Tips, tricks, etc...

Hey there, you lovable penny-pinchers behind the wheel! 😉 For those of you who've been treating your passengers to a delightful sauna experience all summer long (read: no A/C), we've found a little something that might make your life a tad less… tropical.

But hold onto your steering wheels, this deal is even hotter than your car's interior. Your favorite e-commerce empire (rhymes with "Glamazon") has slapped a "Today's Deal" sticker on this bad boy. You know what that means - it's time to dust off that credit card and make a purchase you've been putting off longer than your car's overdue oil change.

Trust us, your passengers (and your sweat glands) will thank you. So go ahead, treat yourself to some cool relief. You're welcome, by the way. Now, who's ready for a refreshing ride? 🚗💨❄️

During this short Uber Reservations ride, my passenger told me that multiple previous drivers insisted they could not (would not) take the “shorter” route I had been following since she suggested it right after I started the trip.

This was not a person who suddenly suggested a "better" route after we had been driving. Those passengers need to take a deep breath, and remain silent!

It’s funny (but really it’s never funny when it happens) that there was actually no difference at all in mileage between the route Uber app presented and her “faster“ route, although hers was estimated at one whole minute faster. But we’ve all seen social media comments from drivers who would take a position on this and argue their point instead of simply accommodating the person in the backseat.

I had a 5.0 rating prior to this trip. The only thing that went wrong on this ride was that a mother (the account holder) got the ride for her older high school aged daughter by herself. If this student is underage, that's of against terms of service and deserving of a 1-Star rating based solely on breaking that rule.

But far more insulting to me as the driver, this mother (the account holder) was aggressively combative via in app messaging immediately when I arrived at the pick up location before I was able to stop my vehicle or verbally confirm the name of the rider. I always do the same thing on arrival:

Lower the passenger windows around 3-4 inches ⚠️

Look at them and ask (LOUD), "what's the name for the ride?"

Wait for the correct response before unlocking my door 😎

The mother sent four (4) messages before I even stopped, first insisting that I had driven "right past" her daughter and then in classic ALL CAPS, "STOP STOP" which might have been okay, but then two more: WTF and finally, GO BACK!!!!!!!!

As these messages were blowing me up, I was actually slowing to a stop right where the daughter was standing on the curb staring at her phone, blissfully unaware that I was even there (🥷🏻)

When I attempted to confirm the name for the ride, it was immediately obvious that mamma's baby girl did not understand what I was asking, so I asked again with a much more serious focus on 👀 contact and my big mean man voice. She snapped into reality and said the correct name but the damage was done... two seconds after the ride began, her phone rang. I could hear the mother squabbling and it wasn’t even on speaker. My passenger was mostly silent with subtle tones of agreement.

So my rating dropped right after the trip ended. The account holder (an understandably uptight but VERY rude mother) perceived poor service in some way—but that was not the case! Her likely underage daughter got a safe, friendly on time ride home from school. That’s what happened here.

Here’s one that has added optimized hourly earnings for many during their days of driving in circles for Uber and Lyft…if you don’t already have it yourself, you should definitely apply as a driver!

Unexpected $50 bump for reaching 30k points…thanks #playoctopus 😎

If anyone knows Zach, tell him to try being just a little friendlier (it might help him go far).

Okay, let's see how we can make this work...

Communication is "KEY"

A cyclist may not immediately recognize that throwing their clunky (and often dirty) bike in the back of a vehicle might present a problem for the driver. Even if the floors and cargo space are well covered with a nice (very highly recommended) set of rubber mats, most of us would still prefer not to soil them any more than just a little... or scratch anything else... like the headliner!

A driver who may deserve a nice tip for doing a "great job" can ruin the chance by showing even a remote hint of gruffness over what they may feel should be very obvious...

Getting the bike into your vehicle will need to be done very carefully if it's going to work at all.

A helpful attitude can lead to a good tip "for your trouble” (even if it’s no trouble at all). Once that position (that you are going to help if you can) has been effectively conveyed, even the most pushy or overly entitled cyclist will usually step back and just offer to help instead of acting like they could care less about scuffing up your bumper or back seats with their bike.

Asking if the front tire can be removed (it can, and easily so) is a good way to quickly take control of the situation. You want to end up handling the bike yourself. Allowing them to control the cargo door or lift the bike themselves could lead to them just shoving the bike in the back of your vehicle. But since it's your vehicle, you need to be the one in charge of what happens.

Starting out by objecting in any way will likely result in them trying to insist that the bike "will fit" or that it "will be okay" which will either result in conflict or put them in control of the situation. Since neither of these is the desired result, showing helpful concern by asking a question is often the best way to begin. Complimenting the fact that they’re out riding or just saying "nice bike" or any conversation to get them talking is a good way to take control of the situation which they'll actually appreciate in the end!

Some parents might have opinions on this.

Some drivers too!

Though the commission did not mention any companies by name, the message is clear: It plans to hold “gig-work” mainstays like Uber Technologies Inc. UBER, +0.24%, Lyft Inc. LYFT, -0.70%, DoorDash Inc. DASH, -0.19% and Instacart accountable for the promises they make to potential workers and how they treat the ride-hailing drivers and delivery workers who use their platforms.

If you're out late at night driving drunk people around, these can and will save you a lot of time cleaning up when someone loses their cookies in your vehicle. Even the most discerning drivers will occasionally end up with someone who gets sick during the ride.

Please do not confuse the issue at hand here. There is no "cleaning fee" dollar amount that makes puke in your car a worthwhile situation.

GET THE BAGS

"Please look down at the seat back pocket and you will find a blue bag you can use in the event of any kind of illness during the ride tonight!"

Even though both "standard" Lyft rides and Lyft Lux rides pay significantly more per mile in the “Greater Maryland” subregion of Washington DC (Gaithersburg-Germantown and beyond), Lyft XL rides strangely pay drivers $0.27 per mile LESS per mile than in the DC area.