Anyone use Uber? Thoughts, experiences, feedback?

In many cities, if you are trying to make a living solely off of it, it may not be. I think the flexibility of working as much or as little as you like is a big factor for many drivers.

I asked a couple of our drivers how long they had done it and how much they did it. One guy said he did it to entertain himself while making money instead of spending it. He had a main job, but when he was bored he'd go do a few rides and make a few bucks. I know someone on another forum who does this. He makes a decent living, but if he doesn't have plans on a weekend night he'll go out and drive for Uber for a combination of his own entertainment and to make a few bucks.

Another driver was a wife/mother who was trying to establish her own small business. Uber gave her the flexibility to work a few hours after her kids were in bed (husband/dad would be home with them) to supplement her income until the business provided more income.

I think cab drivers in most places have to work a ton of hours due to the overhead costs of a medallion, whether it be their own or someone else's they are working under. With Uber, you can work a few minutes or few hours here and there whenever you like.

 

Uber makes drivers pay for a dedicated phone. Can't have a bargain carrier and not get the right location or not have access to the app because of and older android phone.

Also, because it is NYC. People pay premium for premium service especially on demand service.

Livery cabs have to take a phone call the dispatcher then routes a driver. The driver shows up. If there are no cars available or will be X time the dispatcher tells you when you call.

 

Nietcsche. He made up the word "ubermensch", which eventually led to the slang "uber" meaning something was a better or extreme version. So UberCab was born, called that to mean it was like a cab but better. Later shortened to Uber.

 

Sad story. Not sure there was much anyone could've done to predict he'd snap like that.

She can't help it, she's obsessed with me.

 

Über as a term predates Nietsche, though he popularized the modern usage. It's a German adjective meaning roughly "superior." Übermensch, in English, would translate as superman.

/etymology

 

Lots of Uber rides this weekend. It's quicker, easier, and cheaper in the long run to leave the car in a garage the entire time we are in the city and walk/Uber everywhere.

The vast majority of the experiences are still positive to very positive. One guy today pulled up, car was stocked with bottles of water that he offered to us, had an entire box of tissues handy, a multi-charge cord adapter for every cell phone/device you can imagine (which is handy and was used), immediately asked if we wanted music and what kind, made sure temp control was set how we liked it, etc. He was super polite and deferential, told us it was his first week driving, apologized any time he had to stop quickly (never his fault, Chicago traffic during the Air and Water Show? not super fun times), and tried to make polite conversation any time he could.

Return trip was some cranky older dude. Car wasn't very clean, had pet hair and a slight odor, his breath was nasty, he drove around the neighboring block twice trying to find us (had purposefully walked one street off of a major road so he wouldn't have to fight traffic to pick us up, struggle finding us, etc., obviously worked out the opposite, and yes, I double checked and my pick-up point was DEAD on where we actually were), asked me why his GPS was pointing him the way he thought it was (he was misreading it), complained several times about traffic, and chose the wrong option given by his GPS when the choice seemed incredibly obvious to anyone watching the traffic on the street he wanted to go down. He got us there safely, and didn't take too terribly much longer than he should've. But I wanted to tell him "dude, I know you want to hustle for an extra buck here and there, but maybe this isn't the best way to do it for you?"

It is interesting seeing the variation in drivers though. I really appreciate the ones where it is obvious they've went out of their way to keep the car clean, ask about temp control, and have the passenger seat scooted all the way up.

So far I've given every driver (ever, not just this weekend) 5-stars, except for three. Two got 3 stars and one got 4 stars.

My passenger rating is such that, if you figure it out mathematically, I must've gotten 5 stars ever ride except for a single 4 star ride. My wife believes the ride that was 4 stars was one where I called the ride and sent her and her friend to the destination using my account. She thinks, by some of the subtle hints he made, he didn't appreciate two women in the big city off alone without their men.

Anyway, thought I'd add some anecdotes and bump this thread.

 

Downtown, anywhere with tons of tall buildings, does tend to mess with GPS on occasion, as far as where you are or are going. Generally that is where I've seen issues. The guy above's GPS was working fine (I could see it), he as just not reading it correctly or choosing poorly when given two choices.

The one way street thing has to be a software issue I'd think?

Sometimes I'll bump up to an UberSelect when the price isn't too drastically different. Every time I've had almost a perfect experience with the upgraded class.

 

So, our au pair likes to use uber. Or, at least, she used to like to use uber, before she moved out here. Unfortunately the service around here is spotty. She often gets people who are new to the area and don't know their way around. That is, when she can convince a driver to come and pick her up. It's not uncommon for 3+ drivers to confirm, then cancel on her for for any given trip.

 

The new uber issue sexual harassment.

Reflecting on one very, very strange year at Uber

 

And now yet another reason to not use Uber.

In Video, Uber's CEO Argues With a Driver Over Falling Fares

Fuck that guy.