jamiel

Is there any good way to complain about poor ride route quality? Detroit is a pretty regular grid, with mile roads being local streets (or state highways, in the case of 8 mile) and half-mile streets being local collector roads generally with 25 mph posted. For the last two rides to/from the airport, Lyft has routed us excessively on the half-mile streets while ignoring the 40-50 mph mile roads to access the highway (interstate-caliber M-route). It's frustrating and, frankly, unsafe--- There are multiple reasonable ways and routes, but half-miles aren't it.

diburning

Nope. Lyft will simply respond with a form letter and then never respond to you again.

jsnydcsa

Isn't the Lyft driver basically using Google Maps to get from pickup to drop off? If they know what they're doing - where they're driving - they should be able to just say "screw it" I'm taking this faster way (or follow your "better" routing on your phone - you're from DTW so, you likely know better routes) and let Google Maps "catch up" to the route they're taking and eventually start keeping you on the faster road.

In my local area, Google often gives me a route that I'm say to myself is nuts for any number of reasons. I choose one of the others and just start going. Google eventually stops telling me to head to it's preferred route and eventually gets the gist of what I'm doing.

I WOULD consider it a driver issue. S/he should be capable of looking at the map and saying "this may be the 'best' route per some algorithm" but this is not the right route. I have, in my local area and when traveling to places where I know the roads/town have said to the driver "Hey, don't go that way ... so and so is faster/better/safer" I'd say I'm batting about .500 on telling them that. Those that do generally just agree. Those that don't well... don't get a great rating from me (and probably rate me low b/c I was a bossy pants). If the driver doesn't "think" about the route being spit out at them by their phone, that's a bad driver. Indeed, what if you mistakenly put in a landmark, hotel, etc. into the Lyft app and said "take me there" - the driver should say wait, that's not the "best" drop off for that and tell you and change it for both your beenfits. Its been a long time since I've been to DTW. But, let's say you put in "GM Headwauarters" - that could bring you to any number of places that a good driver would say "that's not REALLY where you want to go" and fix it.

diburning

Was the highway a toll road? I've noticed that Lyft drivers will often have their GPS app set to avoid tolls since Lyft doesn't reimburse them (or doesn't do it reliably)

Google maps will often route you on zig zag residential neighborhoods because they may deem it to be faster than taking a main road with traffic lights. Great in theory as long as you're not delayed by a garbage truck, or a moving truck, or a mail truck, or a delivery van, or someone deciding to double park to run inside to grab something, or someone trying their best to parallel park.

neo_781

Tolls in the "Automotive Capital of the World" ... Not a likely explanation for this (unless crossing into Canada).

jamiel

Haha! The last couple of routings have been acceptable--the situation above was notable in that the drivers were very new...within their first week. A ride to DTW on the 21st was the worst ride I've had...driver was in a Nissan Versa; spare tire loose in trunk (our luggage barely fit).

Last night home--later model Accord, but the windows were entirely fogged over. As the driver skittered around the Interstates, with the 3 of us in the vehicle and the windows progressively fogging, I noticed that he had recirculation on and the A/C compressor off (damp cool day...exactly the opposite of how to manage window fogging). Trying to figure out how to delicately broach the subject of the fogged unsafe windows, I was able to mention that he might prefer to use the A/C compressor and get in fresh air to dissipate the fogging...fortunately he took my advice and wonder of wonders...it worked.

TGarza

I received an unexpected refund for a trip to DFW. The route was 635 to 121 north before exiting to drive south on 121 to DFW. I tried to tell the driver but he followed his Google map directions.

gaobest

In my city a lot of my own rideshare drivers live elsewhere - so they can only follow the map on their phone because they don’t really know the roads nor alternate methods. I also think that Google maps use routes that have less traffic compared to other routes. In general I myself use google maps when I drive my own car and I rarely deviate unless I’m being sent to make a left turn onto a street without stop signs for the cross traffic.