Parents: Do you mind chauffering your kids around?

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The app shows where the car actually is not the route they told the driver to take. You can see that they are 2 turns away and turn too soon, or that they avoided a wreck or whatever.

Well their apps for sure at least advised them which route to take and showed the path they were supposed to take. Looking at their phones that's what it showed at least.

Seriously, don't spend a SECOND of your life worrying about Uber. I have taken literally over a thousand Uber trips now, part of that is due to travel, and part because I have periods were I can't drive due to medical suspensions (I hate driving, so this is not a hardship). I've only had one experience that was weird. I've had better and worse drivers, but none I felt unsafe with. I think a lot of people just haven't used the service that often and it's the fear of the unknown, or all my time in actual large cities made me immune. Once I spent time in Bogota and Mexico City, a little Uber ride seems a silly thing to even think about twice (not talking about you in specific, Mac, just generally).

Thanks for the confidence I appreciate it

I'm still not there yet with it. Part of it is unease in general due to their business model, part of it is insurance issues (which I come from an insurance background), part of it is the lack of a working relationship Uber often has with cities (they were kicked out of my area and so was lyft for a while because of insurance requirements and background checks), and yes some of it is hearing stuff on the media (and I'm usually critical of media stories). Uber is well-used here too after all the insurance and background check issues were worked out.

The Ubers I've been in have all been very friendly people so it's more just unease about the company as a whole.

And lol on the Mexico part I could see why Uber wouldn't seem like no big deal there.

 

[Hikergirl]

You don't know if that kid's friend mom is drunk in the afternoon either. Different people/different opinions.

And that happens. There was one girl in my ds's class whose parents were both alcoholics. I would give her rides home occasionally since she lived in my neighborhood and she told me that her mom picks her up after she has been drinking, and offers to drive her friends home.
So sad for that girl, whenever I saw her after school I'd tell her to call her mom and let her know she didn't have to come pick her up, I would drop her off.
My ds was under strict orders to never get in the car with that woman, ever.
I'm not sure I'd trust an Uber driver for him at 15, but I don't trust them for my 21 year old either LOL
I just do the obligatory "be careful, don't Uber alone, can't you take the bus instead" text when she's going out. Her campus has a bus that you can call and order a pick-up and a drop in town. It's cheap and it's always packed with other students so nobody is ever really alone.

 

[Hikergirl]

Guess things are different here in NJ. Kids here have to wait until 17 to even get their license, after a year of driving with their permit, yet in other states, 14 year olds are driving to school. I also don’t have them put on temporary tags for 2 years announcing to other drivers that they are underage, and again, I don’t know if any parents here that do.

When you get your license they give you special plates to put on your car designating you as a new driver?

 

[amberpi]

Well their apps for sure at least advised them which route to take and showed the path they were supposed to take. Looking at their phones that's what it showed at least.

Thanks for the confidence I appreciate it

I'm still not there yet with it. Part of it is unease in general due to their business model, part of it is insurance issues (which I come from an insurance background), part of it is the lack of a working relationship Uber often has with cities (they were kicked out of my area and so was lyft for a while because of insurance requirements and background checks), and yes some of it is hearing stuff on the media (and I'm usually critical of media stories). Uber is well-used here too after all the insurance and background check issues were worked out.

The Ubers I've been in have all been very friendly people so it's more just unease about the company as a whole.

And lol on the Mexico part I could see why Uber wouldn't seem like no big deal there.

The app advises the driver, but you see where their car is in real time if you're allowed access to the riders account, etc. Uber can tell them to go to Timbuck2, but the car will appear where it actually is at any given moment.

The business model was unique, but now it's everywhere, so I get some initial hesitation.

I think the more exposure one has to different types of lifestyles, the less phased you are about a lot of things. If there aren't machine guns at an airport, I'm gtg. I will admit I'm not sure I'll ever get used to that one, but I have gotten some cabs in some pretty sketchy places. I'm alright, never been abducted or machine gunned I also wear my regular jewelry on vacation and carry my normal bags. Never been robbed/never had anything lifted from a hotel safe (another thing people love to wring their hands about). I think we can look for boogeymen were they are not.

This has gone totally off topic for the carpool issue though, which sounds like a crap situation OP and I'm sorry you're getting the wrong end of it. My question is, what if you had been out living your own life, does she expect you to stay at home and wait for her calls? The advance planning advice of Wenrob seemed super sound.

@Hikergirl - that sounds scary for everyone on the roads at that time of day. Yikes!

 

[mjkacmom]

When you get your license they give you special plates to put on your car designating you as a new driver?

No, they give you Velcro stickers that you are supposed to attach to the license plate of the car you are driving, every time you drive.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The app advises the driver, but you see where their car is in real time if you're allowed access to the riders account, etc. Uber can tell them to go to Timbuck2, but the car will appear where it actually is at any given moment.

The business model was unique, but now it's everywhere, so I get some initial hesitation.

I think the more exposure one has to different types of lifestyles, the less phased you are about a lot of things. If there aren't machine guns at an airport, I'm gtg. I will admit I'm not sure I'll ever get used to that one, but I have gotten some cabs in some pretty sketchy places. I'm alright, never been abducted or machine gunned I also wear my regular jewelry on vacation and carry my normal bags. Never been robbed/never had anything lifted from a hotel safe (another thing people love to wring their hands about). I think we can look for boogeymen were they are not.

This has gone totally off topic for the carpool issue though, which sounds like a crap situation OP and I'm sorry you're getting the wrong end of it. My question is, what if you had been out living your own life, does she expect you to stay at home and wait for her calls? The advance planning advice of Wenrob seemed super sound.

@Hikergirl - that sounds scary for everyone on the roads at that time of day. Yikes!

Yeah I don't think for me it's lack of familiarity. Unless Uber completely changes their business model and business relationships with cities I doubt I'll be fully comfortable with them; for me it's not that it's about ridesharing it's how they go about it. That is totally just me. I know many other people who have zero issues with it

But yeah totally went way off topic for the thread so I suppose we should go back on topic now about carpools

 

[amberpi]

Yeah I don't think for me it's lack of familiarity. Unless Uber completely changes their business model and business relationships with cities I doubt I'll be fully comfortable with them; for me it's not that it's about ridesharing it's how they go about it. That is totally just me. I know many other people who have zero issues with it

But yeah totally went way off topic for the thread so I suppose we should go back on topic now about carpools

I got you!

Let 'em walk uphill both ways in the snow. That'll save money on Ubers AND let mom have a break.

 

[amberpi]

The real safety issue with any driving...turtles.

https://www.wsmv.com/news/us_world_...gosih1xED4id4gwBoHJpxTvCNmCpnJaTvsEk3dS5h223g

 

[lovin'fl]

My kids are now 20, 20 and 22 so I don't anymore. But, YES, I did mind. Hated it. Did what I had to but hated to go beyond what was necessary. Like driving a carful to and then from a movie because the 4 other girls going couldn't get one of their parents to do one end. I really kept that crap at a minimum. My 2 DDs-20 were on a travel sports team so we were all over the east coast (and farther) for that. Plus all the doctor appts (dentist, ortho, eye, primary care...and my uncle was our ortho and was an hour away) and then hair and shopping for shoes or clothes or sports gear....and then touring colleges and any other school things. And HS sports that we'd have to bring them home from their school after games or practices (and our HS was 18 mins drive and they'd play like 40 mins away but HAVE to take bus back to their school and then go home so we were following bus needlessly). SO glad those days are done. I knew of moms who lived out of their minivans and seemed to enjoy that. I was NOT one of those moms.

 

[superme80]

It has just begun. We joined a co-op about 30 mins from us. My kids have had so many extra last minute class I have had to run them to. Add in their dance classes and AWANAS, and I am done! I just know it will get worse once they make more solid friendships and will want to hang out after co-op and church.

 

[wenrob]

You don't know if that kid's friend mom is drunk in the afternoon either. Different people/different opinions.

Oh yeah, I was in a vehicle with a drunk mom more than a few times as a kid. I’ve also run into drunk parents at older DD’s school events. I just recently discovered someone close enough to me to be on my kids emergency list was not only day drinking but doing it at work as well. You just never know.

Older DD and her friends Uber quite often. They have a whole system of checks and balances down that made me feel a whole lot better as a parent. She also shares her location with me (the whole family shares with each other.) If/when the time comes for the younger two to use it I will look to her for guidance. Right now they’re 13 and use sneaker power to get where they want to go about 80% of the time. They ever refuse to respond to my calls/texts I’ll make those phones bricks.

 

[North of Mouse]

I learned a special word 'NO'! Other parents can't walk all over you if you don't become a rug and let them. Everyone does their part, period!

 

[amberpi]

Oh yeah, I was in a vehicle with a drunk mom more than a few times as a kid. I’ve also run into drunk parents at older DD’s school events. I just recently discovered someone close enough to me to be on my kids emergency list was not only day drinking but doing it at work as well. You just never know.

I don’t want to like this but I totally agree. It happened to me as a kid. As kid, we knew she was “off” but didn’t understand it.

I’ve also seen the stats on sexual predators and slumber parties. I’m more worried about that then Uber’s.

 

[Hikergirl]

No, they give you Velcro stickers that you are supposed to attach to the license plate of the car you are driving, every time you drive.

Interesting, I never knew some states did anything like that.

 

[low-key]

before my daughter and her friends all got license , i didnt mind at all, it was a little inconvenient. I wish I remembered and knew when the last time I would ever do that was, I would of cherished it more

 

[1GoldenSun]

before my daughter and her friends all got license , i didnt mind at all, it was a little inconvenient. I wish I remembered and knew when the last time I would ever do that was, I would of cherished it more

Yeah, isn't it bittersweet how we have so many "lasts" and never realize it at the time. The last diaper you change, the last time you hold your child in your arms, the last shoe you tie, the last time you tuck them into bed--so many "lasts" happening and we just don't know it. All these things just come to an end one day and we never really saw it coming.

 

[NotUrsula]

Y'all do know that Uber/Lyft drivers are not supposed to take passengers who are under-18 unless they are with someone older? Against company rules b/c they are not insured for that. https://help.uber.com/partners/arti...-?nodeId=43b84de6-758b-489e-b088-7ee69c749ccd

Some cities have kid-only ride-sharing services with much stricter driving vetting, some examples are Zum, HopSkipDrive, and Zango. They cost a bit more, but are set up specifically to handle minors.

 

[amberpi]

before my daughter and her friends all got license , i didnt mind at all, it was a little inconvenient. I wish I remembered and knew when the last time I would ever do that was, I would of cherished it more

Ahhhhh, Low-key, you big ol softy!

 

[DisneyOma]

You don't know if that kid's friend mom is drunk in the afternoon either. Different people/different opinions.

I knew all of my kids' friends parents, so that was never an issue. Why would you even have your kid hang out with a family like that?

 

[PollyannaMom]

DD is starting more drop offs with friends. It’s frustrating sometimes. Can’t stand their failure to make plans or the change of plans that constantly go down.

Glad to hear it's not just me! Everything is just so fluid nowadays.