Uber Driver Sob Stories

intrepid27

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Oct 9, 2006
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Marion, IA
I probably only average 4 or 5 trips per month but it seem like the last 4 months 80% of my Uber drivers have some financial sob story. "I just had to put on new tires...." or " "My partner has throat cancer...".

I'm guessing they are inadvertently lobbying for tips but it drives me crazy. Does anyone else experience this?
 

harimad

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Jul 28, 2016
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I try to strike up a conversation with the driver. I have a 4.97 rating, so must be doing something right
I had no idea that the drivers rated us. I checked mine out and I've got a 5.00. That's good to know, I'll bet if you have a lower rating, you'll have a harder time getting picked up for rides.
 

mapnerd

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Aug 17, 2006
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I had no idea that the drivers rated us. I checked mine out and I've got a 5.00. That's good to know, I'll bet if you have a lower rating, you'll have a harder time getting picked up for rides.
How do you check your score?
 
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coolerifyoudid

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Feb 8, 2013
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KC
I've also never used Uber yet, but I've had plenty of cabbies and hair stylists pander for tips. I assumed it was part of the game.
 
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heitclone

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Jun 21, 2009
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Way up there
Lots of people working for tips do this, I had a waitress last week tell me about her son with special needs, her mom with cancer, her relatives in PR dealing with the hurricane recovery and her PTSD from serving over seas. Each trip to our table she had another story. It didn't bother me but at some point it felt like we were being pranked or something.
 
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HGoat1

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Sep 25, 2018
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I've experienced this, but I generally just stick to a 20% tip regardless.

I thought this thread was going a different direction, about uber horror stories. I recently had an uber driver whom told me she had recently had foot surgery, and had her pedal foot in a boot. She was driving very sporadically. I almost told her to pull over on the interstate because I was so uncomfortable, I wish I would have.That probably deserves its own thread.
 
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Bigman38

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Jul 27, 2010
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Council Bluffs, IA
I’ve never had that happen, honestly might make me less likely to tip unless it really felt earnest.

I did have a guy talk about his past jobs and how he ended up in prison. That was as interesting as they’ve been.
 

alarson

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Mar 15, 2006
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Ankeny
Are you being serious?

1 star is definitely extreme, but drivers should definitely take the hint if you're not talking or just giving one word 'uh huh' type answers.

I'll usually talk with the drivers, but i've had some times, particularly if i was fetching a car i'd left downtown the night before, i wasnt in a particularly talkative mood but they wanted to talk my ear off
 
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mapnerd

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Aug 17, 2006
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I just opened the app on my phone, and tapped the three horizontal lines in the upper left hand corner. My profile showed up, and the star rating was just under my name.
Thanks I see it now. I’m dumb. Now I need to find out which jagoff gave me under 5 stars. I’m at 4.96. I’m a very wonderful passenger.
 
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