Originally Posted by
kb9522
This is a joke, right?
How hard you work has nothing to do with how much you get paid. You're not entitled to a living wage. You are paid what the market wil bear. If these career Uber drivers are unhappy with their career, they should change it. Tipping in the US is ridiculously out of control as it is. And let's be honest here... we're not talking about a tip, we're talking about a ransom... $5 for 5 or nobody will ever pick up your fare again.
No I'm not joking.
Spend 5 minutes in your next Uber trip talking to the driver. You'll come to appreciate they are another human being trying to make a living. If it was as simple for everybody to change careers as you make it seem, then I'd be an NBA player by now. For many who were not blessed with an opportunity for higher education, Uber is a way to make ends meet. Their alternatives (e.g., working at a McDonalds) may prevent them from being able to see their kids as much etc.
Tipping in the US is embedded in the culture. I don't like it, but I happen to live here and will adhere to norms. A $1-2 tip to my Uber driver does not dent my bottom line, and I sure as heck don't do it because I want a 5 star rating. I do it because it is a nice thing to do for another person. I recognize it's not a lot of money (almost always <10% of my fare), but the Uber driver's smile and gratefulness for a small gesture always makes my day.
TLDR: Being nice to others when you can afford to is apparently not a common thing, judging by the recent posts.