help me tweak uber experiences as a passenger
Oct 23, 2017, 7:49 am
#1
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help me tweak uber experiences as a passenger
So last time I was in Manhattan, I wanted to go somewhere else in Manhattan and took Uber.
The driver spoke no English and all of a sudden we were in Brooklyn. He couldn't understand the simplest directions. And as you know, the GPS systems require some interpretation and some ability to parse English especially in a big city with buildings that block the signal and difficult turns and so forth.
It was kind of an uber nightmare.
The same thing happened yesterday in a different part of the United States.
So, I now look at the driver profile once the driver is assigned and I see the driver has 36 rides and has an Asian name.
Sorry I don't mean to stereotype but that's how it is. And I know it's going to be a very bad experience.
And the driving is not safe because the driver is figuring things out, crossing lanes quickly to recover from mistakes, turning into one way streets the wrong way, etc.
So I'm looking for a way to, once I identify such a driver, cancel the ride and get a different driver. I just do not want to keep going through this.
Any ideas?
The driver spoke no English and all of a sudden we were in Brooklyn. He couldn't understand the simplest directions. And as you know, the GPS systems require some interpretation and some ability to parse English especially in a big city with buildings that block the signal and difficult turns and so forth.
It was kind of an uber nightmare.
The same thing happened yesterday in a different part of the United States.
So, I now look at the driver profile once the driver is assigned and I see the driver has 36 rides and has an Asian name.
Sorry I don't mean to stereotype but that's how it is. And I know it's going to be a very bad experience.
And the driving is not safe because the driver is figuring things out, crossing lanes quickly to recover from mistakes, turning into one way streets the wrong way, etc.
So I'm looking for a way to, once I identify such a driver, cancel the ride and get a different driver. I just do not want to keep going through this.
Any ideas?
Oct 23, 2017, 7:52 am
#2
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Terrible K-Pop music blasting. But I am afraid to tell him to change the station because he will not understand me, and I'm thinking that he needs that music in order to drive to the best of his abilities. Which believe me, we need every inch of.
But it is like being in h*ll. They could use this music to get an intransigent dictator to resign or to empty an embassy building.
But it is like being in h*ll. They could use this music to get an intransigent dictator to resign or to empty an embassy building.
Oct 23, 2017, 8:12 am
#3
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UberX is great if you have some familiarity with the location. If not, stick to Uber Black.
The Manhattan - Brooklyn jaunt is a bit odd. While GPS is imperfect, that is some distance and I suspect the driver took a wrong turn on the East Side and could not recover from that.
As to the music, wait for a traffic light (not hard in NYC !) and pantomime if needed.
Uber represents a substantial savings, but it is exactly what it says it is, an app that connects you to a car & driver guided by GPS. Nothing more.
The Manhattan - Brooklyn jaunt is a bit odd. While GPS is imperfect, that is some distance and I suspect the driver took a wrong turn on the East Side and could not recover from that.
As to the music, wait for a traffic light (not hard in NYC !) and pantomime if needed.
Uber represents a substantial savings, but it is exactly what it says it is, an app that connects you to a car & driver guided by GPS. Nothing more.
Oct 23, 2017, 8:15 am
#4
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Do other riders a favor and give the driver the low rating he deserves. Enough of those one star reviews and he won’t be an Uber driver anymore. @:-)
Oct 23, 2017, 8:24 am
#6
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Uber Black isn't always available. And sometimes it is very, very pricy.
Oct 23, 2017, 9:02 am
#8
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In NY we take taxis
Everywhere else - Uber.
Some tricks:
Cancel the ride immediately if you see the driver has not been driving very long. Or has a rating under 4.8
Get Waze on your phone and plug the route before you get in the cab.
Make sure you tip for a good ride if is available on your app.
If you give a low rating, always click the box that says “other” and provide a narrative of why such a low rating. Low ratings are going to work against YOU if you’re not explaining.
Some tricks:
Cancel the ride immediately if you see the driver has not been driving very long. Or has a rating under 4.8
Get Waze on your phone and plug the route before you get in the cab.
Make sure you tip for a good ride if is available on your app.
If you give a low rating, always click the box that says “other” and provide a narrative of why such a low rating. Low ratings are going to work against YOU if you’re not explaining.
Oct 23, 2017, 9:31 am
#11
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I've used Lyft all over Manhattan and never had an experience like this. Half the time I request a basic Lyft I get a Lincoln Town Car (or similar) or a big SUV that would easily be a LyftXL. The drivers always know where they're going.
The main place I use Uber is outside the U.S. where I don't know any other local providers. I haven't had problems there - the language barrier is me, so I'm thankful that I can enter my office address or hotel name into the app and not have to try to communicate it directly to the driver from the backseat.
The main place I use Uber is outside the U.S. where I don't know any other local providers. I haven't had problems there - the language barrier is me, so I'm thankful that I can enter my office address or hotel name into the app and not have to try to communicate it directly to the driver from the backseat.
Oct 23, 2017, 11:46 am
#12
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Each time a car is assigned to me, I'm tempted to message the driver, let him know I have a fragrance sensitivity, and ask if they currently have any form of air freshener in their car.
Oct 23, 2017, 4:16 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2005
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So last time I was in Manhattan, I wanted to go somewhere else in Manhattan and took Uber.
The driver spoke no English and all of a sudden we were in Brooklyn. He couldn't understand the simplest directions. And as you know, the GPS systems require some interpretation and some ability to parse English especially in a big city with buildings that block the signal and difficult turns and so forth.
It was kind of an uber nightmare.
The same thing happened yesterday in a different part of the United States.
So, I now look at the driver profile once the driver is assigned and I see the driver has 36 rides and has an Asian name.
Sorry I don't mean to stereotype but that's how it is. And I know it's going to be a very bad experience.
And the driving is not safe because the driver is figuring things out, crossing lanes quickly to recover from mistakes, turning into one way streets the wrong way, etc.
So I'm looking for a way to, once I identify such a driver, cancel the ride and get a different driver. I just do not want to keep going through this.
Any ideas?
The driver spoke no English and all of a sudden we were in Brooklyn. He couldn't understand the simplest directions. And as you know, the GPS systems require some interpretation and some ability to parse English especially in a big city with buildings that block the signal and difficult turns and so forth.
It was kind of an uber nightmare.
The same thing happened yesterday in a different part of the United States.
So, I now look at the driver profile once the driver is assigned and I see the driver has 36 rides and has an Asian name.
Sorry I don't mean to stereotype but that's how it is. And I know it's going to be a very bad experience.
And the driving is not safe because the driver is figuring things out, crossing lanes quickly to recover from mistakes, turning into one way streets the wrong way, etc.
So I'm looking for a way to, once I identify such a driver, cancel the ride and get a different driver. I just do not want to keep going through this.
Any ideas?
Roughly 15 minutes after our reservation time, she called me from the car. Her driver had no clue as to where he was...and was now in Brooklyn! After several missteps, she was delivered to the restaurant over an hour late. The driver admitted to her that he had never driven outside of NJ, and this was his first time in NYC. I believe that she gave him a poor rating.
Oct 23, 2017, 6:07 pm
#15
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Funny that you mention this experience. Last month, I was meeting a good friend for dinner in Manhattan. She works in Jersey City, NJ and because she had lots of items to haul home from the office, decided to utilize Uber rather than PATH.
Roughly 15 minutes after our reservation time, she called me from the car. Her driver had no clue as to where he was...and was now in Brooklyn! After several missteps, she was delivered to the restaurant over an hour late. The driver admitted to her that he had never driven outside of NJ, and this was his first time in NYC. I believe that she gave him a poor rating.
Roughly 15 minutes after our reservation time, she called me from the car. Her driver had no clue as to where he was...and was now in Brooklyn! After several missteps, she was delivered to the restaurant over an hour late. The driver admitted to her that he had never driven outside of NJ, and this was his first time in NYC. I believe that she gave him a poor rating.
