Used Uber for first time

[RedHead0186]

I had a similar situation. Uber driver calling and saying he was there and what area he was in at the airport. I am in the same one and not seeing car or license plate. We talked on the phone until we found each other. He had taken his other car today (apparently he had 2 that he would use to drive uber). Face matched, name matched, and my pin code unlocked the ride. Oh and this was in FL, and he had a CA phone number and a Dodgers hat in the window too so seemed like that matched a bit too. I did pause before getting in, but it was fine and he got me to my resort no problem.

Yeah, I think more often than not those types of things are honest 'oopses' and everything is fine. But, as a woman who is often traveling alone, I always have to be extra diligent. All I have to go on is what the app tells me, so it always makes me pause when something is amiss.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I’m reading these posts and guess the ride setup is different in my area because there is no PIN to input.

 

[RedHead0186]

I’m reading these posts and guess the ride setup is different in my area because there is no PIN to input.

It's a feature you have to turn on (under "Safety Preferences")

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’m reading these posts and guess the ride setup is different in my area because there is no PIN to input.

While I haven't used it before it looks like it's a setting you need to change in order to have the feature. I haven't seen anything indicate it's market-specific just something to do with your account settings

https://help.uber.com/riders/articl.../?nodeId=2ddbb5e8-0dd3-4048-b9ee-f6b5e5311e25

 

[KPeterso]

Yeah, I think more often than not those types of things are honest 'oopses' and everything is fine. But, as a woman who is often traveling alone, I always have to be extra diligent. All I have to go on is what the app tells me, so it always makes me pause when something is amiss.

Yeah - I was a single female that ride too. Always good to be extra cautious.

 

[NYCgrrl]

It's a feature you have to turn on (under "Safety Preferences")

Just noted it on the app. Thanks

 

[Mle8308]

It's a feature you have to turn on (under "Safety Preferences")

Thanks! I use Uber on a semi regular basis and I did not know about this feature!

 

[sam_gordon]

I'm not following on how the PIN helps.

Customer gives the PIN to the driver to "unlock" the route on their phone, correct?

Do you give them the PIN before you get in the car? In which case do you ask to see the phone?

Giving the PIN after you get in the car is useless.

 

[disneychrista]

I'm not following on how the PIN helps.

Customer gives the PIN to the driver to "unlock" the route on their phone, correct?

Do you give them the PIN before you get in the car? In which case do you ask to see the phone?

Giving the PIN after you get in the car is useless.

I kind of agree. For the pin to be helpful it should be something the driver needs to give to the passenger to "prove" they are the correct driver.

 

[Imzadi]

The ride doesn’t start until they type in the pin. I’ve never seen a setup where I couldn’t see them put the pin in, it takes like their whole screen.

But, that's because we have had honest drivers actually doing their job.

If it's a killer trying to get a victim, they can pretend to input the PIN number (that WE give them) on a faux tablet and then drive away with us in the car. There is nothing in their car to stop any ride. They aren't real Uber drivers.

I'm not following on how the PIN helps.

Customer gives the PIN to the driver to "unlock" the route on their phone, correct?

Do you give them the PIN before you get in the car? In which case do you ask to see the phone?

Giving the PIN after you get in the car is useless.

I kind of agree. For the pin to be helpful it should be something the driver needs to give to the passenger to "prove" they are the correct driver.

EXACTLY! It doesn't make sense the way it's set up. The purpose of us having the PIN should be a way to verify info BEFORE we get into a car. An extra safeguard in case a passenger, (especially a new one,) misses one or two of the safeguards we already mentioned.

 

[Imzadi]

Have read or heard more problems with Uber from online or friends/relatives. All happening really the last 6 months. Last trip I was in my friend got one for us. Only a 12 minute ride but the WHOLE 12 minutes the driver complained he wasn't being paid enough by Uber and needing bigger tips.

I don't remember the rating she gave but the ride was uncomfortable.

Be careful when rating drivers. Drivers get to rate us passengers too. I used to have a 5.0 (highest) rating. After I rated a couple drivers down for having smokey or dirty cars, they retaliated by giving me bad ratings. Now I have a 4.8 rating. (Click on your Uber profile. It's under your name.)

I'd be worried that if the rating goes too low, the only drivers that will pick us up are the kind of driver you talked about.

 

[Imzadi]

I once got in the wrong car and the pin caught it. Driver photos can be off and they always screw up my name.

Hmm, maybe change your name in your Uber profile to a simple name easy to pronounce?

I do that when when I order fast food, like at Taco Bell, and the system wants to log each order by name. Then the clerk shouts out your name for pick up. I just pick something simple and easy to pronounce like "Sue." And if they make us input a last name too, I write "Sue Z" like Suzy.

 

[ronandannette]

May I ask those of you who use Uber but have concerns, why did you start using Uber instead of a taxi and why do you continue? Honestly interested.

 

[ChrisFL]

May I ask those of you who use Uber but have concerns, why did you start using Uber instead of a taxi and why do you continue? Honestly interested.

I think at least initially it was much cheaper than taxis and more convenient with app where you can have credit card stored, know in advance how much the trip will cost, things like that.

I honestly don't know how taxi companies are catching up or not and Uber/Lyft are all over several countries where many taxi services are by city/region.

 

[RedAngie]

I was not aware of the PIN feature. Thanks for mentioning it.

 

[jujubiee4]

Be careful when rating drivers. Drivers get to rate us passengers too. I used to have a 5.0 (highest) rating. After I rated a couple drivers down for having smokey or dirty cars, they retaliated by giving me bad ratings. Now I have a 4.8 rating. (Click on your Uber profile. It's under your name.)

I'd be worried that if the rating goes too low, the only drivers that will pick us up are the kind of driver you talked about.

Thanks. I dont have an uber acct. My friend who I with does. I have read about drivers giving low ratings due to poor tips. System kinda sucks. Reminds me of Facebook Marketplace where after a certain amount of messages buyer can rate you even if they dont buy the item. And some will be petty and rate low if you refuse lowball offer.

 

[mjkacmom]

May I ask those of you who use Uber but have concerns, why did you start using Uber instead of a taxi and why do you continue? Honestly interested.

It’s way easier to call an uber than schedule a cab here (and in NJ, taxi’s are horrible). With uber I’m waiting only a few minutes to be picked up.

 

[mjkacmom]

But, that's because we have had honest drivers actually doing their job.

If it's a killer trying to get a victim, they can pretend to input the PIN number (that WE give them) on a faux tablet and then drive away with us in the car. There is nothing in their car to stop any ride. They aren't real Uber drivers.






EXACTLY! It doesn't make sense the way it's set up. The purpose of us having the PIN should be a way to verify info BEFORE we get into a car. An extra safeguard in case a passenger, (especially a new one,) misses one or two of the safeguards we already mentioned.

It helps protect the driver.

 

[tvguy]

My wife refuses to use Uber of Lyft because she finds the whole idea of getting in a stranger's car creepy. Plus, she is not comfortable with us getting a ride from a stranger when we are going to the airport.....so a stranger knows where we live and that we are going to be away. She feels the same way with Taxi Cabs, but at least in California, at least, you have to have a clean criminal record to drive a cab.
With three cars at home, we always have a car available. Trips to the airport, short trips away from home, we leave a car at the airport, costs $20 a day to park. Longer trips, like our last one, 2 weeks, we just rented a car one way for $50 each way.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It’s way easier to call an uber than schedule a cab here (and in NJ, taxi’s are horrible). With uber I’m waiting only a few minutes to be picked up.

Yeah I'm not always really wanting to use Uber or Lyft but these days there are quite a few instances where it's just easier. If you're going from an airport to a hotel and there isn't a shuttle a taxi isn't as big of an issue in getting one but going from a hotel to another destination it's usually pretty easy to get an uber. Or from destination to destination.

In September it was about 2 or 3 minutes for our uber to show up at the hotel (offsite a few miles down the road from Disney Springs) to take us to the Transportation and Ticket Center although my husband did pay a few dollars more for speedy pick up it just would have taken longer to get a taxi regardless. In Lisbon earlier this year Uber was very convenient and easy to use both to get us from the airport to our hotel then next day to get us from our hotel to the city center and then the following day from our hotel to the cruise terminal. And there it's a very economical option.

The only place where it would not be safe to use Uber is in Cancun where Ubers are targets from local taxis (who are themselves not really safe). I'm not sure if the situation has gotten better over the last few years but in 2023 it was just not advised to use Uber there because the drivers were being attacked by taxi drivers. And there the taxi drivers are not the safest option. There it's advised to get the transportation from your hotel directly.