OT: Lyft and Uber Really Suck!

vious. Why have they gone to no info on the interface with apps? The Uber software just didn't work in several ways.

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-inst all.)

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 showi ng up on the map. But he drove right by me, to the pick-up point. Then ca lled asking where I was. I explained it, (battery and all), and after a fe w 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 i s 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 automate d 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 stra nded Jeep. I was not at the pickup point (which I didn't really even under stand 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 advan ce scheduling. Just pick up now.

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

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.

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. A ll that was after I had so much trouble with signing into the account. The n when it was rejecting my credit cards it would make me start over every t ime entering the trip info. Like I said, it was horrible and wasted over h alf and hour and may have been a full hour of my trying to figure out how t o 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

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

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".

schedule a ride for me. Some of their app is not clear how to use, like se tting a pickup time. But mostly it was just the mechanics of logging in an d getting the account verified that was a PITA. It refused to let me log i n 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.

t 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 y ou 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.

ride. Looking and searching and not finding a way to schedule a ride, I hi t 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 t he 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 canc ellation or not. I went back to looking for a way to schedule a ride and f ound a mention in help. Seems if scheduling is not available in your area they just don't show the schedule button.

vious. Why have they gone to no info on the interface with apps? The Uber software just didn't work in several ways.

MANY of these 21st century ideas that are change for the sake of change are shit. yeah, give me some bozo with a car -- any bozo will do.

it finally worked with paypal. Then the software just would not complete t he 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. T hen 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.

m to pick me up at a certain time, not when ever they feel like it.

In the morning I tried calling the cab company that had been pretty reliabl e the other two or three times I used them, but has since increased the cos t 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 rid e. The guy came from 15 miles in the direction I was heading and had a ver y nice Nissan Maxima. He even offered water in the cup holders and a set o f four USB cables for charging! Very nice ride and the driver was very eas y 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 U ber 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 i n his country so he doesn't want to return until it settles down. But he s aid 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 acco unts, 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 paym ent 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 t hey 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 eve n if I am too far out still for food delivery. That would have been very u seful when my tags were expired. lol

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

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.