Problems With Uber Drivers: 7 Common Issues (What To Do)

Most people have at least had a ride with Uber. Well, personally I have.

There are some frustrating and sketchy things that Uber drivers do and, most times, these things go unnoticed because we don’t really pay attention to them.

These sketchy things can easily land them a one-star rating if they try it next time. This article has compiled seven common problems with Uber drivers.

Table of Contents

1. Canceling Rides Unnecessarily

Ordinarily, Uber drivers should not cancel rides unless there is an understandable reason. The most probable reason may be because the destination is far and they do not want to drive down there.

However, some Uber drivers have the habit of denying rides because of unreasonable reasons. They might deny you a ride because of the way you’re dressed.

It is against the rule to discriminate against passengers because of the way they look, unless a driver has a gut feeling about the passenger, which they would later have to explain why.

In the case of a canceled ride, you can easily ask for a cancellation fee from Uber. Take the following steps to get your cancellation fee on the Uber app.

Tap your account icon at the top and select “Help”
Swipe down to find “Trip issues and Refunds”
Select the past trip that was canceled
Select the reason for the canceled ride and submit

2. Targeting Competitors

The ride-sharing service is a competitive offer in cab services.

However, it is wrong and unprofessional to share a ride with an already sat passenger just to make more profits. This can cause overload or even lead to dangerous driving.

If there is an accident, you can actually sue Uber and a good lawyer can help you get damages for your injury. There are major steps to take after an Uber accident. They include:

Check for Injuries

After making sure that everyone in the vehicle is calm, contact 911 immediately. Try not to touch or move anyone as this could cause more injuries if it is severe. If there’s a severe injury, get medical help immediately.

Speak to a Police Officer

After contacting 911, the officer will interview everyone in the vehicle and everyone will write a police report about the incident. It is best to collect the contact of the police officer so you can have access when you need it.

Gather Evidence

If you plan on filing a suit, bring along the evidence. Collect the names and numbers of all the passengers in the vehicle and, if there were witnesses, persuade them to give out their info.

Do not forget to take pictures of the accident scene, personal injury and the damaged vehicle.

Report the Accident to Uber

Uber has a report accident form online. Once you’ve informed them, they may contact you for a statement about the incident.

However, it is best to talk to your lawyer first before answering questions from anybody.

Take Down All That Happened

Penning down all the details of the accident goes a long way for your case. It may also be beneficial for your insurance coverage and testimony.

It is important to note that being involved in an accident with an Uber doesn’t guarantee that they will pay for damages. You actually have to prove that they are guilty before receiving compensation.

3. Driving Recklessly

It can be frightening and frustrating when you realize you have no control over the car during an Uber ride. Especially when you have read Uber’s 2019 U.S .safety report, that there were 107 total fatalities and 97 crashes.

Uber doesn’t even help the matter because they do not require their drivers to undergo any special driving test before driving. All they need is your driving record to be clean.

Here, you can certainly leave a bad rating for the driver and in the worst cases, report the driver to the company. However, asides from the rating and report, there are other important steps to take with a reckless Uber driver.

They include:

Talking to the Driver

The first and most polite thing to do is to address the matter with the driver to slow down his pace as you are not comfortable with it.

If he persists, you can end the ride and report the incident. In extreme cases, contact the authorities.

Share Trip Destination With Families and Friends

Uber offers safety features for passengers. It allows riders to share their trip with people, contact 911 and find out the driver’s information.

This is easily accessible by clicking on the safety toolkit on the shield icon in the Uber app.

You Can Call 911 In-App

In emergency cases, Uber allows you to contact 911 immediately and you can also use Uber’s crucial safety line to speak directly with a company’s representative.

Trust Your Gut Feeling

Overall, trust your instincts. If you feel something odd about the driver or the route, cancel the ride and exit the vehicle at the nearest stop.

It is better to put your safety and well-being ahead of your passenger’s rating. Give a detailed report to the company about the ride as this feedback may prevent future incidents from reoccurring with another passenger.

Who knows? You might just be saving a life.

4. Wrong Address

Uber recommends that drivers always use GPS to find their passengers and get to them on time. The frustrating thing that Uber drivers do is that they ignore the GPS or just put one wrong address.

This is a big issue for someone who is trying to get somewhere on time. However, you could assist the driver to locate you easily by taking these steps:

Open your Uber app and click on “Edit” next to your pickup location.
You can change your location by either typing a new address or simply dragging your pin to any near or notable location within the gray circle.
Confirm this new location so that the driver can easily maneuver their way to you.

You can also report to Uber if the driver took a wrong route so they can change the fare.

5. Driving Without the Seat Restraints

Some Uber drivers have little regard for personal or passenger safety. It gets weird when your supposed driver rides the car without putting on their seat belts.

The general knowledge is that passengers and riders without seatbelts have a higher rate of being ejected out of the vehicle during a crash. In fact, state laws have mandated that all passengers (driver and passengers) use a seatbelt.

So if your driver breaks this law, it is safe to report such an attitude to the company.

6. Taking Shortcuts

We expect Uber drivers to follow the GPS to get to their destination, but sometimes, both the driver and the rider can decide to take a popular shortcut if they are trying to make haste.

However, some unruly drivers outrightly ignore the GPS and take unknown routes. This is not only dangerous, but it can also confuse the passengers.

In this scenario, you can demand to know where they are passing and if they prove stubborn, leave a bad rating and report to the company.

You do that by clicking on the “Help” in the menu, then clicking on “Your Trips” and selecting the trip that the driver took an unknown route on purpose.

7. Canceling Way Too Late

It becomes a problem when a driver picks up and confirms a ride and then cancels after waiting for several minutes.

This can happen because of emergencies, but sometimes Uber drivers take more than they can handle and will have to cancel the ride last minute.

In this case, you will usually get a cancellation fee as compensation.

8. Breaking Speed Records

Some Uber drivers have been pulled over for over-speeding.

Sometimes, it is not even in the best interest of passengers to get to their destination on time but for them to accept rides since Uber drivers are paid per ride and not by the hour.

Politely ask them to slow down and if they refuse, leave a bad rating and a report to the company or simply ask them to pull over and exit the vehicle. Uber will get a refund for you.

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