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Do Uber drivers give low ratings to passengers that are quiet and do not engage in conversations?

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Anonymous
3460 Rider Driver Driver
 Posted 6 years, 6 months ago

The Guru Take

Comments

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    DaveWhittle
    221
     6 years ago

    That would depend on the personality of the driver, but my guess would be that you're not getting lower ratings for not talking, but rather for being seen as being uncaring.

    Drivers can be pretty sensitive as to whether riders treat their drivers with the respect we deserve as human beings.  So if you keep quiet or are curt, especially if the driver tries to strike up a conversation, then the driver will probably assume that you see him or her as a driver and not a person.  And that feels the same as you being rude to the driver.

    Hope that helps.

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      SyedAli
      237 Driver
       6 years ago

      "That would depend on the personality of the driver, but my guess would be that you're not getting lower ratings for not talking, but rather for being seen as being uncaring."

      Sound analysis.  I agree.

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    Star4Shining
    63
     6 years ago

    I've had heated conversations about this with other drivers, ones that I don't particularly like.  My take is that more experienced the drivers or those who used to be taxi drivers (or ones who drive UberBlacks) all know to 1) make some friendly conversations like, "How are you." and 2) be "quiet unless spoken to." 

    You are hired to drive them, not to talk to them.  Can you imagine a waitress when asked "how are you?" tells you her life's problems?  No.  

    The reason I've had heated conversations is around tips.  Some swear that there is much more tip when there is a delightful conversatios.  OK, maybe there is some truth to that, but I don't think trying to force conversations is well accepted.

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    Wes
    1602 Rider Driver
     5 years ago

    I speak when they arrive.  I usually ask them "how's your day" or whatever - and judge how talkative they are based on their response.  I would guess 50% of passengers are busy on their phones so I don't talk much.  I would never downrate a passenger for not talking - however, I have had a couple of instances where the passenger just looked at me and grunted and didn't answer at all to my "how's your day"..  and didn't say a word the entire trip, nor a word upon arriving even though I told them to have a nice evening and thanks - yes, there's been a few of those that I downrated to 4 just for being a**holes with an attitude, but that's it.

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    AsStibelDude
    668 Driver
     5 years ago  (edited 5 years ago)

    What kind of a question is this.  Is this what passengers are really worried about? It's informative on one hand, but it's idiotic on the other.

    Unlike what you think, we don't drive to seek for a friend, socialize with strangers, and fill our empty lives. Instead, we drive to make money!!! and if I can do this in silence? I'd be all for that.

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      FuegoJuno
      128
       5 years ago

      Oh, I think drivers DO drive for friends and having a social life. 

      IVe been thinking about putting my father on it as he seems bored in his post-retirement routine. 

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      HaileyGraff
      25
       5 years ago

      Well, while your logic seems solid, there are drivers out there that LOVE TO TALK. I mean, they talk, talk, and talk. I am a nice person and I listen, but that's is like a major stereotypical characteristic of a taxi driver. How can we NOT ask such a question?

      You also have to think where this question is coming from. Some drivers are friendly and try to start a conversation. The riders sometimes do not want to talk but do not want to be rude.  

      It's a question coming from a real nice person who does not want to be rude and want to be sensitive to the drivers' feelings.

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    LisaWicks
    8
     6 years ago  (edited 6 years ago)

    I always try to treat everyone the same way I want to be treated, but I don’t particularly like being rated for services I’m paying for... I never had to worry about  how someone was rating me because I’m not chatting enough or anything like that when I took a taxi and that’s just one of the reasons I’ve started using them again... with the upfront pricing, they cost just about the same now anyway 

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      ShandeeL
      33
       5 years ago

      This is so damn true. I am paying for the service. It's a vendor-customer, not some dating site. 

      I shouldn't be rated by McDonalds' employees. I shouldn't be rated by Amazon sellers. It would just be full of retaliatory ratings whenever there is an issue.

      When this was a pure peer-to-peer, people-driving-people rideshare, I understand why the ratings were important, but...

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        JudgeItoh
        207
         5 years ago

        Think eBay.

        I personally think it's a great thing.  People's behaviors are often dictated by whether they are being rated or are being seen. People do weird stuff when they think there is no repercussion. This is the basics of laws. People don't do stuff because they know they will be busted.

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      JessMin99
      148
       6 years ago

      You are right. I didn't even think of this before. We are being rated as paying customers. Does that happen in any other industry?  That would be like buying something on Amazon and being rated by the way I picked up my package. Or waitresses at Chili's rating how I ate  

      Then again, eBay.  And AirBnB.  I guess there are two participating parties, and we want both ends to be held accountable? Perhaps this is the new age way. No longer a definitive line between providers and consumers 

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    Bigfrank
    447 Rider Driver Driver
     5 years ago

    I prefer they don't talk to me or rabble on on their cell  or that their phone make kookie noises.  Boy I miss taxi partitions .

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    PookiePoo
    20 Rider Driver
     6 years ago

    I do not liking taking VIP's unless they are are 4.95 or up.  They typically  NEVER TIP!  I stick to passengers wtih ratings of 4.85 and up.  They are typically the ones tha tip.  In the Dallas area, if you are a non-tipper, many of the drivers will downrate you.  Once you get a score below a certain range (let's say 4.6) most drivers will not bother with you. 

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      MGinsberg
      11
       5 years ago

      Who the heck are "VIPs?" Is that a class of passengers or are you referring to just snobby people in general?

      Who has 4.95 ratings? That means a person can only get one 4-star rating every 20 rides.  Mine is 4.75, which is one 4-star rating every 4 times. (Am I a sh*tty rider?)

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      ChazKillington
      40
       6 years ago

      I am surprised that drivers can be so picky. No offense. Just surprised. I thought drivers were hungry for fares.  and money.  and we all love money.

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      BrianTheScrewDriver
      457 Driver Driver
       6 years ago

      I never thought of this.  Never thought there maybe a correlation between ratings and how much they tip, except for higher=more tip. 

      Wait, rereading what you wrote...who are you saying don’t tip?  People who have higher than 4.95?  

      So people who are between 4.85-4.95 are those that tip the most?

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    MadMax77
    10 Driver
     6 years ago

    The best passenger i have ever had was a box of shoes from thr city to Brooklyn and back with samples of fabric to the same spot. 

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    EjiEzeEze
    324 Rider Driver
     6 years ago

    I am a driver.  Riders who take short rides seem to likely not tip.  I am not sure if it's the type of people or if most people don't feel like they need to tip short rides.  but it's quite the opposite. If you take a $3.00 ride, please give us a few extra bucks. They go a long way...

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      JosephGould76
      17
       5 years ago

      short riders and small tips?  that's what percentage is, buddy.

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    cacocay
    14 Driver Driver
     5 years ago  (edited 5 years ago)

    As an Uber driver ,I love to drive in order to have fun get excited to meet a positive cool people with a friendly attitude especially those since of hummer who are funny and chatty keeping me entertained by talking to them treating me as a special making my job happy .But sometimes ,when I pick up those arrogant ,jerks and snappy customers they don't say  "hello "and just get in and start giving an orders . Many formal passengers want to ride in silence which is very rude and super  awkward, and probably many of the drivers on the contrary likes to chatt for fun .Still, as a human being  need to contact with each other showing a human interactions  with a nice and friendly attitude treating each other with respect . I always rating those kind of the nice humble riders 5 stars if they are friendly and socialize with a sense of hummer  by joking and  having a small chatting with the riders trying not ignoring them if they want to talk which m…

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    As an Uber driver ,I love to drive in order to have fun get excited to meet a positive cool people with a friendly attitude especially those since of hummer who are funny and chatty keeping me entertained by talking to them treating me as a special making my job happy .But sometimes ,when I pick up those arrogant ,jerks and snappy customers they don't say  "hello "and just get in and start giving an orders . Many formal passengers want to ride in silence which is very rude and super  awkward, and probably many of the drivers on the contrary likes to chatt for fun .Still, as a human being  need to contact with each other showing a human interactions  with a nice and friendly attitude treating each other with respect . I always rating those kind of the nice humble riders 5 stars if they are friendly and socialize with a sense of hummer  by joking and  having a small chatting with the riders trying not ignoring them if they want to talk which make me fill having good time doing my job keeping entertained getting treated as a spacial super star which make me so excited and also keeping our vehicle clean with no mess or damages  or eating and drinking inside making a mess  .if the riders do not engage in conversations I will downrate them with 2 to 3 stars maximum for being formal ,rude and jerks with arrogant behavior acting like they are bossy treating the drivers as a slave especially if they jumped to my car asking me to take them to their destination  without saying "Hello" and also if they are not talkative being so quite during the trip entertaining themselves by  texting or talking on the cell or people and also if they are talking among to each other with people inside my car ignoring me instead of chatting with me which is really awkward and super rude ,getting frustrating and makes me feel like a machine doing my job which not nice at all to be rude and disrespectful with no reason .Those kind of riders need to understand Uber is a community service not like a taxi cab service taking them from point A to B  making a space between the riders and drivers.Also it's very annoying ,super awkward and very rude for being quite not chatty or chatting among to each other keep the driver ignored and also when they ask the driver turning on the radio very loud beside ignoring the drivers chatting among to each other so that they deserve 2 stars for misbehave with no respect for the friendly Uber drivers and their vehicle . So if the riders want to be a good 5 star rating passenger they need to make that " Don't Ignore your friendly Uber driver ". 

    If the riders are looking for a quite service with a quite formal driver without being sociable and friendly avoiding getting a bad star rating for being formal with a drivers all the time during the trip taking them only from point A to point B just to have a relaxation doing their own privacy by making a space or a wall between the drivers not communicating with them without a friendly atmosphere such as : listening to the music or playing a video on the cell phone and also texting or talking on the phone without an excuse or doing their own entertainment by chatting among to each other ....etc ,it's much better to take a public transport up such as a taxi cab , shuttle , bus or luminous with those formal quite drivers . However ;those cab drivers are unfriendly with their passenger , busy and making a space always who are not talkative with there passenger as long they are looking for a quite and relaxation service like that and also they don't have any friendly greeting their riders like us as an Uber's partners.However;If those arrogant riders ignoring us as a friendly drivers like to have a quite ride with your phone texting ,talking and chatting with peploe with you keeping the uber driver ignored by treating us as a server or slave its will be better for them to take a public transport up such as a taxi cab , shuttle , bus or luminous which is fair enough if they don't show us any friendly treatment with a respect as a human being .

    That's what riders need with a mutual respect to be nicer and friendly and to treat the driver with courtesy say" hello,how are you" . Some of the driver love having a small talk with their riders and many of the drivers don't like a quite riders which make them feel uncomfortable .However; if the rider would like to be chatty with a driver or not It's optional they don't always have to if the rider want a quite ride , but still riders need be more respectful if they don't want to be removing poorly rated passengers drops below 4.0  from the app .Be a good friendly Uber rider with your driver please !!!!!

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    momof4
    8198 Rider Driver
     5 years ago

    You can usually tell if someone wants to talk or not. When they enter "hi, how are you? How was your day"? If they give details continue to talk or ask questions then most likely they want to talk. If they answer with one word answers and say nothing else other than ok and fine then you can assume they dont want conversation. However when they get in and dont say hello back and dont respond to how are you?  Sorry thats being rude. Would it kill you to answer hello and fine? I also have people who are doing work or are on a conference call. They usually say "I have a business call or I am going to do some work". Awesome I now know I dont need to talk to you. I turn the radio down or off or stick one headphone in so i can still hear music or gps (if i need it). Then you have the rider that cant acknowledge you at all. Gets in car doesnt say hello and barks orders between sentences to caller. Stop here, go there and just continues to call everyone in their contac…

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    You can usually tell if someone wants to talk or not. When they enter "hi, how are you? How was your day"? If they give details continue to talk or ask questions then most likely they want to talk. If they answer with one word answers and say nothing else other than ok and fine then you can assume they dont want conversation. However when they get in and dont say hello back and dont respond to how are you?  Sorry thats being rude. Would it kill you to answer hello and fine? I also have people who are doing work or are on a conference call. They usually say "I have a business call or I am going to do some work". Awesome I now know I dont need to talk to you. I turn the radio down or off or stick one headphone in so i can still hear music or gps (if i need it). Then you have the rider that cant acknowledge you at all. Gets in car doesnt say hello and barks orders between sentences to caller. Stop here, go there and just continues to call everyone in their contacts. They speak loudly and repeat "like, umm, cool". After making a stop for them dont even say thank you or at the end of a trip. I am sure drivers out there no the type. They are on an expense account (even their 1st class flight, high end hotel), have that self entitled attitude, basically treat you like you are the lowely hired help beneath them. Had one to JFK last week. Right before trip my daughter calls and tells me she may have cancer. So my mind is racing as is.  Stopped not once but twice. No thank you from rider. Listened to him talk about some gross thing on his side and how he wanted to pick it and if he said like or cool one more time I would've choked him.  Worried about my daughter. Cant pick up anyone in NY, it was rush hour (traffic never good but rush hour is a nightmare), and not only did his attitude suck but didnt tip a dime. Karma bit him in the ass. As he exited my car he  dropped his laptop on the concrete:) No my daughter didnt have cancer she misunderstood doctor when she said she has some abnormal cells that needed to be watched. Just mentioned that to make a point how people get in your car treat you like dirt and they just dont care. Does it kill a rider or driver to say hi, how are you, how is your day? Of course I wouldnt blurt out my daughter may have cancer but it would be nice for everyone to treat each other with kindness and respect. Suppose your rider just found out they or their family member had cancer or some other terrible thing happened would ot kill you to be nice? Or to listen to them? Yes, i know you dont get paid to. Just the decent thing to do. I know another driver who was taking rider to airport so he could get to his dying brother.  Hot the call on the way there he died. The driver said he was sorry and listened to the guy for a few minutes. Just doing a nice thing because. He received a $20.00 tip. 

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    AngieKM169
    120 Rider
     6 years ago

    I have had overly talkative drivers, and I will admit that is super annoying.  I am not talking about those who are simply friendly.  I am talking about those who don't get the hint.  Sometimes, I am tired.  Sometimes, I just wanna read and relax. Sure, I am a bit of an introvert, and it exhausts me to talk to people all day.   I feel like riding a Lyft on the way home should be one place I get a lilttle quiet.

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      B-girlAnderson11
      82
       6 years ago

      Don't get me started on drivers who hit on women.  Happens way more often than you think.

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        LisaWicks
        8
         6 years ago

        You’re soo right, it happens all the time 

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    Bigfrank
    447 Rider Driver Driver
     5 years ago

    I miss the cabs with partitions and thinking about putting  one in and that should answer this comment. 

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    DriveMeToTheMoon
    291 Driver Driver
     6 years ago

    Don't get me started on short trips. Short trips are complete losers for us drivers.

    Imagine if you pay $6.  Uber takes 50% of that.  They take the first $2.50 on the flagdrop, and then they take 25% from the rest.   This is where that stupid fee hurts us so bad on those short rides.  It shouldn't even exist.

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    goingnuts
    6
     5 years ago

    haha of course not. I am tired of talking to random passengers all day. If you sit there quietly and mind your own business it will be 5 stars from me.

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      MickDorsey
      108 Driver
       5 years ago

      I never get sick of talking to my customers. Never a boring conversation. 

      You have to go beyond the mundane talks about the weather. Ask them where they’re from. Ask them open ended questions. Be a good listener and ask good questions.  You’ll love it

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    breakingbread
    275 Rider Driver
     6 years ago

    I drive pax around all day, and spent 75% of my day making small talk, the talking is way more exhausting then the driving! I love a quiet passenger. Better yet, I love a quiet passenger who is happy with my music choice so I can really just zone out