RIDEGURU
HI,
The aps/GPS are often lacking. It can be hard to gauge where you are and we do not know what you look like! You have our color and make of car, license plate, and picture.
If you give no indication you are waiting for us, we may slowly drive right past you and
sometimes it takes 3-6 minutes or more to go around the block for a second pass -longer if it is crowded!
Wave, jiggle, move, look like you are looking for a ride, something! PLEASE.
Seriously, we are not mind readers or magicians and we just want to do a good job...
Comments
AT one time in the not too distant past, either Uber or Lyft was testing a screen color change for the passenger so they could hold up their phone displaying a bright screen that is all one color (for example all red or pink) and you would see the same color on your phone and make it easier to find them.
However I've never actually seen that in operation - does anyone know if there are some cities that have this feature?
I usually look first for people with their phone in their hand which is a pretty good indicator, although I'll admit it seems everyone has their phone in their hand these days. But I've found that to be a strong indicator of rider waiter for his driver to arrive and it usually works really well for me.
No, I think that's just for the driver beacon. I have never seen one in action though to be honest. It's either I don't know what I am looking for or drivers don't support it.
Holding up the phone in a certain color is a great idea. I feel like that is an easy feature for Uber to build.
Let the riders have some responsibility in flagging the driver.
Uber rolled out the color screen a few months ago here in Philly. Rider's screen lights up whatever color and they are supposed to hold it up. Unfortunately most riders dont know about it or dont use it. I've had one rider use it. I got a message saying "rider has blue light" or something similar. As I pulled down dark street he was holding it up. It was nice. No looking for addresses, people, or wondering where your rider is. Very easily seen. Some roads up in Bucks County are dark, really dark. You can spot rider eadily. It would be nice if the riders knew about it and used this.
Some things I do as a driver when seeking out a passenger:
When I am approaching pickup location using Waze I will click on the rideshare app to bring it up to double check address. At this time I will also look on Lyft if there is an icon of yellow person that is actually GPS real time location of passenger’s phone so even if they plugged in the main address of a motel which is where GPS will take you, but they are physically on the other side of the hotel, just follow around until you get to the yellow person on the phone. If no yellow person is on the app that means either the passenger is not sharing their location (they can opt out of it) or someone ordered a ride for someone else;)
Uber has a similar icon when location is being shared and it looks like a chess piece.
When I am pulling up I will turn my flashers on.
However when passenger spots us drivers alway nice when they make it apparent, so we do not have to call and text.
Sure, that is very good information. Unfortunately if they are in a crowd it does not help... and all too often it does not work and the peg is not the spot where they actually are. I see it on the wrong side of the street (in crowded areas you are not supposed to stop like last night) or on the wrong side of a bldg. However, now I will look for a yellow man or a chess piece. Very good info.
Flashers is a good idea. It catches people's attention.
Pickups at Philly airport is a nightmare though.
Most riders dont even pay attention to what kind of car is picking them.up.
Passengers should have a beacon. Oh, what about their phones taht light up in a different color? You hold it up as the car approaches.
Did I invent something mindblowing. Someone give me millions.
LOL, to those that dont know, this exists. It is a good idea. The only flaw: it sends a text to the driver. (I do not text while driving and I need reading glasses so it is very hard to see the text, if it comes up at all and when it does, it only shows for a second then is hidden behind several layers of buttons.) This is another issue. People texting messages instead of just calling.
It does? I take Uber all the time and I didn’t know I can hold up my phone as a beacon.
I’m guilty of the texting. I too often text my driver. Us millennials hate talking on the phone. I mean, that’s why we use Uber and not calling taxi dispatch.
OMG. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. I don't think the passengers realize how we don't know what they look like, and we really need to count on them to wave us down. This happens way too often at airports, and half the time they are looking down staring at thei phones. Hello, I am up here!
You passengers have OUR information, say the car type, color, and the license plate. It's on you.