New to Uber - Safe for Female Solo Traveler?

I did Uber for the first time in September at a conference. Went from Marriott World to Disney Springs and back, then for breakfast to AoA the next morning. 4 total different drivers and all very pleasant and informative. 3 of them were former taxi drivers and they praise Uber any day of the week. When I got home, I signed up and now drive in my community. I have had several single females and a few stated that they liked the fact that they could see my phone on the dashboard. It "freaks" them out less they said. You can also follow along on your phone during the drive. Tips are optional and not expected from the driver. We are supposed to tell the rider this and if they insist, then we can take it.
 
My daughter goes to a University in Boston, and uses Uber daily/nightly. She's never had a problem, and feels completely safe.
 




RideShareRob said:
Theres no in app tipping capability. We do accept and appreciate cash tips for good service.
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We drivers have to maintain our cars; the wear and tear, washing inside and out, and gas. I always say thank you for offering the tip, but I would like your 5 star rating. Then they still typically offer the tip for the service and safety traveling with me.
 
Ladygoldenhair said:
We drivers have to maintain our cars; the wear and tear, washing inside and out, and gas. I always say thank you for offering the tip, but I would like your 5 star rating. Then they still typically offer the tip for the service and safety traveling with me.
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I often tip even when it's not expected, and I couldn't imagine not offering a gratuity to a driver if everything went well. I'm also big on leaving product and service reviews, so if I have a good experience with my Uber drivers, they'll get both tip and 5-stars from me. :thumbsup2
 
An uber driver is not allowed to take a tip (that might be regional though, most of my uber experience is in the nyc area). You rate the trip when you get out and there's a little adjustment on how much they get (or if they stay an uber driver) depending on what you rate them.

With that said, the better drivers tend to offer you a bottle of water and generally I "offer to pay a price that would make disney jealous" for that small bottle of water at the end.. :wink: 99% of the time I just make sure they have a great rating and don't tip.
 
RideShareRob said:
Heres some food for thought. As many if you know, I drive UberXL and Select at wdw. I also, during the day, leave it on at home. I live in Windermere, about ten mins north of MK. Frequently, I drive teenagers (usually girls) from the area to local shopping and dtd. I even spoke with ones Mom last week. So parents are definitely booking uber for their kids. That mom actually lived in a $10mil home in Keenes Point.
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I know this is a slightly older thread (not quite a zombie, LOL), but I was under the impression that you had to be 18 to use Uber without an adult. I would have *loved* to put my 16-year old in an Uber car to get her to swim team practice a few times in the last 4 months but I had to ask friends to get her there instead.
 
I love Uber, and use them exclusively. I've never had anything but friendly, courteous drivers in every city I've used them in. The vehicles are usually more comfortable, and cleaner than taxis. You can track the trip on your phone so that you can see if they are taking you directly to your destination.

Honestly, with one exception in Dublin, I've never had a cab driver that I felt comfortable with. They are always rude, often smell very bad, and they drive way out of the way to overcharge you.
 
robinb said:
I know this is a slightly older thread (not quite a zombie, LOL), but I was under the impression that you had to be 18 to use Uber without an adult. I would have *loved* to put my 16-year old in an Uber car to get her to swim team practice a few times in the last 4 months but I had to ask friends to get her there instead.
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The person who has the account has to be over 18, although I dont think this is enforced if the payment goes through. However, the accountholder does not have to be riding. So you could book the car for your daughter easily. Youre just responsible for her behavior (or anyone riding on your account)
 
Uber may have been safe in 2015, but I would not ride uber alone. Uber is not like a taxi, because they don't do background checks of the drivers. I know that the drivers are mostly wonderful people, but uber has been known to accept unsavory characters to be drivers, including in Orlando. If this wasn't the case, there wouldn't be a new car service coming on line for women only.
http://www.chariotforwomen.com/about-us.html
and there wouldn't be a website that collects uber horror stories that is updated almost weekly. (Some of these are from outside the US, but the problem is uber's policies, not location.)
http://www.whosdrivingyou.org/rideshare-incidents

For those of you who have had great experiences and don't want to stop using uber, this post is not for you.
For those of you who drive for uber, don't stop, but please demand your company start weeding out the bad apples that give you a bad rep, and could take away your business.
This is for the rest of you who are on the fence. Trust your instincts. If taking a ride from someone who has not been vetted makes you uncomfortable, find another way to get to your destination or get someone to join you.
 
Love uber. I have used t alone (as well as taxis) and typically feel safer in an uber car. So for me, I know there's risks with both but from my personal anecdotal experiences, the odds of safety has been higher with uber drivers. 2 out of 3 Mears taxi experiences in Orlando have not been good whereas I have used uber about a dozen times in Orlando and all have been excellent.
 
MinMou said:
If this wasn't the case, there wouldn't be a new car service coming on line for women only.
http://www.chariotforwomen.com/about-us.html
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http://www.chariotforwomen.com/about-us.html

I find it interesting that so many people consider themselves safe if they are being driven by a women; it's not a guarantee that you won't be picked up by a psycho. I also find that Chariot for Women website vaguely condescending: "What would I do if I were a woman?" The same exact thing you did, pull over and get help. Honestly, is this 1950? Are we all delicate flowers incapable of rational thought? :rolleyes:

There wouldn't be a website that collects uber horror stories that is updated almost weekly. (Some of these are from outside the US, but the problem is uber's policies, not location.) http://www.whosdrivingyou.org/rideshare-incidents.
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Yeah, because that site definitely isn't created by taxi companies trying to discredit Uber and Lyft. :rolleyes: I would be very curious to see such a site collecting information on taxi drivers, you'd probably find an equal number of "horror stories", if not more.


elaine amj said:
Love uber. I have usedi t alone (as well as taxis) and typically feel safer in an uber car. So for me, I know there's risks with both but from my personal anecdotal experiences, the odds of safety has been higher with uber drivers. 2 out of 3 Mears taxi experiences in Orlando have not been good whereas I have used uber about a dozen times in Orlando and all have been excellent.
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Ditto, I've never been comfortable on any cab ride I've taken. Price gouging aside, I've always been leered at, had my destination complained about, and even been yelled at by cab drivers. Uber drivers on the other hand, know that I'm going to be rating them, and the number of drives they get is directly affected by that rating. As such they are pleasant, have clean vehicles, and don't yell at me when the fare isn't going to be big enough. I can also track my own ride on my phone and make sure that the driver isn't taking me wayyyyy out of the way to jack up the price, even if I'm not familiar with the area. The way I look at it, each Uber driver is a small business, and I like supporting small business rather than taxi cartels.
 
There's also Lyft, which, from what I've heard, is more selective about drivers. I know someone who was accepted by Uber but told "no, thanks" by Lyft.
 
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