Uber rolls out in-app tipping

In my case if they all went to sleep, it's not that the demand was low... if that last guy goes to sleep, or someone else calls him first, it's the supply that's low. There's no surge pricing, if they all go to sleep, you'll have to start walking across town! They're not calling someone in for surge pricing, you're waiting for them to wake up or you're calling a cab if you're lucky for definitely at least twice as much (and then of course, with absolutely none of the convenience of Uber or Lyft)

This guy wasn't just staying up for a tip! He was literally on vacation from the corndog factory, where he worked 3rd shift maintaining the machines that they use to make corndogs, normally up every day til at least 5 or 7am, so he was going to be awake at this time anyway, I guess I just got lucky. (He almost crashed the car in a roundabout on the way, I still gave him a perfect rating anyway, I was so grateful for the ride.)

I also asked him about the corndogs and he said that it was kind of disgusting the number of corndogs they actually make every day, and to think that means people must be eating them at about the same rate? Millions of damn corndogs.

Anyway about the Lyft, the delay happened very late in the train ride, I was supposed to arrive at about 12:00 midnight, but I didn't get there til at least 12:45. We were stopped 20 miles outside of town, where there's nothing, in the middle of Northern Indiana... so scheduling a ride is basically right out for me, I don't know when I'll be arriving until it's about 12:30am. I've got basically nobody to call.

I spent about two hours nervously eyeing the real-time maps, watching the small number of idle Uber cars and the last of them going offline at 12, and the overall number of idle Lyft cars in the entire city dwindle from 4, to 2, almost instantly at 12:00 like they turned into pumpkins, and then down to 1 as it drew closer to 12:15. I'm talking nobody, in at least a 45 minute radius. Thankfully, this one guy stayed up! Unless I got played by the Lyft app, this was an emotional rollercoaster. I mean I've never been out west like this, I spent the whole day traveling from Utah in and out of Airports, and train stations, after already another solid week of traveling during the prior week and now I was so ready to get home.

I simply can't express this tale of that one awesome guy who stayed awake for Lyft enough times, or in the fullness of its glory. But only to emphasize the point, that I was able to express my gratitude in the form of a tip after leaving the vehicle. The only tip that seemed appropriate was about 133%, the fare was only $7, so, $10! I just assumed the app would let me do it, I didn't try to fumble with cash; I have used Uber and Lyft combined a total of maybe 5 times before. I didn't even know you couldn't tip with Uber (at that time.)

Probably was the only person on that train who needed to order a ride from Lyft. Most everyone on that train was a sleeper, headed for parts of New York, and everyone else (total of maybe 8 people) looked like they had pre-arranged rides with family.

I wouldn't describe any of the drivers I've had as being assholes. Every single one of them was at least friendly. Most were helpful, some extremely so. Rather than begging for a tip, I was happy to give them a little bit extra. They appreciate it and I feel good about it. It's win-win.