RIDEGURU
Arthur McBeth (amcbeth)
Ride Apprentice from West Deptford
Amcbeth
344 Rider DriverDriving for Uber since 2016. Over 3800 rides.
Activity
Posts by amcbeth
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Has any driver noticed that there is less rating by riders.
I hate to confess this but my rating has slipped from a 4.91 to a 4.89. With the new app … -
Weeping Passenger
I was taking a women (20 - 24) to an interview. Since it was late in the afternoon. I asked …
Featured Answers by amcbeth
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It really depends on the car and how many passengers you have. You only have two so if not all of the luggage fits in the trunk, you could put the smaller bags on a seat.
I drive a Prius V that has ample room behind the rear seats. I once took four riders to the airport and they had five pieces of luggage that we placed ibehind the rear seats.
The best idea is to call the driver as soon as you get your ride. Explain your situation and see if the driver can fit the luggage. If that driver can't, then cancel and get another ride. There are plenty of drivers that would like a drive to the port.
Cancel within five minutes and you won't be charged.
The cancellation fee is shared with Uber.
BigFrank, I could use some money, send some right away. Use PayPal and send it to [email protected].
Only a commie pinko tightwad would refuse.
Using your map, I used directions from Tighe & Bond on University Avenue to the train station.
It shows that you have to go down Blue Hill drive. About half way down their is a small entrance that a car could go into a parking lot. From that point it looks like you have to walk the rest of the way.
I wish I could put in the link but this damn editor won't let me. (or I don't know how ..please.share)
Anyway put in Tighe & Bond directions to the station and you'll see what I mean.
I'm glad I wasn't the driver, I would have had to carry you and your luggage.
Judging from the comments, Uber drivers don't like short rides. I highly doubt they would give a passenger a low rating for s short trip. I think it's wrong. I would like to hear from some riders that encountered this practice before I believe the hearsay.
Fuego, I like it. Love your sense of humor.
You betcha. It's called begging.
kitkat, You have stolen my idea. Shame on you.
Yes, for shorter passengers.
Got it.
Mr Paulson, we lived in a shitty world when we didn't talk with China. Now we are their greatest trading partner. All because we talked to one another.
I personally like conversation with my riders.
Some of my previous views on people in general have either changed or softened since I started driving with Uber.
I have my own rules on conversation. I won't talk politics, religion, race, sex, or tips. I try to make my car a friendly place to be. If a rider goes there, I just listen, they just may want to vent.
That being said, I may have been the one that said Uber should have a feature that the rider could select to state the the rider does not wish to engage in conversation.
Their are numorous reasons that the rider wishes to not engage in conversation. If I know this in advance, then I'll honor their request.
I have a favorite sentence that I say to riders after they are in the car. Their answer or lack of one lets me know whether they want to talk or be left alone with their phone.
I have a personal phone in a convenient side pocket in my pants. When I get a call, I let it ring until it goes to voice mail. It is disturbing when ringing, so I always tell the passengers that I'm not taking this call because I want to concentrate on our ride. That should be helpful when they rate me.
Generally the trip is short enough that the return call can wait.
If I'm waiting on a very important call then I have to deal with it differently.
The number of the phone I'm using for navigation is known only to my wife. I use bluetooth so that the navigation goes to my car speakers. A call to that phone will cut navigation so I immediately hangup the call.
If the passenger is the one making calls and it is an UberX ride then it's quite a different story. They are paying for the ride.
If it is a pool ride and other passengers are in the car, then I consider it rude. That should be one of the rules that Uber should broadcast to riders of pool.
Thanks
You came to the right forum.
I used the Uber Gps until I had two problems with it on the same day.
I currently use Waze because it tells me locations of potholes, accidents, police, etc.
If you decide to use Waze or Google GPS, keep glancing at your phone if the ride is cancelled. Otherwise you may go to a cancelled pickup location.
I have never had a rider question my use of Waze. When I did use Uber and the rider used Waze, they sometimes asked me to follow their directions.
Here is a very important tip. Always follow the riders suggestions. If you know of a road being closed on the suggested route, let them know. Riders generally know the best way home. I always let the rider decide. If their wrong, we won't have a problem. If their right and you didn't go that way then you have a problem.
I have read of so many complaints of drivers following the GPS religously and not listening to the rider.
IF you do deviate from the GPS, then after the ride is over, put the time, destination, and the persons name in the notes app on your phone. This is what you will need if there is a dispute.
Don't worry so much about fare changes. The rider has been given an estimate. If you encounter traffic and are following the GPS you won't have a problem. Uber knows your the route you took. If you deviate from the GPS by the riders decision, you still could have a problem but you have it recorded it in your notes.
....... I have had one problem in 3800 rides by deviating from the GPS and used the riders directions.
........The ride was a zig zag route and Uber took the fare from me. It was resolved because I knew the
........time, destination and riders name and the fare was restored.
Destination changes should be made by the rider. You can also change them if the rider doesn't know how.
If you have to make it just pull over somewhere and do it.
If it is a POOL ride, THE DESTINATION CANNOT be changed by either party. Even if you have one rider in the car.
If you don't know how to change the destination, google the method. You should know this technique, most riders don't.
One problem you will discover, is a customer will want to stop on the way home. Let them know they have to hurry because they are still on the ride. Be aware that the time stopped is not particularly rewarding to you because it doesn't pay much, but it may get you a tip for the ride. If you refuse to stop, no rewards will come.
I had two occasions on the same day that caused me to stop using the Uber GPS. In one case the Uber GPS had me going in circles until I put the address into Waze on my personal phone. I found the address right away.
In the second case the Uber took me around a hotel and onto an entrance ramp to a bridge. The rider was following the GPS also but he saw a sidewalk that led to the front of the hotel. I pulled over and the rider carried his bags to the hotel. Thankfully he was a good passenger.
I have used Waze ever since.
At no time has a rider questioned my use of Waze. Before using it, I had passengers asking me if they could use Waze to get to the destination.
The main benefit you have in using Waze is it tells you of potholes, accidents, police, etc. Google owns Waze so I don't know why they don't include these features.
If you decide to use another GPS and the ride is cancelled, you will get a cancel message on your phone.
Watch for it and cancel your GPS trip, otherwise you will go to a canceled pickup.
I have never deviated from the GPS unless asked. If a rider suggests another route, I take it.
Generally they know the best way home. If I do what they suggest I won't have a problem. If they are wrong, I won't have a problem. If I don't take the suggestion, I will always be wrong.
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I have had one problem with a deviation from the GPS. A rider asked me to pick up some money from his Father and asked me to go and get the bill changed. Then he gave half of the money to his wife and left the car. She asked me to follow her directions to the destination.
That night Uber took my fare away because I followed a zig zag route. Fortunately I got it reversed after I told Uber what happened.
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If you do deviate from the GPS, after the ride is over, write the name, time, and destination in your phones notes app. You will need this if there is a dispute.
You should know how to change the destination on your app. If you don't, Google the method.
Both you and your passenger may change the destination.
Be aware that in an Uber pool ride, neither party may change the destination. Even if you have only one rider. Explain that to the passenger.
Often you will be asked to stop at a store on they way. Let the passenger know that they are paying for the time and they should hurry. You will not make much on the stop, but it may get you a tip.
If you say no to the stop, then you'll see a bad rating.
I always stop. The reward to risk is favorable.
Good Luck Lcarpenter.
Mr Smith is your man-cave really a cave? :)
If you have a phone number, you can go to Cricket and in a half hour walk out with a free smartphone.
Not the best, but a functional LG smartphone. No contract for the phone.
They use the same network as AT&T. I currently have two Iphones with them.
The larger Iphone I use for Uber navigation. The smaller I use as a personal phone.
I pay $70 a month for BOTH phones.
At AT&T I was paying $79 for a limited senior plan on ONE phone, even though the phone was paid off.
I also expense $35 a month for my work phone.
One of the best moves I ever made.
That was a snide remark Mr Smith.
If you buy Comcast Triple Play the landline is included. We have three remote phones in the house plus the base phone.
If someone calls are home we can pick up the call in any of four rooms.
My wife's business calls go to her cell phone. My personal calls go to my cell phone.
The landline is setup so that calls to our landline will play a tune if the caller is in our phone book. All non-tune calls are not anwsered, and allowed to got to voice mail.
You don't have a landline?
StuffinMuffin, How did you handle Phone calls using the Ipad?
I used the Uber GPS because it had an advantage of canceling the GPS when the ride was canceled.
Several months ago I couldn't find a pickup. I typed the address into my personal phone and used Waze. It took me to the pickup.
The same day the Uber GPS took me to the side entrance of a hotel. It turned out to be the entrance to a bridge. Thankfully the passenger saw a side walk that led to the front of the hotel. I pulled over and He walked with his bags to the front.
That was enough for me. I stopped using Uber GPS ever since. I use Waze now and you must watch for the cancellation notice or you could possibly go to the cancelled pickup spot.
I'm not sure why Uber decided to do their own GPS, when two good ones where available.