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Uber is charging passengers a $10 cancellation fee even when the driver cancels

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Re: Uber is charging passengers a $10 cancellation fee even when the driver cancels

#61

Post by dreamcompiler »

leephillips wrote: post #29

What's wrong with taxis? I've taken plenty of cabs, but never an Uber or Lyft. In a city you can easily flag them down, or find a number and phone for one. Many cab companies have had phone apps for years, too. If you prefer Uber, can you explain why? Because there are tons of complaints here about the company.

In addition to the drawbacks everybody else has mentioned, with taxis I often got a driver with no familiarity with the city, no GPS, and a very rudimentary command of English. So the ride consisted of me using my phone to figure out a route and using hand signals for "turn here." (Pre-smartphone, it was even worse.) And this was in NYC where taxis are actually good.* None of this nonsense happens with Uber or Lyft.

*Not as good as London taxis of course, but no place has taxis as good as London.

Re: Uber is charging passengers a $10 cancellation fee even when the driver cancels

#62

Post by sushid »

giarc wrote: post #8
superasn wrote: post #6

I think it is one of those cases where this applies: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity. I think it may be a loophole or bad system design rather than a willful scam by uber to make some extra money.

That may have been the case 4 years ago, but Uber is a fairly seasoned company with many iterations of their app. I don't think it's safe to jump to "uber is scamming us" but this is definitely something that was done on purpose.

Look, I have no skin in the game but Uber doesn't charge for cancelled rides if the driver honestly cancels it. It looks like the driver in OP's link marked the passenger as 'not arrived when at pickup,' which defaulted to the app charging the OP.

I had someone cancel on me this morning. It shows up as cancelled and as a $0.00 ride on my ride history.

Re: Uber is charging passengers a $10 cancellation fee even when the driver cancels

#63

Post by lovich »

leephillips wrote: post #29

What's wrong with taxis? I've taken plenty of cabs, but never an Uber or Lyft. In a city you can easily flag them down, or find a number and phone for one. Many cab companies have had phone apps for years, too. If you prefer Uber, can you explain why? Because there are tons of complaints here about the company.

In Boston I've had cabbies at South Station try to get me to agree to pay 25 dollars for a ride that is 11 dollars on the meter. I don't really have a problem paying a bit more for taxis over Uber because as far as I know the cabs aren't using VC money to artificially lower their price, but I do have a problem when the cabbies try to blatantly fleece me in violation of their regulations

Re: Uber is charging passengers a $10 cancellation fee even when the driver cancels

#64

Post by leephillips »

dreamcompiler wrote: post #61
leephillips wrote: post #29

What's wrong with taxis? I've taken plenty of cabs, but never an Uber or Lyft. In a city you can easily flag them down, or find a number and phone for one. Many cab companies have had phone apps for years, too. If you prefer Uber, can you explain why? Because there are tons of complaints here about the company.

In addition to the drawbacks everybody else has mentioned, with taxis I often got a driver with no familiarity with the city, no GPS, and a very rudimentary command of English. So the ride consisted of me using my phone to figure out a route and using hand signals for "turn here." (Pre-smartphone, it was even worse.) And this was in NYC where taxis are actually good.* None of this nonsense happens with Uber or Lyft.…

When I was young and still lived in my home town of NYC I got into a cab to go to Grand Central. The driver spoke no English and had no idea where that was. I used gestures to get us there. So I know. Can one expect Uber to be better?

Re: Uber is charging passengers a $10 cancellation fee even when the driver cancels

#65

Post by uptownfunk »

elahd wrote: post #15

I've been in standoffs with Uber/Lyft drivers where the driver calls or texts me saying they don't want to pick me up for whatever reason and demand that I cancel the hail. Drivers don't want to be the ones who cancel because canceling reduces their rating. I don't want to cancel because I both don't want the hit to my rating and I don't want to have to follow up with Uber/Lyft to request a cancellation fee refund. L…

This is so irritating and happens to me often, I just don't have the time to follow up with it like the parent did. This coupled with the workplace politics and mistreatment of women as well as the lack of select or black car service at my client site has led me to just rent a car from Hertz for the week. It's been enjoyable to be honest, the only thing is I can't work while I'm in the car, which isn't really an issue for small trips. It's also a little harder to make calls, but I'll live with it. Maybe I'll give lyft ago but it seems like the same issues are there too.

Re: Uber is charging passengers a $10 cancellation fee even when the driver cancels

#66

Post by Veratyr »

elahd wrote: post #15

I've been in standoffs with Uber/Lyft drivers where the driver calls or texts me saying they don't want to pick me up for whatever reason and demand that I cancel the hail. Drivers don't want to be the ones who cancel because canceling reduces their rating. I don't want to cancel because I both don't want the hit to my rating and I don't want to have to follow up with Uber/Lyft to request a cancellation fee refund. L…

> I've been in standoffs with Uber/Lyft drivers where the driver calls or texts me saying they don't want to pick me up for whatever reason and demand that I cancel the hail.

I've had them try this, whenever they do, I tell them they can either come or cancel but if they don't choose, I have a competing app on my phone and I'll just call another ride.

Re: Uber is charging passengers a $10 cancellation fee even when the driver cancels

#67

Post by KnoopKnoop »

leephillips wrote: post #29

What's wrong with taxis? I've taken plenty of cabs, but never an Uber or Lyft. In a city you can easily flag them down, or find a number and phone for one. Many cab companies have had phone apps for years, too. If you prefer Uber, can you explain why? Because there are tons of complaints here about the company.

In my city Taxi's are horrible; I remember I was heading back from a party and I spent 4 hours waiting (calling back every 15-20 minutes to see where it was) before finally deciding to leave and spend the 2 hours to walk. Another time I had to go pick something up from a friends house that was 7 kilometers away, there and back cost me $56 somehow (I believe he may have started the clock before he arrived but I didn't confirm)

Re: Uber is charging passengers a $10 cancellation fee even when the driver cancels

#68

Post by galdosdi »

elahd wrote: post #15

I've been in standoffs with Uber/Lyft drivers where the driver calls or texts me saying they don't want to pick me up for whatever reason and demand that I cancel the hail. Drivers don't want to be the ones who cancel because canceling reduces their rating. I don't want to cancel because I both don't want the hit to my rating and I don't want to have to follow up with Uber/Lyft to request a cancellation fee refund. L…

Wow that's egregious. One thing I'm curious about -- what leverage does the driver have when trying to strongarm you into cancelling? Why do you end up giving in?

> I eventually gave in and canceled the request.

Re: Uber is charging passengers a $10 cancellation fee even when the driver cancels

#69

Post by galdosdi »

twoodfin wrote: post #18
chii wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what happens when things are unregulated. But oh, regulation causes high fees/cost, and so it's ok to ignore! Until of course, when it isn't.

Isn't the point of elahd's story that Uber/Lyft drivers are already regulated (particularly) extensively in NYC, but that the regulations (at least in that instance) are ineffective?

It sounds like the regulations could be enforced better, but it does not sound _that_ ineffective. Lyft was fined $1000.

Re: Uber is charging passengers a $10 cancellation fee even when the driver cancels

#70

Post by galdosdi »

marcosdumay wrote: post #27
chii wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what happens when things are unregulated. But oh, regulation causes high fees/cost, and so it's ok to ignore! Until of course, when it isn't.

Regulating behavior is completely different from regulating entry on market. Besides, I fail to see how the GP wasn't victim of fraud. He may have better luck if he went to the police instead of a commercial regulator.

I'd be shocked if you went to NYPD with this and they _didn't_ respond by just redirecting you to the T&LC.
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