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UberPool Making Drivers Reach their Mental Breaking Point

9.1K views 35 replies 18 participants last post by  Uberman8263  
#1 ·
The following was told to me by a pax talking about uber pool:

"I ordered an Uberpool at JFK and I really didn't think I had. I was with my girlfriend. The guy picked us up and then he gets another pick up and he asked us if we had ordered Uberpool. I told him I didnt know cause I really didn't but apparently thats what I did. So he gets mad at us saying this is bullshit, so he calls the next pick up and tells him to cancel and told them he wasn't going to pick them up and hangs up. And I get it, it was two of us with enough luggage, there wasn't going to be room for more. We get going, and I swear man, when we get on the highway he pulls over, calls them again and goes 'why haven't you cancelled? You are a mother****er! cancel the ****ing shit you mother****er!' And then we got on our way. I don't know if the other people cancelled or if he cancelled it but he just took us."
 
#2 ·
I strongly suggest share your story to a news outlet. This way we can hear similar stories and pressure Uber to change its pay structure which I know it also affects me as well. The first time I found out I had automatic pickups with Uber pool, I literally felt change in my mood. I wish no harm and positive solutions with this situation. It is outright disgusting what Uber is doing.
 
#4 ·
Today i took a pool ride at 2.0 surge.... Once i started the trip another pick up was added. I tell him we have to pick up another pax and he sucks his teeth. After 15 min in traffic in route to second pick up he says "he's gonna be so late" and asks me what options he has. I told him lets end the ride rote now and order an UberX. My rating went down.
 
#5 ·
This is why I think the demand for UberPool and Lyft line will eventually go down. X and classic Lyft prices are already low enough. Once a passenger experiences being in the car almost an hour for what should have been a 20 minute trip that passenger won't do it again without giving it serious thought and weighing the cons of UberPool versus the pro of saving a few extra dollars.

When both Uber and Lyft rolled out this bus system at first most passengers didn't know about the second pickup nonsense and it was always a battle when that second pick up was added. Now most passengers are aware of how it works and that problem is gone. With more time, only the ultra cheap passengers and the ones on very long distance rides without time constraint will be the ones ordering pool and line. The average passenger will realize that the potential extra time is not worth the few dollars they are saving.
 
#15 ·
This is why I think the demand for UberPool and Lyft line will eventually go down. X and classic Lyft prices are already low enough. Once a passenger experiences being in the car almost an hour for what should have been a 20 minute trip that passenger won't do it again without giving it serious thought and weighing the cons of UberPool versus the pro of saving a few extra dollars.

When both Uber and Lyft rolled out this bus system at first most passengers didn't know about the second pickup nonsense and it was always a battle when that second pick up was added. Now most passengers are aware of how it works and that problem is gone. With more time, only the ultra cheap passengers and the ones on very long distance rides without time constraint will be the ones ordering pool and line. The average passenger will realize that the potential extra time is not worth the few dollars they are saving.
What pissess me off the most is that they get in the car after requesting an uberpool and ask you what is uberpool, and they go on about how they requested it by mistake and they didnt really want it....... THEY'RE LYING, THEY'RE JUST TOO EMBARASSED TO SAY THAT THEY'RE CHEAPP. How come they dont request an uberblack or uber suv my mistake uh ???? They sure dont make that mistake, but they seem to order an uberpool by mistake. Smfh
 
#27 ·
I don't doubt that's true for many passengers but is also a fact that Uber is making pool the default option for many people when they open up the app.
Some people just don't pay attention to what they are doing . I think this ADD caused by the instant gratification that social media apps provide are doing a number on people's brain wiring. For example, I went for a pickup at a college, a young 20 something, you would think that demographic would be at least technology savvy. Well, I get there and she had 5 other students with her. I tell her she needed to cancel and order an UberXL. She freaked out saying, "I dont know how do that, show me."

So I took her phone and pointed where to press to cancel (she pressed), then told her to slide the little button to XL. I couldn't believe it.
Travis went on Colbert and said "I pushed a button, I got a car". And it seems that's literally what many of these people do, they push the button without reading and they see the app working and the car coming and it satisfies their ADD and the instant gratification receptors of their brains.

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#18 ·
Hey there, I'm a reporter with Motherboard, VICE's science and tech site. Next week we're doing a series of stories all about Uber.

One of the stories I want to write about is the psychology of using Uber pool. I was going to attack this mostly as a passenger but wanted to hear driver perspectives, too.

The way I think about it: If I do Uber Pool, I am rooting for no one else to get in the car because they usually don't know WTF is going on so I'm going to have to wait, or their destination / pickup is going to be out of the way (so I secretly resent them). On the other hand, if no one else gets on, you guys get paid way less and I feel bad because I'm getting a ride for an extremely low price. Want to hear drivers' perspectives too.

Please email me if you're interested in talking: jason.koebler @ vice
 
#20 · (Edited)
Hey there, I'm a reporter with Motherboard, VICE's science and tech site. Next week we're doing a series of stories all about Uber.

One of the stories I want to write about is the psychology of using Uber pool. I was going to attack this mostly as a passenger but wanted to hear driver perspectives, too.

The way I think about it: If I do Uber Pool, I am rooting for no one else to get in the car because they usually don't know WTF is going on so I'm going to have to wait, or their destination / pickup is going to be out of the way (so I secretly resent them). On the other hand, if no one else gets on, you guys get paid way less and I feel bad because I'm getting a ride for an extremely low price. Want to hear drivers' perspectives too.

Please email me if you're interested in talking: jason.koebler @ vice
Less money,more wear and tear on car
More door opening and slamming,more abrasion on seats and carpets,MORE fuel robbing WEIGHT.
MORE RATINGS,MORE RISK,LESS MONEY.TIME ROBBING,FINANCIALLY DRAINING POOL.
CUSTOMERS GET ANGRY AND DEGRADE DRIVER RATINGS.
driver loses time and money,driver is angry.
The only one happy is UBER.
Uber in their "DROWNING POOL "
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#22 ·
Today i took a pool ride at 2.0 surge.... Once i started the trip another pick up was added. I tell him we have to pick up another pax and he sucks his teeth. After 15 min in traffic in route to second pick up he says "he's gonna be so late" and asks me what options he has. I told him lets end the ride rote now and order an UberX. My rating went down.
Image
 
#30 ·
Uber passenger here and i'll admit it, i love using Uber Pool. For me, its not a choice btw uber pool and uber x its a choice btw uber pool and the subway. I get that it costs less, but while i occassionally pay the $12-15 to uberpool to work i'm a lot less likely to pay $18-20 for regular uber. I usually tip $2-5 depending on how much cash i have on me, in what denominations, etc.....

I'm polite, quiet and respect this ride may take a little while longer than an Uber X. np, i'll read, watch tv or close my eyes for a few minutes. That said, i'm highly amused/saddened by some of my fellow pax.

1 - The young woman who insisted she be dropped off first, despite being very far out of the way (we were both on the upper east side, my office is literally right off the FDR while she was in the World Financial Center.

2 - The young woman who didn't feel comfortable riding with me (yes, i'm large and maybe wont win a beauty pageant anytime soon, but it was 8am and i'm wearing a suit)

3 - The very drunk gentleman who insisted we blast the local hip-hop station

4 - The couple who got in after me, took the middle and window seat and heavily made out the rest of the trip.

But really it seems like most people take Uber pool trying to save some $$, then get upset when they actually have to share the car. If time is an issue, hail a regular uber, take a taxi, etc.... uber pool is great when you have some extra time, not for when you're running late to an important meeting or event.

My only personal incident. Going from the upper east to JFK, figured i'd take uber pool. Traffic turns out to be awful and the pickup winds up in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. After 10 minutes, I apologize, ask if he will cancel me when he gets to Greenpoint, tip $10 and get in a yellow cab which took me to the airport. My fault in not allocation enough time. Not the drivers.
 
#32 ·
Uber passenger here and i'll admit it, i love using Uber Pool. For me, its not a choice btw uber pool and uber x its a choice btw uber pool and the subway. I get that it costs less, but while i occassionally pay the $12-15 to uberpool to work i'm a lot less likely to pay $18-20 for regular uber. I usually tip $2-5 depending on how much cash i have on me, in what denominations, etc.....

I'm polite, quiet and respect this ride may take a little while longer than an Uber X. np, i'll read, watch tv or close my eyes for a few minutes. That said, i'm highly amused/saddened by some of my fellow pax.

1 - The young woman who insisted she be dropped off first, despite being very far out of the way (we were both on the upper east side, my office is literally right off the FDR while she was in the World Financial Center.

2 - The young woman who didn't feel comfortable riding with me (yes, i'm large and maybe wont win a beauty pageant anytime soon, but it was 8am and i'm wearing a suit)

3 - The very drunk gentleman who insisted we blast the local hip-hop station

4 - The couple who got in after me, took the middle and window seat and heavily made out the rest of the trip.

But really it seems like most people take Uber pool trying to save some $$, then get upset when they actually have to share the car. If time is an issue, hail a regular uber, take a taxi, etc.... uber pool is great when you have some extra time, not for when you're running late to an important meeting or event.e

My only personal incident. Going from the upper east to JFK, figured i'd take uber pool. Traffic turns out to be awful and the pickup winds up in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. After 10 minutes, I apologize, ask if he will cancel me when he gets to Greenpoint, tip $10 and get in a yellow cab which took me to the airport. My fault in not working on allocation enough time. Not the drivers.
The real problem is when you have a couple making out and they both have the window seat and you have the middle seat. It happened once to me. Just finished lunch was working on my banana (even if you have any unhealthy lunch a banana gives you a lot of vitamins) anyway the couple got so excited that they crushed my banana. Returned to work with a wet spot on my pants it was not funny. When I told a coworker what happened she went to Human Resources and almost got me fired. Now I eat fresh pineapple for dessert plenty of vitamin A and C.