Problems communicating with Uber

In My Humble Opinion
1

I really like the idea of Uber…but in practice, it’s been frustrating more often than not.

I just finished a ride where I got picked up at a hospital. The only hospital in town, the tallest building in town, and I was right at the main entrance rotunda; and my pickup location was the hospital’s address. The driver couldn’t find me. When he called, the conversation was like “I’m in the parking lot … where are you” Me: main entrance. Him: OK, I’m in the garage… Me: follow the signs that say “Hospital”…

Previous experience: I was leaving San Francisco’s War Memorial Opera House. The driver had no idea where I was. Dude…it’s the only opera house in town. After repeated calls, I gave up and got in a taxi.

Is it me? Is there a way of making one’s location clear (other than the address you enter when you request the ride)? Should I carry a flare gun?

2

Isn’t there an app for that?

3

I always text the guy exactly where I am. Half the time he calls back. Then I drunkenly explain. A driver has always found me so far…

My friend lives on a tiny stub of street that doesn’t connect to the big part of the street.

=him==) (==========same street======

Uber cancels on him all the time.

4

I live on a street like that, except I’m on the non-stub part. (A railroad track runs thru our neighborhood.) I often see cars drive down our street towards the railroad tracks, only to schlep back a moment later, because apparently they’re looking for one of the houses on the other side.

5

I didn’t realize there was an option of sending a text to the driver. That would, in theory, go a long way to making my location clear…

6

Don’t you have your GPS activated? I thought they could see your phone’s location exactly. I’ve only entered my destination address, as it finds me with location turned on. But yeah, you can text the driver, too. I’ll do that at home to tell them when there are big snowbanks, to pick me up at the corner.

7

Yep, GPS is on.

Another thing: If I enter my destination in the app (which I do, to get a fare estimate) the driver should be able to get it automatically…so I don’t have to repeat it, and have him say he can’t find it (because he’s fat-fingered the street name). Which just happened today.

8

It seems they cannot see your location exactly, they can only see the street address. I got a complaint from an Uber driver because the address happened to be a row of two strip malls, and he had no idea which of the many stores I was at.

I always have to “pin” where I am on the map.

9

Huh. I haven’t had to tell them where I’m going, figured it came up on their app. They’ve verified it, but say the address to me first. I can’t say I’ve taken a lot of Uber rides, so maybe it will come up. Thanks to this thread I’ll be prepared, anyway. I wonder if it’s different regionally, like some kind of difference in privacy laws or something else odd.

10

Texting the driver…pinning your location…it’s like there was a Uber users guide that I didn’t get.

11

Addresses where there are multiple likely places to be waiting are going to be a problem for any transportation, whether it’s Uber, a taxi, or a friend picking you up.

12

I drove for them for a while…one of the problems is, GPS does not work for crap indoors and people in apartment complexes order rides all the time and the locations end up within 200 yards or so, but that could easily be one of several buildings.

13

The difference being assholes leaving bad ratings when you couldnt find their apartment by GPS gets you fired even though realistically its not the drivers fault.

14

Well, an apartment should be found with the Mark 1 Eyeball once you’re in the complex, assuming buildings are clearly numbered.

15

I used to drive ambulance I understand all too well how to find an address. The challenge is they dont normally give you an apartment number, just an address. That address can easily be 3-4 multi story buildings with parking lots on all sides. You tag yourself as “here for pickup” and you dont see anyone. You orbit the building(s) a few times, dont see anyone, call and get no answer, then 5 min later they call you back saying they have been waiting outside for 15 minutes and lo and behold you see them come walking out from one of the apartments.

It doesn’t take many 3-4 star ratings to bump you off the system, and there are alot of assholes who will slam you for this kind of scenario with zero discretion given by uber.

Also common to find yourself waiting outside clubs for a long time when people cant hear or feel phones over loud music.

16

I’ve only had that problem with Uber once, and it was a bit of a conspfusing location, with several possible entrances. Usually, I’m at the front door of a hotel or restaurant and everything is very easy.

17

True. Uber customers are more likely to be crappy than Uber drivers. Every Uber driver I’ve had has been great. A lot better than taxi drivers actually.