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Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

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Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#111

Post by Spooky23 »

quickConclusion wrote: post #64
ebbv wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Service industries. It's pretty simple. Any job where the worker is unlikely to be appreciated by their boss for going above and beyond but it makes a big difference to me.

The cook in the kitchen gets no tip. Unlikely to be appreciated, gets no share of the tip, and could make my dish a delight, or spit in it. The guy/girl says "i'm gonna be your waiter tonight", and that's the last time you see them, others bring the dishes and clean the table. And by law, they cannot share the tip. When I pay for service, I'd like the employer and the market to figure out for me what's a fair wage. D…

The restaurants I worked in were pretty openly corrupt about that sort of thing. If you didn't tip out the hostess and busboys, you wouldn't get customers or clean tables. If your tables turned more slowly, you would eventually get canned.

The cooks all made more money. Front of house people made like $2.25/hr (mid 90s), the line cooks made $12.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#112

Post by dorfsmay »

shalmanese wrote: post #83
hamandcheese wrote: post #69

> Then I’ve discovered first-hand that more and more Uber riders are calling ahead to ask for your destination to see if it’s “worth it” to pick you up. When I use Uber the first question it asks is the destination. I assume this is seen by the driver, no? Why would they have to call?

Ridesharing apps don't reveal destination to the driver until they arrive at the pickup. This is to prevent drivers from only picking good rides and leaving riders in the lurch. One of the main selling point of Uber in some cities is that they would get you to places taxis refused to go.

I thought Uber was about pure capitalism, with surge pricing and all. I actually thought that drivers knew the destination and that the price was going up until a driver accepted the ride.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#113

Post by cortesoft »

iopq wrote: post #92
taneq wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe you can explain something that I've never understood. I see drivers saying "driving for Uber is terrible and a waste of money". I see them saying "after expenses I'm basically working for free." But they keep doing it . They keep driving for Uber even though they know that they're basically just working for free, in order to make money for Uber. If you take vehicle depreciation into account, you're probably not…

It's because I can drive for like an hour at 9 PM when the traffic isn't bad anymore and I can make $10 an hour and I can decide when to clock out.

So you are saying it is worth it for you? So that is good?

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#114

Post by lavezzi »

Negative1 wrote: post #57

Curious; are Uber or Lyft drivers penalized at all for canceling? I had a Lyft driver a few weeks back call me and ask where I was, which is odd since the app tells him. Turns out he was on the wrong side of the street. Instead of just turning around, he just says "bye", hangs up and cancels the trip. Was annoying for me since I had been waiting for 10 minutes at this point but it seemed like a real poor choice on hi…

Apparently not. We had a driver the other day in Park City, UT who told us that Uber drivers are no longer held to a minimum trip acceptance rate. Whether this is true or not he said Uber lost a lawsuit and could no longer apply the rule.

He then proceeded to tell us with great glee that his trick was to go offline in-between trips until the surge price hit at least a 5-6x multiplier. He would then go back online and pick a fare that suited him. It explained why all of the Ubers and Lyfts there were insanely expensive.

I've never seen anyone so happy to tell me to my face that he was ripping me off, and he even had the cheek to ask for a 5* rating at the end of the trip.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#115

Post by crisopolis »

jayess wrote: post #45

My uber drivers have been steadily dropping in quality, more often than not taking the wrong directions to my destination, despite the fact that the GPS right in front of them tells them where to go. I've been using Lyft more and more lately. Drivers just seem.... better. And I don't mind tipping in the app.

I agree on this also. I haven't used Lyft but in my city a lot of people have complained that the quality of Uber drivers is dropping. A lot base it on lack of English, lack of following directions, focused on getting tips rather than getting their customer from point A to point B knowing you're already getting paid.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#116

Post by nomnombunty »

Uber pool is just a terrible experience in many levels

1. Many drivers think they make less if the passengers are using Uber pool. I am not sure if this is true or if they are confused. However, when they find out I am using pool they instantly turn passive aggressive and start complaining how they make nothing on a pool ride. They make me feel as if I am taking advantage of them.

2. Uber also tries to pack the car these days. A lot of times, it is probably much faster taking public transit than using pool. One time, my pool ride was just going around picking up people and 15 minutes later I was exactly a block from where I started. I got off the ride and Uber has the balls to charged me $10 for "cancelling". Decided to quit Uber on that very day. Will only ride public transit or Lyft these days

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#117

Post by iopq »

bigjimmyk3 wrote: post #110
iopq wrote: post #53

I drive Uber from time to time. I've only gotten a tip once over ~50 rides. A lot of the time the traffic conditions mean that after costs (I assume $0.40 per mile costs for mileage, gas, maintenance, etc.) my hourly is closer to $8 an hour (because after I drive for a while sometimes I need to drive a long way back as well on my own dime), which is below minimum wage. That's not including having to pick up plastic b…

That's interesting, because one of the Uber drivers I spoke to recently said that he had the ability to "request" a pickup/destination twire per shift; the intent was to allow him to monetize his "commute" time into the metro area where he normally drives. I don't know how you get this feature turned on, but it can't hurt to ask.

They removed that already.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#118

Post by whathappenedto »

taneq wrote: post #78
iopq wrote: post #53

I drive Uber from time to time. I've only gotten a tip once over ~50 rides. A lot of the time the traffic conditions mean that after costs (I assume $0.40 per mile costs for mileage, gas, maintenance, etc.) my hourly is closer to $8 an hour (because after I drive for a while sometimes I need to drive a long way back as well on my own dime), which is below minimum wage. That's not including having to pick up plastic b…

Maybe you can explain something that I've never understood. I see drivers saying "driving for Uber is terrible and a waste of money". I see them saying "after expenses I'm basically working for free." But they keep doing it . They keep driving for Uber even though they know that they're basically just working for free, in order to make money for Uber. If you take vehicle depreciation into account, you're probably not…

Because they're exaggerating to put pressure on Uber to give them a better deal. Everyone does this. Waiters, union workers, teachers, actors, firefighters, etc. Complaining makes you feel good and has a small chance of making things better for yourself. Why not do it more.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#119

Post by s0l1dsnak3123 »

syrrim wrote: post #104
taneq wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're not taking advantage of the driver. Uber is. It's the same thing with restaurants - you're letting yourself be guilted into subsidizing a corporation's business strategy, with the justification that it's either you that gets screwed, or their employees.

>subsidizing a corporation's business strategy This is called paying them, and occurs even in the absense of tips. Tips give people the second option of not subsidizing the corporation; were tips removed, everyone would be forced to subsidize equally. This is to the business' disadvantage only because some people are willing to pay more when it is in the form of a tip then the corporation could ask the rest of their…

Except we don't get to set the wage?

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#120

Post by thesmallestcat »

dorfsmay wrote: post #86
taneq wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're not taking advantage of the driver. Uber is. It's the same thing with restaurants - you're letting yourself be guilted into subsidizing a corporation's business strategy, with the justification that it's either you that gets screwed, or their employees.

That's why I always pay 15% tip at restaurants regardless of the service. I disagree with tipping (an after-the-fact unilateral contract), but we know that restaurants don't pay fair wages. EDIT: Following some comments here, I feel I need to add that I'm in Canada where 15% is considered "normal".

15%, regardless of the service? Don't pat yourself on the back so hard.
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