Uber?

[Night Elf]

Have you ever used Uber? Dd needs to get somewhere today and the bus will take a really long time, plus she doesn't know the bus system and she's afraid she'll get lost. I suggested she try Uber. I researched it and found out two incidents happened this year in her area of Uber drivers assaulting their customers, so naturally I'm super nervous!

 

When the driver gets there, does she get into the front seat? Is she more safe if she gets in the back like a taxi?

 

I can't figure out how to use a credit card. The site I found that explains it seemed to suggest it will require an authorization code. We don't have that on our Visa cards. Is that a normal thing?

 

Surely Uber is easier to use than it appears to be. It just didn't seem easy when I was researching it.

[Lanny]

A childhood friend and his girlfriend used Uber in Orlando. I think that was during early December 2015.   He suggested that if we use it, we get the Uber App for our Smart phones. The first time you use the App, there will probably be a discount, for each phone. Maybe 10 or 15 dollars....  

 

I strongly suggest she sit in the back seat.  Yes, there have been some incidents, but I suspect the frequency of incidents is quite low.  Same goes for taxis. Passengers ride in the back seat, unless there are a lot of passengers. 

 

Here in Colombia, the    government is trying to shut Uber down, because Uber has refused, for about one year, to register as a company, here in Colombia. Uber is based in San Francisco. 

 

If I was in the USA, I would probably give Uber a try.  Especially if I could get the discount for the first ride.

[magnificent_baby]

I could be wrong but I am thinking you can request a female driver. You may want to check into that. I've had several family members use one without issues. 

[Carrie12345]

If it made sense (more like dollars, lol) to use Uber in my area, I would!  

 

I'm in a semi-rural area, but our gas stations still get robbed, assaults take place at our movie theater/mall, and adults in positions of authority get arrested for various indecencies with minors.  We still maintain our normal errands and activities, keeping aware and taking precautions.  

 

It isn't as though bus systems don't have their own assault risks.

[Annie G]

Dd uses Uber when she's in a large city (Chicago and Vancouver last month) and it's super easy. Have her download the app and put in your credit card info. Dd uses her debit card but some aren't compatible. If it's not, you know when you enter it.   

 

I'm confident your dd will have a safe experience. Tons of folks we know use uber and have never had an issue. 

[Night Elf]

I read in one article that you don't need to tip the Uber driver unless it's a taxi. She doesn't have any cash. Is it really ok for her not to tip them?

[Annie G]

I read in one article that you don't need to tip the Uber driver unless it's a taxi. She doesn't have any cash. Is it really ok for her not to tip them?

 

It's ok. It's a murky area but until uber adds a tip feature on the app (for all fares, not just the taxi ones) then I would not tip.   The beauty of uber is that it's cashless...so if they want fares to tip drivers, fix the app. 

 

Drivers don't expect tips.  Sure, they like them, but it's not considered rude not to tip them. At least not right now...things are changing in a couple of states (where drivers are allowed to post small signs that I feel solicits tips). 

[Annie G]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/22/travel/uber-taxi-tipping.html?_r=0

 

 

Article on uber tipping from earlier this year. 

Edited September 7, 2016 by Annie G

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

In regards to uber versus taxi, in many respects uber is safer IMHO since you have the driver's licence plate number, name, and make of car as well as pick up and drop locations recorded on your smart phone and your account which can also be accessed via computer unlike taxi cabs. Definitely use it on a smart phone.

 

Definitely have her check license, make of car, and driver's name before getting in and have her sit in back seat. 

 

We have used multiple times with no problems.

[Night Elf]

Thanks. I told her not to tip. It doesn't make sense since it's supposed to be a cashless ride, I agree.

[Night Elf]

She's away at college and needed to go pick up some prescriptions. It was a fast ride and the driver even waited for her so she was back in her room in no time.

 

Thanks for all the help!

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

In regards to tipping we have not done so yet and I have tried to read up on it. I believe I read a more recent article on uber increasing the base fare to better compensate drivers I think in a few areas. I will have to try to find it to post. I normally tip workers who are supposed to be tipped and hope to have more clarity:)

Edited September 7, 2016 by NoPlaceLikeHome

[LarlaB]

My DH (a former pastor) is an Uber driver on the weekends (Uber Black car service) but he started out with UberX. For as many weird drivers that exist, there are about 100 kind, hard working, trustworthy ones 😜

She should sit the back seat, confirm license and make of car, use the Uber app and can text you if she's nervous.

 

And while it is cashless, tips are not expected but common and appreciated. Tell her not to stress about it

[OneStepAtATime]

She's away at college and needed to go pick up some prescriptions. It was a fast ride and the driver even waited for her so she was back in her room in no time.

 

Thanks for all the help!

So glad it worked out!  Uber has been a great help to DH over the past year.  He loves Uber.

[happi duck]

My DH (a former pastor) is an Uber driver on the weekends (Uber Black car service) but he started out with UberX. For as many weird drivers that exist, there are about 100 kind, hard working, trustworthy ones 😜

She should sit the back seat, confirm license and make of car, use the Uber app and can text you if she's nervous.

 

And while it is cashless, tips are not expected but common and appreciated. Tell her not to stress about it

When people do tip is it usually a percentage or is it a certain amount per ride?

 

Tipping in situations like this makes me nervous! (afraid to do it "wrong")

 

.

Edited September 7, 2016 by happi duck

[Ravin]

I have a friend who is currently driving Uber full time, after having started part time then being laid off at his other job.

 

Tips are not expected and he said something about not being allowed to take tips?

 

Anyway, my BIL and, before she got her license, SIL use them regularly as passengers and have never had a problem.

[J-rap]

We use Uber and Lyft a lot when we travel.  My dd uses it at college because it's safer than taking a bus at night, and always quicker.  We think they're great!  They are also cheaper than cabs, and the drivers are generally friendlier.  The app is downloaded on your phone ahead of time, and all set up (with a link to a credit card, etc.) before you use it.  Both Uber and Lyft offer promos like "$10 off your first five rides," which means if you are taking it a short distance, your first five rides will be free.  You have to download the promo code ahead of time, before you use it.  

 

If they request a verification code, they'll text it to you phone as you're setting it up.  That's how you get it.

 

It's considered very safe.  Everywhere, every turn, the driver takes is recorded.  It's monitored extremely carefully.  Your daughter, traveling alone, would sit in back.  (In some countries, such as Central America where my other daughter was living, a single passenger is encouraged to sit in front so that it looks like a friend and not an Uber passenger.  Uber drivers there are sometimes targeted/attacked because taxi drivers don't want them there.)  But in the U.S., your daughter would feel more comfortable in back.  She does not tip.  You are given the chance to tip on Lyft I think, after the ride is over and you are out of the car, through the app.

 

Once you use it just once, you'll have it all figured out.  The app shows you exactly where the driver is and how close it's getting once you request it.  It's pretty neat!

 

Oh, when the app tells you who your driver will be, it shows you the picture of the person and their car license plate, and their name.  So, before you get in the car, you can match up their car license plate with the one on your app.  Usually when you get into the car, you'll ask for each other's names, and that's how you know you both have the right people.  (So I might say, "Are you Bob?" and he might say "Are you Susie?")  

 

Anyway, we've only had great experiences with both Uber and Lyft!

[kewb]

If you have Lyft in your area use them instead of Uber.  The CEO of Uber is an unethical businessman and i won't use them unless I have to.  Example of unethical behavior-during snowstorm in NYC using a computer program to jam up taxi service telephone lines so people couldn't get through.

Edited September 7, 2016 by kewb

[Rachel]

My husband loves Uber, he prefers it over the car service his company uses in Houston.

 

I'm glad it worked out for your daughter!

[Night Elf]

The only problem we encountered was when it asked for her zip code after she put in her credit card information. They said it was invalid. We tried others around me just in case our company did something weird, but nothing worked. Finally I let her put my little used credit card and it worked. I was going to pay for it anyway.

[Wabi Sabi]

I drive for Uber. 

Tips are not expected at all. I've been tipped maybe twice ever. Most people don't have cash on them anyhow. I wish Uber would let people tip using the app like some other companies. 

You cannot request a female driver- you get whomever is closest to you at the time you make the ride request. 

She can sit wherever she'd like. Most of the time single riders hop into my front seat, but it's her call. Whatever makes her comfortable. 

 

[speedmom4]

My husband and I recently used Uber when we were in downtown Denver. It was super easy and cheap. The app showed the photo of the person plus what car he/she was driving. We used Uber several times while we were there and didn't have any problems. 

 

I understand why you're nervous though. I have two daughters in college and imagining them being alone with someone is always a bit frightening. I would make sure she has her cell phone completely charged and maybe have her talk on the phone to you are someone else while she's in the car. I'm a complete worrywart so I would want to know when she got in and when she got out immediately!

 

Hope it all works out!