out to check out my backseat only to find 3 empty beer bottles that they snuck into my car and left on the floor.
I avoid campus and late night weekends for this very reason - Idiots that really don't care about their safety or mine and distract the crap out of their driver while he has your life in his hands driving down the highway at 65-70 mph. Not worth it to me. This was the first Friday night I've driven in over a year, and most likely my last.
And I don't understand the whole Spotify thing either. I usually keep my radio on 97.9 or one of the pop stations on XM and that seems to appease 99% of my pax. It's very rare that anyone ever asks to change the station and no one ever brings up playing their own music - Unless I'm on campus or Short North late night loading multiple drunk pax. Then it's all about "Do you have Spotify so that we can listen to 30 seconds of a song while you drive us two blocks down the road?" Gesh, just get in the damn car, be quiet for two minutes and let me get you home safely. You don't get any extra amenities for your $6 fare that you are splitting 4 ways, you entitled millennials.
Another Lyft pax that I loaded was telling me about an Uber ride he had earlier in the week and why he will never use Uber again - He got picked up from a bar at Easton around 1 in the morning. He got in the front seat because the non-English speaking driver had trash in the back seat. The Uber driver changed lanes on Morse road around Menard's and hit another car. He pulled over, got out of the car and started arguing with the guy he just hit saying it was the other guys fault. When the other guy said he was calling the police, the Uber driver got back in his car, ended the trip and told pax to get out and then took off! The other driver starting yelling at pax and then police showed up and wanted to detain pax. He explained the situation to the police and they got his info and the guy that got hit actually drove him home once he realized what had happened. He was still working with Uber on the whole issue.
It's amazing - We have both crazy, stupid pax and drivers out there.
Now, on to the rant - I loaded 4 guys, late 20's/early 30's Friday night from Gatsby's in Gahanna to the Arena district - About a 12 minute ride down 670. As soon as they get in my car they ask if I have a USB connection in the backseat and if they can plug into it. Yes I do, and I show them where it is. While the one guy is screwing around with his phone, the other three are being just generally loud and obnoxious and all asking me distracting questions simultaneously while I'm trying to drive on the highway. Now, I don't get distracted easily and I was doing fine until the guy in the backseat hands his phone up to me and asks me to plug it in up front because he cant get it to work in the back. As I'm plugging his phone in up front, the guy in the front seat starts dicking with my radio, pushing buttons, turning the volume up etc. I ask him what he's looking for on the radio, and he says "I'm trying to help you get Spotify on here".
Well, I don't have Spotify, never used it, don't really care about it. I tell the guy I don't have Spotify, but I do have XM. Now they all get pissed because they cant listen to their music for the last 3 minutes of the ride and proceed to make comments about how this is one of the worst Uber rides they've ever had and something about not giving me 5 stars. Yeah, whatever. I drop them off, pull up a little, park and get out to check out my backseat only to find 3 empty beer bottles that they snuck into my car and left on the floor.
I avoid campus and late night weekends for this very reason - Idiots that really don't care about their safety or mine and distract the crap out of their driver while he has your life in his hands driving down the highway at 65-70 mph. Not worth it to me. This was the first Friday night I've driven in over a year, and most likely my last.
And I don't understand the whole Spotify thing either. I usually keep my radio on 97.9 or one of the pop stations on XM and that seems to appease 99% of my pax. It's very rare that anyone ever asks to change the station and no one ever brings up playing their own music - Unless I'm on campus or Short North late night loading multiple drunk pax. Then it's all about "Do you have Spotify so that we can listen to 30 seconds of a song while you drive us two blocks down the road?" Gesh, just get in the damn car, be quiet for two minutes and let me get you home safely. You don't get any extra amenities for your $6 fare that you are splitting 4 ways, you entitled millennials.
Another Lyft pax that I loaded was telling me about an Uber ride he had earlier in the week and why he will never use Uber again - He got picked up from a bar at Easton around 1 in the morning. He got in the front seat because the non-English speaking driver had trash in the back seat. The Uber driver changed lanes on Morse road around Menard's and hit another car. He pulled over, got out of the car and started arguing with the guy he just hit saying it was the other guys fault. When the other guy said he was calling the police, the Uber driver got back in his car, ended the trip and told pax to get out and then took off! The other driver starting yelling at pax and then police showed up and wanted to detain pax. He explained the situation to the police and they got his info and the guy that got hit actually drove him home once he realized what had happened. He was still working with Uber on the whole issue.
It's amazing - We have both crazy, stupid pax and drivers out there.
1 - 2 of 13 Posts
I agree with you 100%. I lost my job a few weeks ago and I am basically just waiting out until the 1st of the year when places start hiring again. I still have rent and a car payment to make. I did pretty good on rides today though and I might keep at it on the weekends when I do get a full time job again. I made pretty good money at my last job and I brought home half of a weekly check tonight so it isn't horrible, UberEats is, but I've had way crappier jobs that paid a lot less. It's also nice to have on hand when you get hit with a big bill or expense you need to take care of ASAP.Face it, you're in a service business (and a minimum wage one at that) and you have to deal with customers. Just like a convenience store clerk, a bus driver, or a shooting baby portraits at Sears. They don't care about you or your car. I'm not excusing rude behavior but get used to it.
The bigger issue you should confront is if you should be wasting time in a job like this or spending it training or searching for something better.
1 - 2 of 13 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Uber Drivers Forum
A forum community dedicated to Uber drivers and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about taxes, documents, visas, travel, car care, finances, banking, maintenance, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Top Contributors this Month
View All
tohunt4me
365 Replies
_Tron_
364 Replies
oaktowndriver
336 Replies
Recommended Communities
