Originally Posted by
GMOChicken
Y Uber/Ola in India accept payments in cash to the driver (not just by credit card). Drivers prefer this because they do not pay the rideshare company their percentage.
Uber/Ola provides its services for free if customers pay cash---are you joking? Cash is allowed as a convenience for customers since India is still a cash-based society. Uber/Ola just take their cut from the driver's credit balance resulting from electronic payments. In other words the accounting is done overall and driver gets the balance due after Uber/Ola take their share of the total income.
I have certainly seen drivers ask for cash, although not often. It helps their cash flow; it does not make them more money overall. So I don't complain to the rideshare company about this, although I will complain about other things.
I have experienced the other things you mentioned, but again, not often. I think for some of these scams (like the toll/parking scam) they try to judge whether they can get away with it with the particular passenger.
PS Never agree to #2, especially late at night. There will be no record of your trip and thus it is a safety issue.