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Tell HN: New Uber user, Saturday night surge $200 to get home

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Tell HN: New Uber user, Saturday night surge $200 to get home

#1

Post by hoodoof »

I'm a new Uber user, and I've never had anything but praise for it.

Sat night however, out late in the city, need to drop my friend home and then back on to my house. I live in the suburbs so it's a long cab ride. I've had a few drinks and fumble my way past the surge pricing notification on Uber.

Next morning, check the email from Uber to see how much it cost to get home. I was expecting it to be quite alot - maybe $100.

$200 to get home on a Saturday night - ouch - I could have flown to a different city for a night out for that.

I don't blame Uber - they gave a super clear warning to me. However my pure joy honeymoon with Uber is over.

Re: Tell HN: New Uber user, Saturday night surge $200 to get home

#4

Post by nanis »

hoodoof wrote: post #3
Albright wrote: post #2

How much would it have cost you for a standard taxi?

At a guess, maybe $120? I really don't know. It was 70km and 27 minutes.

Would have been able to find a taxi the moment you wanted it? Would you have trusted a random cab driver in your drunken stupor more than you trusted the Uber driver.

Note: I am not an Uber user.

Re: Tell HN: New Uber user, Saturday night surge $200 to get home

#5

Post by pedalpete »

nanis wrote: post #4
hoodoof wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At a guess, maybe $120? I really don't know. It was 70km and 27 minutes.

Would have been able to find a taxi the moment you wanted it? Would you have trusted a random cab driver in your drunken stupor more than you trusted the Uber driver. Note: I am not an Uber user.

From my experience in Sydney, Aus (the author didn't mention what city he was in), every time I use Uber I feel like an idiot standing on the street corner waiting for my Uber driver to arrive while streams of available cabs go by.

I've only used Uber 5 times, but I'm not convinced this is the problem they are solving. Not in this city anyway.

Re: Tell HN: New Uber user, Saturday night surge $200 to get home

#7

Post by davismwfl »

So I like to look at it a different way, not to say $200 doesn't hurt either way.

But my thought is what would a DUI have cost me, or worse, what damage could I have done to someone else or their family. $200 feels wrong until I say damn, I am home safe, no one got hurt and yea it might suck a little but way cheaper then a lawyer or living with hurting someone else. Just a thought.

Re: Tell HN: New Uber user, Saturday night surge $200 to get home

#8

Post by hoodoof »

davismwfl wrote: post #7

So I like to look at it a different way, not to say $200 doesn't hurt either way. But my thought is what would a DUI have cost me, or worse, what damage could I have done to someone else or their family. $200 feels wrong until I say damn, I am home safe, no one got hurt and yea it might suck a little but way cheaper then a lawyer or living with hurting someone else. Just a thought.

I think the same way.

Even at $200, getting home safe without talking to the police for any reason is a good outcome.

All I'm saying is Uber needs to be used with caution.

Re: Tell HN: New Uber user, Saturday night surge $200 to get home

#9

Post by muruke »

pedalpete wrote: post #5
nanis wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would have been able to find a taxi the moment you wanted it? Would you have trusted a random cab driver in your drunken stupor more than you trusted the Uber driver. Note: I am not an Uber user.

From my experience in Sydney, Aus (the author didn't mention what city he was in), every time I use Uber I feel like an idiot standing on the street corner waiting for my Uber driver to arrive while streams of available cabs go by. I've only used Uber 5 times, but I'm not convinced this is the problem they are solving. Not in this city anyway.

Interestingly I have the opposite experience in Melbourne, Aus. I used to stand/walk/chase down empty cabs trying to get home but none would stop or just say things like "not far enough" or "i'm not going that way". This was true even at cab ranks.

Now I stand waiting for an Uber for a few minutes and 1. it turns up 2. they never complain about distance or direction and 3. I get home safely.

I do however mostly avoid crazy surcharge periods.

Re: Tell HN: New Uber user, Saturday night surge $200 to get home

#10

Post by Gustomaximus »

pedalpete wrote: post #5
nanis wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would have been able to find a taxi the moment you wanted it? Would you have trusted a random cab driver in your drunken stupor more than you trusted the Uber driver. Note: I am not an Uber user.

From my experience in Sydney, Aus (the author didn't mention what city he was in), every time I use Uber I feel like an idiot standing on the street corner waiting for my Uber driver to arrive while streams of available cabs go by. I've only used Uber 5 times, but I'm not convinced this is the problem they are solving. Not in this city anyway.

The beauty of Uber is you don't have to order when you hit the street. Order when you are still in the office/pub etc. Obviously it's not nice to make the drivers wait, but at the same time you can let them almost arrive before heading to the street. Uber sends that 'arriving' pre-warning to let you know.
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