OT: Lyft and Uber Really Suck!

[Rick C]

I need a ride tomorrow morning and I spent an hour trying to get Uber to schedule a ride for me. Some of their app is not clear how to use, like setting a pickup time. But mostly it was just the mechanics of logging in and getting the account verified that was a PITA. It refused to let me log in on the computer saying the password was wrong, even after I changed it. It seems they won't let you reuse a password ever again, so the first time I changed it I couldn't set it to my usual password so I can remember it. That means it was already set to that but still rejected the password. On resetting, the new password didn't work either.

I finally gave up on the PC and tried to schedule a ride on the phone. It didn't like my payment method without saying what was wrong. I tried to enter a new credit card. Of course, every time you change payment method you have to start over entering the trip data. Finally it allowed me to use PayPal... but something else prevented me from completing the thing and i gave up. With all the security codes and restarting everything I'm pretty sure I spent nearly an hour with this.

So then I tried Lyft. Seems they just don't provide a way to schedule a ride. Looking and searching and not finding a way to schedule a ride, I hit the entered info to the driver starting with the pickup time and hit the button to request a ride. I'm 25 miles from anything like a city and there happen to be a Lyft ride a few minutes from my house. It announced that the driver was on the way. It showed the driver approaching my turn off so I decided to cancel. No real indication if the driver had received my cancellation or not. I went back to looking for a way to schedule a ride and found a mention in help. Seems if scheduling is not available in your area they just don't show the schedule button.

I'm pretty fed up with the whole Uber/Lyft thing. The software is not obvious. Why have they gone to no info on the interface with apps? The Uber software just didn't work in several ways.

I guess I'm just being a cranky old guy.

--

Rick C.

- Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
- Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

 

[mpm]

On Thursday, January 30, 2020 at 6:24:59 PM UTC-5, Rick C wrote:

I'm pretty fed up with the whole Uber/Lyft thing. The software is not obvious. Why have they gone to no info on the interface with apps? The Uber software just didn't work in several ways.

I guess I'm just being a cranky old guy.

Funny you mention that...
I used UBER for the first time today. (Other than an UBER that someone else arranged during a business trip in Mexico City.)

I had a different problem.
The app worked OK, and took my credit card and info, no problem.
And "No", I didn't read all the T&C. Who does that?

So (It's Miami - I'm on Super Bowl duty for Verizon).
And the battery in my Jeep dies. I'm in the middle of nowhere, and I don't have AAA. What to do?

UBER. (The plan was to get a battery at the auto parts store, and self-install.)

UBER #1: $5.88
But I did not realize I had to walk to a certain spot to meet the driver.
I thought the driver had my exact coordinates because that's what was showing up on the map. But he drove right by me, to the pick-up point. Then called asking where I was. I explained it, (battery and all), and after a few minutes he hung up and I got a "Ride Cancellation" message or some sort....

UBER #2: $5.88 (From middle-of-nowhere to auto parts store 1.5 miles away).
No problem. 5-minute ride.

UBER #3: $6.10 (Auto store back to Jeep)
No problem. 5- minute ride.

I may call to bitch about the first UBER. ??? (Do you think I should, or is this clearly a case of user-error.) "Uber-error" Ha!!
Clearly my first time as a customer.

The first driver wasn't necessarily rude, it seemed more like some automated timer was running robotically in the background, or something?

And, it's Miami. The guy did speak English. (can be pretty rare in South Florida sometimes.) But I don't think he was looking for me and/or my stranded Jeep. I was not at the pickup point (which I didn't really even understand looking at the map for the first time.)

I signed-up on my mobile phone.
The app is definitely geared to that platform, and I wasn't doing any advance scheduling. Just pick up now.

 

[Tom Del Rosso]

mpm wrote:

I may call to bitch about the first UBER. ??? (Do you think I
should, or is this clearly a case of user-error.) "Uber-error" Ha!!

Unter error

 

[boB]

On Thu, 30 Jan 2020 23:30:49 -0500, "Tom Del Rosso"
<fizzbintuesday@that-google-mail-domain.com> wrote:

mpm wrote:

I may call to bitch about the first UBER. ??? (Do you think I
should, or is this clearly a case of user-error.) "Uber-error" Ha!!

Unter error

Uber has worked well for me. Except maybe once I was getting kind of
anxious when the driver didn't see me through a large parked truck and
canceled the trip. But another one came up to pick me up. I saw 2 or
3 cancellations but finally did get picked up.

This was during a very busy convention in SLC, Utah and I think the
issue had to do with over-loaded Uber software because of too many
ried requests. Just a guess though.

Unfortunately also, I think the taxi unions and/or lobbyists are
trying to make Uber (and Lyft ?) raise their prices, especially at
airports by having them require special fees.

 

[boB]

On Thu, 30 Jan 2020 23:30:49 -0500, "Tom Del Rosso"
<fizzbintuesday@that-google-mail-domain.com> wrote:

mpm wrote:

I may call to bitch about the first UBER. ??? (Do you think I
should, or is this clearly a case of user-error.) "Uber-error" Ha!!

Unter error

Regarding scheduling a ride for the next morning, I haven't seen how
to do that but there must be a way ?

 

[Rick C]

On Friday, January 31, 2020 at 1:30:12 AM UTC-5, boB wrote:

On Thu, 30 Jan 2020 23:30:49 -0500, "Tom Del Rosso"
fizzbintuesday@that-google-mail-domain.com> wrote:

mpm wrote:

I may call to bitch about the first UBER. ??? (Do you think I
should, or is this clearly a case of user-error.) "Uber-error" Ha!!

Unter error





Regarding scheduling a ride for the next morning, I haven't seen how
to do that but there must be a way ?

Uber allowed that. I just wouldn't take two credit cards I tried, until it finally worked with paypal. Then the software just would not complete the scheduling. It sat and spun the wheelie thing for five or ten minutes. All that was after I had so much trouble with signing into the account. Then when it was rejecting my credit cards it would make me start over every time entering the trip info. Like I said, it was horrible and wasted over half and hour and may have been a full hour of my trying to figure out how to use it.

Lyft wasn't as bad, but in the end it didn't work since I need to ask them to pick me up at a certain time, not when ever they feel like it.

I need to get some sleep. lol

--

Rick C.

+ Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
+ Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

 

[Tom Gardner]

On 30/01/20 23:24, Rick C wrote:

I need a ride tomorrow morning and I spent an hour trying to get Uber to
schedule a ride for me. Some of their app is not clear how to use, like
setting a pickup time. But mostly it was just the mechanics of logging in
and getting the account verified that was a PITA. It refused to let me log
in on the computer saying the password was wrong, even after I changed it.
It seems they won't let you reuse a password ever again, so the first time I
changed it I couldn't set it to my usual password so I can remember it. That
means it was already set to that but still rejected the password. On
resetting, the new password didn't work either.

I finally gave up on the PC and tried to schedule a ride on the phone. It
didn't like my payment method without saying what was wrong. I tried to
enter a new credit card. Of course, every time you change payment method you
have to start over entering the trip data. Finally it allowed me to use
PayPal... but something else prevented me from completing the thing and i
gave up. With all the security codes and restarting everything I'm pretty
sure I spent nearly an hour with this.

So then I tried Lyft. Seems they just don't provide a way to schedule a
ride. Looking and searching and not finding a way to schedule a ride, I hit
the entered info to the driver starting with the pickup time and hit the
button to request a ride. I'm 25 miles from anything like a city and there
happen to be a Lyft ride a few minutes from my house. It announced that the
driver was on the way. It showed the driver approaching my turn off so I
decided to cancel. No real indication if the driver had received my
cancellation or not. I went back to looking for a way to schedule a ride and
found a mention in help. Seems if scheduling is not available in your area
they just don't show the schedule button.

I'm pretty fed up with the whole Uber/Lyft thing. The software is not
obvious. Why have they gone to no info on the interface with apps? The Uber
software just didn't work in several ways.

I guess I'm just being a cranky old guy.

I've been having to get a taxi repeatedly over the past
month, since a torn biceps meant I couldn't (safely) drive.

Uber price: ÂŁ10-14.

Phone up taxi price: ÂŁ12-13. Arrives within a couple of
minutes at one end and 5-10mins at the other.

No advantage to uber, plus I dislike just about all
their mechanisms for avoiding any form of liability
for anything. They are officially "not fit and proper".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50544283

 

[Rick C]

On Friday, January 31, 2020 at 2:28:19 AM UTC-5, Rick C wrote:

On Friday, January 31, 2020 at 1:30:12 AM UTC-5, boB wrote:
On Thu, 30 Jan 2020 23:30:49 -0500, "Tom Del Rosso"
fizzbintuesday@that-google-mail-domain.com> wrote:

mpm wrote:

I may call to bitch about the first UBER. ??? (Do you think I
should, or is this clearly a case of user-error.) "Uber-error" Ha!!

Unter error





Regarding scheduling a ride for the next morning, I haven't seen how
to do that but there must be a way ?

Uber allowed that. I just wouldn't take two credit cards I tried, until it finally worked with paypal. Then the software just would not complete the scheduling. It sat and spun the wheelie thing for five or ten minutes. All that was after I had so much trouble with signing into the account. Then when it was rejecting my credit cards it would make me start over every time entering the trip info. Like I said, it was horrible and wasted over half and hour and may have been a full hour of my trying to figure out how to use it.

Lyft wasn't as bad, but in the end it didn't work since I need to ask them to pick me up at a certain time, not when ever they feel like it.

I need to get some sleep. lol

In the morning I tried calling the cab company that had been pretty reliable the other two or three times I used them, but has since increased the cost of a ride. They never answered the phone. I fired up Uber and it seemed to work this time. Lyft worked too, but cost more, so I took the Uber ride. The guy came from 15 miles in the direction I was heading and had a very nice Nissan Maxima. He even offered water in the cup holders and a set of four USB cables for charging! Very nice ride and the driver was very easy to talk to.

I returned the rental car today and they drove me the block across the busy road to a restaurant. On leaving I checked both Uber and Lyft again and Uber was again cheaper by $5 or so bucks so contacted them. The guy was an immigrant (heavy accent) and had a car that was not as nice, but as good as my truck anyway, lol. He as easy to talk to once we got talking. He had a bit of a story to tell. He came to visit family and violence broke out in his country so he doesn't want to return until it settles down. But he said he does want to go back home to see the family. His driving was not as great as the other guy, but acceptable once we were on the road. He just was a bit timid in the parking lot and kept hitting his brakes hard jerking me around. Kinda like here, lol.

Uber messaged me back about the credit cards saying...

It seems you're sharing your bank information with a multitude of Uber accounts, which has been categorized by our system as suspicious activity. As a result, the card in question is suspended across all accounts.

While we cannot remove this card, you are welcome to add an additional payment method to your account.


Interesting. I wrote back explaining that no one has my "bank information" and that they needed to get their crap together. They wrote back saying they had "removed the restriction of your payment method" and it now works. Goofy SOBs.

Still, I was happy to now have a working solution for getting into town even if I am too far out still for food delivery. That would have been very useful when my tags were expired. lol

The good news is I cleaned out much of my pantry and freezer and am now almost five pounds lighter.

--

Rick C.

-- Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
-- Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

 

Unfortunately also, I think the taxi unions and/or lobbyists are
trying to make Uber (and Lyft ?) raise their prices, especially at
airports by having them require special fees.

Well, the gov. also require taxi to pay license fees. Airport fees are built in for taxi.

 

[boB]

On Sat, 1 Feb 2020 12:01:39 -0800 (PST), edward.ming.lee@gmail.com
wrote:

Unfortunately also, I think the taxi unions and/or lobbyists are
trying to make Uber (and Lyft ?) raise their prices, especially at
airports by having them require special fees.

Well, the gov. also require taxi to pay license fees. Airport fees are built in for taxi.

Yes but some cities want to penalize Uber over taxis by having them
pay higher fees than they used to.