Ratings Now Cut Both Ways, So Don’t Sass Your Uber Driver

[FrodosPet]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/31/technology/companies-are-rating-customers.html?_r=0

By DAVID STREITFELD JAN. 30, 2015

~ snip ~

Hussein Kanji insists he is not a bad Uber passenger.

“I’ve asked drivers to turn up or down heat, to not play music loudly, or to roll up windows,” Mr. Kanji, a London venture capitalist, said. “I can’t imagine why they would lower my passenger score.”

They apparently did. The wait for a ride suddenly became interminable. “For about three weeks, Uber was basically unusable,” Mr. Kanji said.

~ snip ~

It does not seem to take much to annoy some Uber drivers. On one online forum, an anonymous driver said he gave poor reviews to “people who are generally negative and would tend to bring down my mood (or anyone around them).” Another was cavalier about the process: “1 star for passengers does not do them any harm. Sensible drivers won’t pick them up, but so what?”

~ snip ~

[hr]

If you are going to ride with Uber, remember a few things. First, no matter how crappy your day is, put on the happy face and voice. Be ready to go the second they pull up to the curb...do NOT make them wait for you. Stay away from controversial conversations. Do NOT ask them to turn down the radio or change the climate control unless they ask if you want those changed. And don't be a cheapskate, tip at least 20% or $2.00, whichever is higher.

If those conditions are unacceptable, no Uber for you!

[Romeo.lima333]

1. get in quick, shut up, smile and dont touch my shit but give me 20% or i'll give u a bad rating

no uber for me

[Bluenorthwest]

2. Fuck Uber, I give them a bad rating for flouting disability rights under their libertarian me first

ideology.

[FrodosPet]

3. Whether taxi or Uber, the transportation for hire industry truly sucks

An unregulated transportation industry goes off the rails in suckiness.

[Prism]

11. What happened?

Genuinely curious.

[HereSince1628]

16. They don't have to meet disability needs.

Uber provides a work around ordinances and laws.

[Prism]

18. Whaa?

I didn't know this. For some reason, I just assumed a disabled passenger would have access to an XL (van or SUV).

I've had passengers contact me after I accepted the ride and ask me about wheelchairs and things (I drive for UberX and my trunk is always empty, so I can accomodate things like folding wheelchairs, walkers, etc, but not much else). I've never had a problem if I'm able to do it with my car. I used to be a caregiver for patients with movement disorders and quadriplegia, so knowledge of proper transferring techniques in and out of vehicles has come in handy once in awhile.

But I'm surprised there's no accommodation and no requirement of accommodation.

That is incredibly shitty. I'm going to say something to the company. Easily ignored I suppose, but they do ask for driver feedback pretty frequently.

[HereSince1628]

21. It's your license not a livery license, it's your car, it doesn't have to meet disabled needs

That's not true of real taxi service.

Uber is a libertarian's regulation free dream. It's a service I don't need I'm glad of that.

[Recursion]

29. Accessible cars and cars with carseats are marked as such on the app

They're less common, but IIRC you can request either.

Now, try to find an accessible taxi when you need one, or one with a carseat at all.

[Recursion]

30. Neither do taxis (nt)

[KamaAina]

4. Well, there's no potential for abuse there

Mr. Kanji, a London venture capitalist, said. “I can’t imagine why they would lower my passenger score.”

Because his name is Kanji?

[FrodosPet]

24. Not just Kanji

It is Hussein Kanji.

[MattBaggins]

34. They don't have to go into "less desirable areas"

and they are happy about it.

[madville]

5. I like that the non-tippers will be quickly identified

If only restaurant customers could be rated the same way, they'd truly get the service they pay for.

[Major Nikon]

6. I've never used Uber, but my understanding is there's no tipping

[madville]

9. You don't tip through the app

They are allowed to accept cash tips. Drivers are currently pressing Uber to include an electronic tipping option on the app.

Rowdy drunks will be easier to turn down as well.

[pnwmom]

7. Or, you can take the advice I read somewhere: say "five for five" on the way out the door.

They give you five stars, you give them five stars.

What a great system.

[DiverDave]

8. Hey! call a C-A-B!!

Fuck uber and ratings...I'll pay more to know the driver is vetted.

Ooooo don't piss off the axe murderer

[Recursion]

27. You think your cab driver is "vetted"?

Cities that want to are free to outlaw livery services. If they don't, it's hard to say they can't use the Internet to book a car.

[FrodosPet]

32. With the company I drive for, they are

MVR check, criminal background check, and you have to interview in person with the driver manager and the GM before you touch a late model hybrid (2011 or newer) that is detailed weekly by the fleet manager.

[Recursion]

36. Well that's a lot better than DC

I'm glad it works better some places.

[Prism]

10. Some drivers are jerks

I see all kinds of things like, "If I don't get a tip, automatic star knock off!" Seriously? People don't think they have to. I don't generally receive tips, and I've never downrated a passenger for it. Reading the uber driver subreddit is a real creme de la creme of human assholery sometimes.

Generally, it takes effort to get me to downrate a passenger.

Common courtesy works for everyone involved. Don't make me hunt you down. Don't make me wait forever. You knew when I'd get there before you ordered the car. The app tells you. Don't bring your booze in my car. Don't share your bigotry with me. Don't hang out the windows and scream at passersby. If you must be drunk and puke, not in the vehicle. You can ask me for a date, but you can't touch my junk. This include my hair. Also, don't put your hand down my shirt.

People complain about drunks. I haven't generally had major problems with them. Now and then, sure. But usually by the time they reach me, they're just sleepy and want to get home.

Sexual harassment is the actual usual problem for me. I'm a guy and get it from both guys and girls (yay, San Francisco!)

Folks is weird.

[Major Nikon]

12. I have a question about downrated passengers

What happens if your rating is low and nobody will pick you up? Would you know this as a passenger, or would you just be waiting for someone who never shows up?

[AngryAmish]

13. Ride just gets cancelled.

[Prism]

15. It depends

If your rating is low enough, Uber will actually deactivate your account for awhile (or permanently if it's bad enough).

Otherwise, you end up waiting. When a passenger orders a car, the closest available driver is pinged. We can see the passenger rating. We have the option of accepting or declining the ride (I've never declined based on rating, but other drivers are very particular about it). If the closest driver declines, the next closest available driver is pinged. And so on and so forth.

When you open the app, you can actually see the available cars and their proximity on a map. If there are a lot of available cars around you, and no one's accepting your ride, you can surmise pretty readily that you're being avoided. If there are a lot of cars around you, and your estimated time to pick up is much longer than the proximity suggests, you can comfortably assume the other drivers avoided you.

In other words, if your rating is bad enough, you'll end up waiting - to the point that potentially no one will pick you up at all.

I *think* Uber is changing the app so passenger ratings can be seen by the passengers, so hopefully this will be a thing of the past.

[Major Nikon]

17. I travel a fair amount

I use a cab a few times per year. I've never used Uber. For business travel I just voucher my cab rides or car services, so I've never really had a need to try Uber. I was considering using them for personal travel as I have my own airplane and often have to rely on cabs once I get somewhere. I doubt I ever would get downrated since I treat drivers well, but the idea that I can get blackballed without knowing the reason why is kind of a turnoff.

[Prism]

20. It's unlikely to happen

Talking with other drivers (or you can read reddit or even google articles), the key thing with low rated passengers is usually that they've been Grade A jerks in some way.

It really takes some doing. The horror stories are always the ones that make the media. I cannot imagine an average passenger ever having to worry about their rating.

[Dwayne Hicks]

14. Fuck Uber

They need to be run out of business permanently. I do not support Uber or its drivers.

[Recursion]

26. Meh. It's more important to destroy the corrupt cab medallion system

That's the biggest racket in transportation.

[Buns_of_Fire]

19. “people who... tend to bring down my mood"

Hey, man, don't harsh your driver's mellow.

[Tikki]

22. This Uber thing reminds me of the 'hitchhikking' thing in the 1970s...First it was don't....

pick up a Hitchhikker because they might be a criminal and rob you or worse and then it was don't
Hitchhike because you don't really know who is picking you up and after enough people
on both sides of the car door got hurt the message finally got through.

Uber sounds, to me, like a problem waiting to happen.


Tikki

[Recursion]

25. Unlike taxicabs? (nt)

[WinkyDink]

23. No *$^$$ way.

[Starry Messenger]

28. Sounds creepy

[FrodosPet]

31. Very much so

Your ability to ride with Uber, or drive for Uber, is left to the subjective opinions of anonymous people who rate you on something other than "is this person safe to drive and will I get paid?".

Those should be the only criteria for refusing someone transportation. They are a PITA, they are not happy glowing fun folks, they don't agree with my politics, etc is NO reason to refuse transportation if you are in the car-for-hire business.

Note: I am not saying the old fashioned taxi business is immune from these problems. But there ARE at least some, albeit inadequate, protections.

[Starry Messenger]

33. "She's a hottie..."

I imagine all kinds of weird shit this could produce. Rate My Professor gets comments on personal appearance all the time.

[AZ Progressive]

35. I'd rather get a taxi, at least I know what I am getting

And I only use a taxi service if there's no other choice. I'd rather take public transit if I don't have my car around.