Scary uber/cab driver? What do you do?
Jul 22, 2017, 1:33 pm
#16
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
Not uber, but I recently had a very scary cab ride here in Thailand. Got cab at BKK, and the driver drove extremely and unnecessarily fast. I did not say anything, but was about to.
When going to hotels I usually request transportation from the hotel. In this case I was not going to an hotel, but in retrospect I should have used AOT, as at least that is more professional and regulated.
In the end, after the rather terrifying ride I got to my destination safely. I gave no tip as the agreed upon price was already very high, which I accepted because I was not going to argue over a few hundred baht. In the future I will use other more professional services.
When going to hotels I usually request transportation from the hotel. In this case I was not going to an hotel, but in retrospect I should have used AOT, as at least that is more professional and regulated.
In the end, after the rather terrifying ride I got to my destination safely. I gave no tip as the agreed upon price was already very high, which I accepted because I was not going to argue over a few hundred baht. In the future I will use other more professional services.
Jul 22, 2017, 1:55 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DMV
Posts: 2,092
As long as they get me from A to B in one piece using an efficient route, I don't care how they do it. In fact, the faster they do it, the better. That's a very amusing story though... I probably would have encouraged the guy and started asking him questions about the recently deceased.
Jul 22, 2017, 2:07 pm
#18
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
I think the problem is that while you're in the vehicle you have no knowledge of whether the first condition you mention ends up being the case. I don't have very high expectations of these drivers either but getting in a car at A doesn't automatically mean you'll end up safely at B.
Jul 22, 2017, 3:53 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
I remember reading an article a long time ago that determined the odds of being injured in an accident in a taxi is something like 0.5% in ten years for someone who uses them frequently. And vehicles are ridiculously safe in collisions these days. I'd be more worried about not making a meeting than getting injured.
Furthermore, in my case I was not in a hurry. The taxi driver decided to speed for selfish reasons, likely to finish the ride quickly and pick up someone else. Not only is speeding against the law, it puts a paying passenger at risk. A passenger has the expectation of safe transportation to the destination. A driver has no right to recklessly endanger the safety of the passenger in order to speed up his job to do.
Jul 22, 2017, 4:06 pm
#20
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: AA, DL, Avis, Enterprise, National, IHG, HH, SPG/MR
Posts: 1,852
Very good point. I believe the article was about the US.
Such is the risk of a) surrendering autonomy to another and/or b) getting on the road with other people. You could of course drive yourself, but that still does not mean you won't still encounter a sleep deprived, mentally unstable, substance abusing, or otherwise questionable driver.
You mean do his job efficiently?
I think the legal standard for recklessness is different than your standard.
I'd love to see a poll or study on whether people value safety over efficiency and how much people in general are willing to sacrifice to get to their destination quickly. Based on the incidence of speeding in personal vehicles, I'd speculate you're on the minority side.
I'd love to see a poll or study on whether people value safety over efficiency and how much people in general are willing to sacrifice to get to their destination quickly. Based on the incidence of speeding in personal vehicles, I'd speculate you're on the minority side.
Jul 22, 2017, 4:25 pm
#21
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 1
Use traditional taxi...
I've taken many a cab/uber ride where something was slightly off. Too fast, tired driver, no seat belts (in developing countries), etc. Every now and then, a ride gets downright scary.
For instance, I just headed to PDX at 4am. I get in, the driver gives me the scariest story. A guy was killed in his car tonight. And it was bound to happen, because he'd had the same thing 6 years ago on the same day. He even brought the newspaper clipping from 6 years ago (taps visor, except there doesn't seem to be an article). Slurred speech, barely intelligible, can barely keep his eyes open, gets more and more agitated. We drive dark back alleys through a not-so-great area. As the airport approaches, I gently tell him he's had a long night, maybe is time to get some sleep. He tells me he can't go home yet, has to drive to some church and hand the suitcase of the guy who got killed to his parents, it's still in his trunk. (We arrive and there's nothing in the trunk except my stuff.)
What would you have done? I think the options are as follows:
- Do nothing and hope for the best (as I did and assume most people would have done)
- Ask him to pull over at an open business (one gas station and two 7/11s on this 10 mile route). There might be issues retrieving stuff from the trunk, and he might not let you go. There may not be a supportive crowd at these not-so-great area businesses at 4am.
- Get out at a red light. Deserted street, probably not a great idea.
- Call for help (911?) from the car. Probably not a great idea, because the guy is likely to get more agitated as you talk to them. In this area, I'd expect a response time of 5-10 minutes, and in an unfamiliar location, I'd have no idea at all.
- Text someone to call for help on your behalf. I can't think of anyone who can be expected to be awake at 4am on a Saturday, and there would be issues with relaying your location. And of course, getting the guy pulled over will at minimum cause some delays to your travel plans, and potentially involve you in whatever goes down between the driver and the cops.
For instance, I just headed to PDX at 4am. I get in, the driver gives me the scariest story. A guy was killed in his car tonight. And it was bound to happen, because he'd had the same thing 6 years ago on the same day. He even brought the newspaper clipping from 6 years ago (taps visor, except there doesn't seem to be an article). Slurred speech, barely intelligible, can barely keep his eyes open, gets more and more agitated. We drive dark back alleys through a not-so-great area. As the airport approaches, I gently tell him he's had a long night, maybe is time to get some sleep. He tells me he can't go home yet, has to drive to some church and hand the suitcase of the guy who got killed to his parents, it's still in his trunk. (We arrive and there's nothing in the trunk except my stuff.)
What would you have done? I think the options are as follows:
- Do nothing and hope for the best (as I did and assume most people would have done)
- Ask him to pull over at an open business (one gas station and two 7/11s on this 10 mile route). There might be issues retrieving stuff from the trunk, and he might not let you go. There may not be a supportive crowd at these not-so-great area businesses at 4am.
- Get out at a red light. Deserted street, probably not a great idea.
- Call for help (911?) from the car. Probably not a great idea, because the guy is likely to get more agitated as you talk to them. In this area, I'd expect a response time of 5-10 minutes, and in an unfamiliar location, I'd have no idea at all.
- Text someone to call for help on your behalf. I can't think of anyone who can be expected to be awake at 4am on a Saturday, and there would be issues with relaying your location. And of course, getting the guy pulled over will at minimum cause some delays to your travel plans, and potentially involve you in whatever goes down between the driver and the cops.
Jul 22, 2017, 4:41 pm
#22
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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I remember reading an article a long time ago that determined the odds of being injured in an accident in a taxi is something like 0.5% in ten years for someone who uses them frequently. And vehicles are ridiculously safe in collisions these days. I'd be more worried about not making a meeting than getting injured.
Jul 22, 2017, 6:02 pm
#23
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Eurozone
Programs: LH SEN, HH Gold
Posts: 3,002
What would you have done? I think the options are as follows:
- Do nothing and hope for the best (as I did and assume most people would have done)
- Ask him to pull over at an open business (one gas station and two 7/11s on this 10 mile route). There might be issues retrieving stuff from the trunk, and he might not let you go. There may not be a supportive crowd at these not-so-great area businesses at 4am.
- Get out at a red light. Deserted street, probably not a great idea.
- Call for help (911?) from the car. Probably not a great idea, because the guy is likely to get more agitated as you talk to them. In this area, I'd expect a response time of 5-10 minutes, and in an unfamiliar location, I'd have no idea at all.
- Text someone to call for help on your behalf. I can't think of anyone who can be expected to be awake at 4am on a Saturday, and there would be issues with relaying your location. And of course, getting the guy pulled over will at minimum cause some delays to your travel plans, and potentially involve you in whatever goes down between the driver and the cops.
- Do nothing and hope for the best (as I did and assume most people would have done)
- Ask him to pull over at an open business (one gas station and two 7/11s on this 10 mile route). There might be issues retrieving stuff from the trunk, and he might not let you go. There may not be a supportive crowd at these not-so-great area businesses at 4am.
- Get out at a red light. Deserted street, probably not a great idea.
- Call for help (911?) from the car. Probably not a great idea, because the guy is likely to get more agitated as you talk to them. In this area, I'd expect a response time of 5-10 minutes, and in an unfamiliar location, I'd have no idea at all.
- Text someone to call for help on your behalf. I can't think of anyone who can be expected to be awake at 4am on a Saturday, and there would be issues with relaying your location. And of course, getting the guy pulled over will at minimum cause some delays to your travel plans, and potentially involve you in whatever goes down between the driver and the cops.
Jul 22, 2017, 6:08 pm
#24
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
On Uber, wait till you're in a safe area and cancel the trip on the app.
File a complaint on the app with a one star rating and explain what happened. You'll never be matched with this guy again with a one star rating, and he's likely to be suspended with a report like that.
File a complaint on the app with a one star rating and explain what happened. You'll never be matched with this guy again with a one star rating, and he's likely to be suspended with a report like that.
Last edited by Doc Savage; Jul 22, 2017 at 8:02 pm
Jul 22, 2017, 6:43 pm
#25
Join Date: May 2014
Location: DMV
Posts: 2,092
I remember reading an article a long time ago that determined the odds of being injured in an accident in a taxi is something like 0.5% in ten years for someone who uses them frequently. And vehicles are ridiculously safe in collisions these days. I'd be more worried about not making a meeting than getting injured.
Yet none of the people who got on the planes on 9/11 were *aware* when they boarded that they were already dead men walking. And how could they? When they were awaiting their fate as the planes steered toward their targets, I am sure they didn't think "ah but flying is incredibly safe, I'm good, I hope I won't miss much of work because of this'.
Many cars are in great condition, many professional drivers are careful and competent drivers who want to keep their cars in working order and know what to look out for on the road. These guys keep the statistics what they are and make it a pretty safe mode of transportation. But this thread isn't about those guys. This thread is about the exceptions from the rule. If you get in a car with your buddy after a night of drunken debauchery at the bar, your risk of getting hurt is *significantly* higher than the average. The same applies if the guy who happens to be your Uber driver is extremely tired/under the influence/mentally ill/a criminal. All things that can happen and do happen. If you're the unlucky soul in the back of that car your statistic of average risk isn't worth the paper it was written on.
Jul 22, 2017, 7:26 pm
#26
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 574
Taxi drivers are the only people who get paid more do to their job badly; I am talking about driving around in circles in order to get to a destination that anyone living in the area would be able to make a beeline toward. Imagine if the waiter at a restaurant got $25 every time he dropped your dessert
on the way to your table, there sure would be a lot of crumbs in the carpet. I think with Uber they built a better mousetrap. If you know who the driver is, how much the cost is from the start you avoid getting the creepy treatment you can get in taxis.
on the way to your table, there sure would be a lot of crumbs in the carpet. I think with Uber they built a better mousetrap. If you know who the driver is, how much the cost is from the start you avoid getting the creepy treatment you can get in taxis.
Jul 22, 2017, 7:55 pm
#27
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 28
My scary cab driver story involved going to the airport (OAK), in a branded cab hailed by the doorman at my hotel at about 4 a.m. The driver assured us that he took credit cards, but started badgering me to pay cash even before we got on the bridge.
In the middle of the bridge, he started saying that he would pull off in Oakland so I could use an ATM, which I refused to do (it was before dawn). It got very contentious and, frankly, menacing. Finally I said I'd use the ATM at the airport.
When we pulled in, I hailed a cop. The guy's story immediately changed, and when I took photos of his license plate and the number on the side of his cab he pulled away.
I contacted the hotel, which was happy to help me out, contacting the San Francisco taxi authority and the police. It turned out that the cab was no longer connected to the company with the name on the side (or so they said) — and the driver wasn't a licensed cabbie.
In the middle of the bridge, he started saying that he would pull off in Oakland so I could use an ATM, which I refused to do (it was before dawn). It got very contentious and, frankly, menacing. Finally I said I'd use the ATM at the airport.
When we pulled in, I hailed a cop. The guy's story immediately changed, and when I took photos of his license plate and the number on the side of his cab he pulled away.
I contacted the hotel, which was happy to help me out, contacting the San Francisco taxi authority and the police. It turned out that the cab was no longer connected to the company with the name on the side (or so they said) — and the driver wasn't a licensed cabbie.
Jul 22, 2017, 8:12 pm
#28
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,731
What would you have done? I think the options are as follows:
- Do nothing and hope for the best (as I did and assume most people would have done)
- Ask him to pull over at an open business (one gas station and two 7/11s on this 10 mile route). There might be issues retrieving stuff from the trunk, and he might not let you go. There may not be a supportive crowd at these not-so-great area businesses at 4am.
- Get out at a red light. Deserted street, probably not a great idea.
- Call for help (911?) from the car. Probably not a great idea, because the guy is likely to get more agitated as you talk to them. In this area, I'd expect a response time of 5-10 minutes, and in an unfamiliar location, I'd have no idea at all.
- Text someone to call for help on your behalf. I can't think of anyone who can be expected to be awake at 4am on a Saturday, and there would be issues with relaying your location. And of course, getting the guy pulled over will at minimum cause some delays to your travel plans, and potentially involve you in whatever goes down between the driver and the cops.
- Do nothing and hope for the best (as I did and assume most people would have done)
- Ask him to pull over at an open business (one gas station and two 7/11s on this 10 mile route). There might be issues retrieving stuff from the trunk, and he might not let you go. There may not be a supportive crowd at these not-so-great area businesses at 4am.
- Get out at a red light. Deserted street, probably not a great idea.
- Call for help (911?) from the car. Probably not a great idea, because the guy is likely to get more agitated as you talk to them. In this area, I'd expect a response time of 5-10 minutes, and in an unfamiliar location, I'd have no idea at all.
- Text someone to call for help on your behalf. I can't think of anyone who can be expected to be awake at 4am on a Saturday, and there would be issues with relaying your location. And of course, getting the guy pulled over will at minimum cause some delays to your travel plans, and potentially involve you in whatever goes down between the driver and the cops.
In this case I think contacting police, perhaps asking them to meet the car at your destination if you didn't want the car stopped en route, would have benefited not only you but also removed an impaired driver from the road.
Jul 22, 2017, 8:14 pm
#29
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,911
Thanks for the feedback! I guess the main takeaway is that very few people seem to have a specific plan how to deal with these rare situations, and tend to delude themselves with general safety statistics (which in reality don't help one bit once you ended up with a bad/crazy driver, as Ber2dca so eloquently points out) and the "vetting" done by uber (or some taxi commission, for those who posit that cabs are safer). I think the reality is that such vetting is very basic in advance of your ride, and once you're in the car with a problem driver, the thought of complaining to uber later offers little comfort.
Jul 22, 2017, 8:28 pm
#30
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,911
In Portland you have the option to text the police if you feel you can not safely phone 911 because you would be overheard: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/911/71412
In this case I think contacting police, perhaps asking them to meet the car at your destination if you didn't want the car stopped en route, would have benefited not only you but also removed an impaired driver from the road.
In this case I think contacting police, perhaps asking them to meet the car at your destination if you didn't want the car stopped en route, would have benefited not only you but also removed an impaired driver from the road.