8 Unwritten Uber & Lyft Etiquette Rules Everyone Should Follow

Car services Uber and Lyft have boomed in recent years.  It has gone from an app you were always curious about and now has seamlessly been woven into our everyday lives.  As we’ve gotten jaded with the car service apps, there are certain things we should always keep in mind.  These are hard working folks behind the wheel and they are sacrificing their personal car’s cleanliness and mechanics so that we can avoid the hassle of parking.   So for those that are overstepping the lines of being a passenger, here are a few Uber & Lyft etiquette rules to follow and potentially  increase your rating.

Be Ready!

Yea we all know Ubers or Lyfts will have you waiting around for a while. We’ve all stared at our screens and watch the car on the GPS make unnecessary turns and yelled “Where the fuck are you going!?” However, this doesn’t justify you having drivers wait around.  This isn’t a limo service.  It’s always smart to order ahead but if you know you’re not going to be outside and ready to go then cancel your ride or at the very least call/text the driver to give them a heads up.

Eating or Making a Mess

C’mon! Stop thinking “I’m paying them, I can do what I wan’t,” cause’ guess what? You can’t.  This is someone else’s car they paid good money for and in most cases are continuing to pay.   It’s the tool they use to make their livelihood.  Many drivers take great pride in maintaining their cars.  I understand that you’re tipsy and just picked up some bomb gas station chicken on Spring Garden, but keep your hunger in check and wait until you get home.

Keep Your Hands to Yourself

Unless you’re a five year old kid reading this, don’t hop in a car and start messing with buttons and controls.  If the temperature is too hot or cold, simply ask for it to be adjusted.  If you don’t like the music and aren’t synched with your Spotify, always ask if the music can be changed.  This isn’t an airplane where you can just mess with the AC and start changing settings.  Again be respectful of other people’s property.

Requesting an Unscheduled Stop

This is Uber & Lyft, not your boys taking you for a spin.  You can’t be in the middle of a ride and all of a sudden ask to stop at Wawa for a hoagie and a pack of smokes. The driver is trying to complete the ride so they can make more money and all you’re doing is slowly taking money out of their pocket.  Be mindful of their time.  Once you request a ride from point A to point B and confirm, that’s a contract. The deal is done and the only thing that driver owes you is a safe trip and a clean car.

Don’t OD on the Treats

You may be fortunate enough to get a driver that goes above and beyond with all types of treats in the back seat and water bottles for you to enjoy.  Yes they are free for the taking but be considerate.  Don’t go ham on the snickers and wipe my man clean out of inventory or take a couple of water bottles to go.  These people are dipping into their pockets to provide these treats.  Try and excercise a reasonable amount of self control.

FOR THOSE USING POOL

Don’t Force Small Talk

It’s bad enough we sometimes have to deal with overly chatty drivers so we don’t want to have deal with gum flapping passengers.  Learn how to read people.  If their body language and vibe says “Don’t even breath my way,” then awkwardly play with your phone until one of you get dropped off.  Yes, I understand that pooling is a great opportunity to network if you’re in sales, but no one is ordering a car thinking “Damn I want to buy some life insurance today,  I hope someone pitches me.”

Keep Your Frustration in Check

So you decided to pool and you’re alone. First thought is, “Holy shit I think I’m getting a solo ride home for $3.85.”  Then out of nowhere the driver’s phone starts going off like a drug dealer’s pager in 88′.   Next thing you know you’re auditioning for the circus in a clown car.  You went from a window seat with leg room to riding bitch.  On top of that you took the chance of running late for the sake of saving $2.33.  Well, can’t bitch about it now.  The choice was yours and you were fully aware of the consequences, so don’t sit there and suck your teeth.  Just accept the fact that you’ll be late and that extra $2 and change is worth splurging on in the future.

Be Ready!

(See first post)