Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes • Hacker News Board

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#401

Post by xxs » Thu, Mar 16, 2017, 10:04 AM UTC

grecy wrote: post #352

redm wrote: post #4

No Tipping is one of the main reasons I liked Uber; no cash, no pressure, you just get out of the car and walk away with everyone happy. I would rather pay more for each fare and have Uber aggressively prohibit tipping. I suspect many people feel the same way and if Uber doesn't get it under control, it could be the biggest challenge they face.

As a non-American this is how I feel about tipping in general. It's so much easier to just pay people a decent wage, include it in the cost of things and then not have the pressure of tipping. That, and tipping is akin to having paid servants. i.e. " if you do a good job, and if I feel like it, I might give you some of my wad of cash. Or not, sucker.". (Of course, I do tip because the servers rely on it, I just don't…

In the EU, tipping is half legal -- technically it should be declared income and pay all income+social taxes ++ VAT(!) as the tip is not a direct salary but a service (and hence subject of VAT)

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#402

Post by wackro » Thu, Mar 16, 2017, 10:10 AM UTC

xxs wrote: post #401

grecy wrote: post #352

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a non-American this is how I feel about tipping in general. It's so much easier to just pay people a decent wage, include it in the cost of things and then not have the pressure of tipping. That, and tipping is akin to having paid servants. i.e. " if you do a good job, and if I feel like it, I might give you some of my wad of cash. Or not, sucker.". (Of course, I do tip because the servers rely on it, I just don't…

In the EU, tipping is half legal -- technically it should be declared income and pay all income+social taxes ++ VAT(!) as the tip is not a direct salary but a service (and hence subject of VAT)

You must work at the tax office.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#403

Post by xxs » Thu, Mar 16, 2017, 10:12 AM UTC

wackro wrote: post #402

xxs wrote: post #401

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the EU, tipping is half legal -- technically it should be declared income and pay all income+social taxes ++ VAT(!) as the tip is not a direct salary but a service (and hence subject of VAT)

You must work at the tax office.

nope, I have been developer for decades... just get to know stuff like that. Also tipping is usually cash (if it goes through a POS terminal, likely VAT would be paid -- the extra money is likely handed in cash by the employer, bypassing the law)

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#404

Post by mcbits » Thu, Mar 16, 2017, 10:19 AM UTC

test1235 wrote: post #389

seanp2k2 wrote: post #368

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try working at a restaurant and actually getting them to pay you that. They don't.

is the minimum wage not legally enforced?

Surely it is if $2.13/hour leaves enough left over to hire a lawyer, or the employee is confident that the payout will be greater than a decade of lost opportunities as "someone who sues their employer".

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#405

Post by metaxy2 » Thu, Mar 16, 2017, 10:24 AM UTC

There seem to be really extreme regional differences with this. Wherever I am, when I take an Uber I usually tip a small amount ($1-$2) and as small talk I ask the driver what ratio of people leave a tip. Here in Western Mass I've gotten answers in the 30-50% area, if I'm right. New Hampshire seems to be similar. But in New York, they tell me it's maybe 1 out of 10.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#406

Post by roel_v » Thu, Mar 16, 2017, 10:26 AM UTC

homakov wrote: post #390

roel_v wrote: post #363

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What in this list would you do differently? I'm probably a weirdo with insufficient empathy, but I have a hard time imagining how a civilized person would behave otherwise.

I get into the car, surf the web and never talk to the driver. Occasionally if driver starts a discussion I give short answers so it stops quickly. My rating is fine and I enjoy no human interaction

You never say anything at all? I mean, like, you open the door, sit down, when he stops where you're supposed to be you just get out and don't acknowledge the driver at all?

Sure I don't chat with taxi drivers unless I feel like it but you at least say 'hi' and 'thanks' when you get in and out, or not?

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#407

Post by homakov » Thu, Mar 16, 2017, 10:30 AM UTC

roel_v wrote: post #406

homakov wrote: post #390

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I get into the car, surf the web and never talk to the driver. Occasionally if driver starts a discussion I give short answers so it stops quickly. My rating is fine and I enjoy no human interaction

You never say anything at all? I mean, like, you open the door, sit down, when he stops where you're supposed to be you just get out and don't acknowledge the driver at all? Sure I don't chat with taxi drivers unless I feel like it but you at least say 'hi' and 'thanks' when you get in and out, or not?

Of course i say hi & thanks, these are "handshake" words I use automatically interacting with anyone. But no smalltalk, and outside the US, drivers are often silent too

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#408

Post by yladiz » Thu, Mar 16, 2017, 10:31 AM UTC

redm wrote: post #4

No Tipping is one of the main reasons I liked Uber; no cash, no pressure, you just get out of the car and walk away with everyone happy. I would rather pay more for each fare and have Uber aggressively prohibit tipping. I suspect many people feel the same way and if Uber doesn't get it under control, it could be the biggest challenge they face.

I'm surprised when I hear this, that tipping is so abhorrent that instead of using a service that, while maybe not perfect, is better and doesn't have significant problems within the company (e.g. sexual harassment) and the with treatment of their drivers, amongst other things, the person chooses to stick with Uber. Can someone explain this to me? What's wrong with the Lyft system where tipping is optionally given at the end of the trip, within the app. This seems that it removes the two majors issues with not tipping within Uber: 1) it's optional, and even if it isn't you can simply leave the car and deal with it later, saving you time; and, 2) you're not worried about your rating within the app depending on if you gave a tip or big enough tip.

Edit: I'm asking seriously, why is not tipping a justification for keeping Uber? Tipping sucks, sure, but it's part of a lot of service jobs in the states that you just accept.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#409

Post by yladiz » Thu, Mar 16, 2017, 10:36 AM UTC

developer2 wrote: post #391

xenity7 wrote: post #354

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What credit card do you have that you're responsible for unauthurized charges?

You're stating that they're not guilty until caught in the act. What percentage of the population do you think scrutinizes every credit card statement line-by-line? Many people would not notice an unauthorized charge on their card. It's merely a matter of scale: some people will notice a single unauthorized charge for $5, while others won't even notice $500. Credit card fraud is rampant, and any company that willingl…

Innocent until proven guilty is a cornerstone of the US judiciary system. So yes, they aren't guilty until caught (proven) because their innocence is assumed otherwise.

Re: Uber Driver Tip-Hustling Schemes

#410

Post by UweSchmidt » Thu, Mar 16, 2017, 10:40 AM UTC

grecy wrote: post #352

redm wrote: post #4

No Tipping is one of the main reasons I liked Uber; no cash, no pressure, you just get out of the car and walk away with everyone happy. I would rather pay more for each fare and have Uber aggressively prohibit tipping. I suspect many people feel the same way and if Uber doesn't get it under control, it could be the biggest challenge they face.

As a non-American this is how I feel about tipping in general. It's so much easier to just pay people a decent wage, include it in the cost of things and then not have the pressure of tipping. That, and tipping is akin to having paid servants. i.e. " if you do a good job, and if I feel like it, I might give you some of my wad of cash. Or not, sucker.". (Of course, I do tip because the servers rely on it, I just don't…

Same here.

Tipping also seems to lead into a more in-your-face service. A waiter might find tips go up if he/she draws attention to her work, starts conversations and offers all kinds of extras. In the end you can't argue that the service wasn't outstanding, but life would have been better for everyone involved if he/she just put the food on the table.