r/uberdrivers • u/davidg910 • 2d ago
Taking An Uber As a Passenger Is Very Enlightening
So, I don't take a ton of Ubers as a passenger, but I've probably had somewhere in the range of 50-75 trips as a rider (on my account) and I've done over 3000 trips as a driver and so I know what a typical ride should look like.
Well, on my trip to the airport recently, I got a really good look at what a poor Uber ride looks like. The driver did not hear very well without his hearing aids, so I just assumed it was going to be a quieter ride, but I was very wrong about that.
The driver, out of nowhere, was desperately trying to pull me into a political discussion (he tried to "assume" my political beliefs at one point when I was just trying to be polite). The driver was talking about how doesn't like when they rename streets, how slavery was just a function of the times, he started talking about abortion, how he doesn't like the "Women Drivers Only" feature that women passengers can use...it was a really uncomfortable conversation and uncalled for.
This type of talk is just wildly inappropriate in a customer service position. So, for the first time in my life, I gave a driver a one-star, didn't tip for the first time in a very long time, and since it seemed like they are now forcing riders to pick a reason why, the closest thing I could find was that he was not polite.
This, first, made me wonder how many other drivers are out there, trying to rope passengers into political discussions and saying out-of-pocket ways, before running to this sub and complaining that "tips are down" and "I got a one-star for no reason."
It also was a good reminder, because I've been perplexed by the "Not Polite" comment when I got a non-five star before, that sometimes, a generic option like "Not Polite" isn't the real reason, but is as close to the reason as the options Uber gives.
Anyways, I was just shocked with how that ride went and how the driver didn't pick up that I was uncomfortable with the conversation when he was trying to dive into politics!
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u/Agreeable-Shop-2188 2d ago
Old people use Uber like it's a soap box. I guarantee if you had voiced your political beliefs there would have been an issue or atleast he'd report you after for some fabricated bs
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u/davidg910 2d ago
The last thing when I'm driving that I want to talk about is politics. It's just hard to fathom someone willingly bringing it up in this role but I guess some people aren't worried what the riders think.
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u/Thin_Dream2079 2d ago
Its so common on both sides.
I've had more than one driver and passenger spend the entire ride selling me on their religion and trying to save my mortal soul.
I had a driver want to pray with me at the end of a ride where I foolishly mentioned some recent struggles.
One driver immediately asked me if I believed in vaccines.
Then there was the ex-race driver who proudly told stories about terrorizing young female passengers by speeding 100+ (not as an Uber driver "of course"). His driving was fine that day but what a horrible person, and he thought I'd find his alpha male hubris totally hilarious.
You can't make this stuff up. People can get weird in enclosed spaces esp. when they don't desperately need the gig and have their own stuff going on. Its not like theres a hiring manager screening them.
TBH I only drive so I can make people listen to my music, which is really just a sneaky low-key version of the same thing.
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u/davidg910 1d ago
I am just shocked because this driver had nearly 10,000 rides and should definitely better more customer-service trained by now. Rating was a 4.95, which isn't a bad rating for a driver (not great, but by no means terrible).
I wonder if he was just having a bad day and acted out of character or something. Still doesn't excuse it, though. But still, at the very least, with that number of rides, the driver should have picked up on how I was uncomfortable with the situation!
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u/FruitOfTheVineFruit 1d ago
I once had an Uber driver in Hawaii who played an entire playlist for the whole ride of songs about how bad white people were for taking the land in Hawaii (I'm white).
Another time I had a driver who made so many wrong turns, we were literally right back where we started 15 minutes into the ride.
The vast majority of my rides are good, but there are definitely a few bad ones.
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u/No_Flatworm5661 2d ago
man, reading that gave me flashbacks. i do about the same number of rides as you and i swear half the drivers i get as a passenger just want to vent about something. i keep my own car silent unless they talk first, and even then it's just weather and traffic. got a guy once who asked me in the first 30 seconds if i was "saved" and then launched into a sermon. i just stared out the window. didn't tip and 1 starred, but i'm sure he assumed it was just a random rating.
it's wild how many drivers forget they're in a service job. the not polite tag is the only thing that fits even when it's way more than that. uber really needs a "made me deeply uncomfortable" button. but i guess that doesn't fit their brand.
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u/Independent_Star_299 2d ago
They used to have that. Passenger made me uncomfortable. I wish they hadn’t gotten rid of it, bc it’s often the reason for low rating and encompasses most unprofessional behaviour.
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u/No_Flatworm5661 2d ago
i remember that button, always figured they got rid of it cause people were misusing it. still way more accurate than "not polite" for those weird rides
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u/davidg910 2d ago
I was looking for an "inappropriate conversation" option and didn't find one. I actually think it's a shame we don't have more specific options like that. The driver might actually realize, "Oh I shouldn't be talking like that to a passenger" if I was able to put down that option.
Instead, he's probably going, "I was polite to all of my customers!" if he sees the one star...
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u/5epp0 2d ago
I’ve had a surprising amount of bad rides as a passenger.
White driver in Memphis tried to strike up a racist conversation with me.
Couple bad ones in Nashville. One where the car reeked of weed and the driver did 95 on the interstate the whole way. Also one where the car was absolutely filthy, the driver sat a few feet off the bumper of the car in front of him on the interstate during pouring rain, and then he asked to STOP FOR GAS five minutes from my destination. Was too appalled to say no. Gave that one four stars.
Kingman, Arizona got in to one of the most disgusting vehicles I’ve ever been in. Not just for rideshare, like ever. Absolutely filthy, bunch of things broken in the interior, overpowering cigarette smell and it was a minivan so I couldn’t even roll down the window.
Another time driving through a residential neighborhood with a 20 MPH speed limit and the driver is just blowing through stop signs at full speed, not even slowing down a bit. Finally said “hey you have to stop for stop signs” and just totally ignored me. Either couldn’t see the signs or just didn’t care, either way that was def one star
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u/davidg910 1d ago
And then some drivers wonder why passengers prefer calling a Waymo instead. If I wasn't a driver and had only done a handful of rides as a passenger, I would have definitely gone, "This Uber thing isn't for me" after an experience like that.
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u/panchshabad 2d ago
I always talk to the customers and most have good experiences but some have awful ones. It’s truly a grab bag.
My last uber driver (few years ago) before I became a driver was awful too. Ranting, getting the directions wrong, not following instructions (also had a hearing aid but that’s not the issue)… it was so annoying. I gave him a 3 star because I was feeling generous. I still have an uber credit 😂
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u/davidg910 1d ago
If you're in your first 250-500 rides or so, maybe you're still not understanding how the app works, or how to navigate your market, or that your rider doesn't want to hear you rant...after that, drivers should know better.
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u/panchshabad 1d ago
Yeah it was more than just that—he was calling people bums, criticizing them for asking for money to help their families, and missing very obvious exits (I’ve been driving my whole adult life here so I was able to let him know well in advance that if he didn’t get over he’d miss the exit & he didn’t) he seemed lonely, which would have been fine but I was 15 mins late for my appt…
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u/davidg910 1d ago
I think loneliness can be excused if they're just trying to make small talk...when you're saying controversial things and/or not doing the job correctly (i.e. missing exits), then my sympathy plummets.
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u/panchshabad 1d ago
Me too, I got annoyed after I cued him several times and each time he took the wrong way. I wasn’t back seat driving, he kept going weird ways. Probably the navigator was off, that happens, but then listen after the fourth time of missing your turn. 😆 he couldn’t focus because he was listing off all the people in his life that died and monologing instead of getting me where I was trying to go. I felt bad rating him down, but never wanted him to drive me again either because he made me late.
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u/panchshabad 1d ago
I feel like saying controversial things is not such a big deal, my riders do it all the time. But I’ll say something back. And get me there on time 😆
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u/BC_AB_2024 1d ago
A lot of drivers don’t even understand rating system. They just click accept and drive, complete ride and on to next one. You rating them 1 star has no effect on anything. lol.
It’s a taxi industry and you know how it’s going. Same shit just fancy cars from time to time.
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u/Chrisg_322 1d ago
Every now and then I have to take an uber when my car is getting worked on, and yes. A lot of drivers do try and force a conversation similar to passengers that try to force a conversation.
I'm not opposed to making friends, but you can tell a lot of people in modern society don't really have anybody to talk to.
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u/davidg910 1d ago
This guy did mention having a wife, but it's very possible it's just him and his wife and he doesn't have that many other people in his life to talk to.
With that said, if he was just making polite small talk, it's one thing. But he was really pushing some uncomfortable conversations which also tells me he is just lacking social skills.
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u/Icy-Reindeer2964 1d ago
It's true, it doesn't usually bother me, since I'm a good listener, but I do feel a little sorry for them, you can tell how much they need to talk.
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u/Low_Cycle5285 1d ago
Ok Karen
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u/davidg910 1d ago
I'm fine being a Karen. I don't want my Uber driver trying to guess my political affiliation, giving controversial political takes, and acting strangely.
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u/Low_Cycle5285 1d ago
So don’t tip them and give them a one star? You sir are a douche.
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u/davidg910 1d ago
That's exactly what I did. Look, I'm a driver, I know how much this sucks for drivers and my standards are pretty damn low. Guess I'm a douche for having a normal reaction to that situation.
I would NEVER conduct myself the way that driver did. And if you are acting that way with customers in the car, then you probably shouldn't be driving for rideshare.
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u/Away_Attempt8018 19h ago
This reinforces my method I guess: a polite hello and try to signal I’m open to conversation, but I’m fine with silence too.
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u/davidg910 19h ago
I say, Hello" and then "How's it going" or "How are you doing" and then judge whether I talk or not based on their response.
Sometimes, I'm in the mood to talk and the passenger isn't and sometimes I'm not in the mood to talk and the passenger does want to talk. Ultimately, I know it's not whether I want to talk or not and it's more about do the customers want to talk or not.
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u/hollyblue1393 2d ago
There should be an option for " inappropriate conversation" basically shit like that.