RIDEGURU
Handicapped people deserve a bit of tolerance and consideration. They should always be respected or never treated horribly due to their condition. Some disabled people are wonderful and many can be highly intelligent despite their physical ailments. One should never make fun of them or treat them poorly.
I write in the hopes of getting some acceptable alternative response/actions in this uncomfortable situation: maybe something I have not considered.
Recently had a "special" passenger he had bad legs, and I think he maybe he was simple. The trip was about 15 minutes. After about two minutes I noticed an odor. With in a few minutes I felt like gagging and we were on the highway - windows open. Every ounce of my being wanted to escape or get him out. Because of my ethic, I did not say anything and completed the trip counting the minutes which seemed like tens of minutes. The smell stayed and actually got worse after he got out.
I cleaned the leather seat over 15 times before getting a professional involved and aired the car out for two days.
I spend up to 12+ hours on any day in my car and I need it clean and air freshener scent free for me and my passengers. My car is exceptional.
Is it ever acceptable to put someone like this out on the road? He seemed simple, but I could not tell. I would be willing to stay with them for a little while... but I really am not sure I could go through this again.
Is it acceptable to say "Wait a minute" and get a tarp for them to …
Handicapped people deserve a bit of tolerance and consideration. They should always be respected or never treated horribly due to their condition. Some disabled people are wonderful and many can be highly intelligent despite their physical ailments. One should never make fun of them or treat them poorly.
I write in the hopes of getting some acceptable alternative response/actions in this uncomfortable situation: maybe something I have not considered.
Recently had a "special" passenger he had bad legs, and I think he maybe he was simple. The trip was about 15 minutes. After about two minutes I noticed an odor. With in a few minutes I felt like gagging and we were on the highway - windows open. Every ounce of my being wanted to escape or get him out. Because of my ethic, I did not say anything and completed the trip counting the minutes which seemed like tens of minutes. The smell stayed and actually got worse after he got out.
I cleaned the leather seat over 15 times before getting a professional involved and aired the car out for two days.
I spend up to 12+ hours on any day in my car and I need it clean and air freshener scent free for me and my passengers. My car is exceptional.
Is it ever acceptable to put someone like this out on the road? He seemed simple, but I could not tell. I would be willing to stay with them for a little while... but I really am not sure I could go through this again.
Is it acceptable to say "Wait a minute" and get a tarp for them to sit on - if I even suspect a person is unclean?
or course once they sit down, it is game over.
I am even going to have to replace the air filter and I am not sure the smell will ever come out completely, I thought I was going to have to replace the rear bottom seat, the jury is out at the moment.
I was hoping to see some proper response options. I know that I did the right thing by getting him there safe.
However, he basically destroyed my rear seat... threatened my way of making an income and... I was stomach sick next day. (Don't make me spell it out.)
So, comments, suggestions?
Comments
Follow Up: I went to Todd at Bigg Time Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning in Mooresville NC. They deserve a shout out BIG TIME! They had a special leather cleaner that breaks down the oils and sucks them out, while adding good oils in. (Not available over the counter and you would not want to get it on your skin!) They said it might be strong but it was not. Two days ago my first rider got in and said your car smells so nice. (I do not use air freshener.) No kidding. I was like "did someone put you up to this?" she said no. I swear I had a tear welling up in my right eye.
For someone who has a heightened sense of smell, this has been traumatic. It was so nice to hear this. I know the product worked. It took a day or two to completely break any residuals down, but it really worked... (remember I tried several methods and 15 times to get he smell out my…
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Follow Up: I went to Todd at Bigg Time Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning in Mooresville NC. They deserve a shout out BIG TIME! They had a special leather cleaner that breaks down the oils and sucks them out, while adding good oils in. (Not available over the counter and you would not want to get it on your skin!) They said it might be strong but it was not. Two days ago my first rider got in and said your car smells so nice. (I do not use air freshener.) No kidding. I was like "did someone put you up to this?" she said no. I swear I had a tear welling up in my right eye.
For someone who has a heightened sense of smell, this has been traumatic. It was so nice to hear this. I know the product worked. It took a day or two to completely break any residuals down, but it really worked... (remember I tried several methods and 15 times to get he smell out myself.)
If you live in the area, they will come up on google. I do not live there, but he did me a favor and you can tell him the traumatized uber guy sent you.... he might give you a discount.
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That's awesome. Kudos to them. I see more and more car washes starting to offer discounts for Uber drivers.
Those little compliments go a long way. :)
Super smelly? Sure, kick them out. Super smelly and possibly mentally challenged? That's tougher. I don't think I could have kicked him out with a good conscience. I would be pissed about the smell but what can you do. Driving uber is like russian roulette sometimes.
I once had a guy who I swear to god must have just crapped his pants before he got in my car. I cannot explain the smell otherwise. It was so bad I was rethinking all my life choices during that ride. I'm not even joking. I stuck it out since it was a short ride and I was too polite then to say anything but I did open my window all the way. If it was winter it would have been tough. I was relieved the back seat was not messed up afterwards.
But you are right those smells can linger and linger and in our business you can't have a smelly car.
If I got someone like that again I would probably ask him to get out (if in a safe area). We DO have the right to refuse service for a case like this IMO. Think of a restaurant. They can absolutely ask someone to leave if they are disrupting other customers meals in whatever way. Since the smell sticks around this guy was disrupting your future pax.
The way you start your post remind me of Louis CK's "Of course! ...but maybe..." bit.
maybe if we do this for one year...maybe we will be done with nut allergies forever. LOL.
Well Even though I had the car professionally cleaned due this anal leakage into my leather.... Uber is telling me that "Cleaning fees are only for tangible messes that needs professional cleaning..." even though I sent them a receipt for a professional cleaning.
Uber is burning bridges. And they are using napalm.
And yes, some handicapped people are incredibly intelligent. I only mentioned that he had a disability to show that I gave him extra consideration.
I’m sorry, this is one of those times that Uber needs to step up to the plate and compensate you Radar - and if it was me, I would have thrown in a bonus, a big bonus for being the kind of person I want working for me! Well done Radar👍And God Bless You (and shame on You Uber!)
Perhaps you can have one of those seat covers constantly on your back seat for situations like this? If this type of passenger enters your car again, simply take it right off after that ride and toss it or wash it.
I have started looking into that. Shame, the car is mint... hate to make people sit on a crappy seat, but you know... I have already invested way to much in this considering how we are being treated and cheated.
Perhaps he has one of those bags attached to his body for his waste... poor guy. Be grateful that all you have to deal with is a stinky car!
No, it was not a colostomy bag. And those do not smell... unless they leak, and that does not smell nearly as bad. Not even close.
Unless you have experienced something like this... it is almost hard to conceive. Worse than deer scent. (that hunters use.)
Spend 12 hours a day in a place that smells worse than a porta john. Yeah, gonna make some great tips
I understand this may have been a hard situation and very frustrating but you did the right thing by not kicking him out. Yes you lost money, and are having to deal with an unfortunate situation but imagine what could have happened if you did indeed drop this passenger off on the side of road. The end result could have been a lot worse than a smelly backseat.
Just wanted to point out that the fact that he was handicapped really has nothing to do with this. Handicapped people do not smell any more than able-bodied people do. It sounds like this guy might have some mental problems though. Sorry you had to endure it. Definitely not an open and shut case on what to do in this position as the driver. I think you did the right thing fwiw.
Also
I mean... yeah, they are normal people like you and me, minus some physical capability... Why should I be surprised they "can be" highly intelligent? I mean, come on.
Well it kind of does. If he was not handicapped, I might have stopped the car and said "get out."
I have done some research, his legs were very messed up despite being able to walk with a cane. He may have been constipated for a long time which can lead to a situation where …. well... honestly I don't wish to explain it here... no one wants to read it and it would make most people gag. I have no doubt he does not bathe regularly, weekly, more? The situation is not really very funny. It is also unacceptable. I have never met anyone that smells as bad as him. In more ways than one. I have spent time with plenty of handicapped and people the disabled. Most do not have a bad smell. Even if they do... not that bad. Just wanted to make that clear.
Yeah, I guess it does affect the "should I kick them out" decision.
Boy, that is a tough one. I have had stinky pax before for sure but nothing as bad as you describe where it lingers for days and requires pro cleaning.
But I don't think it is right to kick someone out for smelling bad. We are professionals, and we are service people. It comes with the territory. However if I went through what you went through maybe I would change my mind 😨