Took directions from a real dumbass last night

Telling me not to go north on a freeway as the GPS instructed but to head south. Well, it ended up us getting stuck in the downtown area. I kept telling him the GPS was instructing to go North but he just knew it was South. Well, who was I to argue since it was where he lived.

Well, after 15 min of this I pulled over to the side of the road and reentered the coordinates. I told him we really have to go North. Sure enough it was the right coarse to take.

He uses the bus to get around town and his mindset is from that which is not reliable. Of coarse he ends up 1 starring me for actually listening to him too. Only an Uber pax would have the balls to do that.

I have had too many fares tell me they will direct me, yet wait until after a turn to tell me that I had to turn. I will use the GPS as much as I can, since that usually computes the most direct (and usually the fastest) route.

In Pittsburgh, that isn’t necessarily the safest area or the best roads, but I usually don’t have the time to check the destination location before the fare gets in and we roll out. If the fare is going through a known construction area, or I know of a better-maintained alternate route, I try to tell them ahead of time so they don’t think I am trying to pad the fare.

Some of these people don’t drive. They might walk down that one way street they directed you to but you can’t drive down it. Just as an example.

I will take their route if is logical and their “shortcut” doesn’t involve alleys and 28 unecessary stop signs and speed bumps.

Thanks. Sometimes I can see their route might have merit but I don’t have time to pull over, look at my GPS, etc… so I will meet them half way, head the general direction they want, then let the GPS take over the final destination…

For longer trips, I sometimes ask the rider what they would prefer. I’ve found that unless it’s 1am and they are pissed off, they are receptive to having some input. Knowing your city a bit helps too.

If Pax has a “better” way to get to their location, let them suggest and give you directions. So you missed a turn? Explain that you need more time to make a turn. Every mistake they make means more $ for you. I always let them know the GPS shows the fastest way to get to their destination. It might be .3 miles farther but gets them there 2 minutes faster.

if the customer has a route preference, take that route. 1) GPS do NOT always take the fastest or shortest route. 2) Customers usually know the best route 3) When they don’t, you make more money, lol. I had one customer insist I go through Cleveland’s flats as a shortcut and his route was easily twice as long. Oh well, do what they want and you’re far more likely to get 5 stars.

  1. if im on the route already, i tell people that the gps detect traffic and shortest distance to ensure he gets to his house fastest/with lease amount of distance. this way to save him some money!

  2. if the passenger saw my gps and said “i wouldnt take that route, make a ______ turn instead,” i will just say “i’ll take your word for it since you know this area the best” and take the route they suggested.

These makes the customers happy.

In my first weeks of driving, I felt sorry for a pax whose GPS route truly was hideously longer than normal driving. I was tempted to end the trip early to lower the fare and “blame the GPS”… but I feel it would be dishonest to Uber, and soon other pax might expect the same “favors”. Rather, I started doing better practices like having them confirm the route in advance.

I dont argue and say “ok”. If we get stuck in traffic or it takes longer, then its PAX fault. My Google maps phone is mounted on the windshield so PAX can see exactly which route a GPS is taking us.

I picked up a pax and the gps suggested taking a freeway that initially goes away from the destination then makes a big arc back to a direct freeway.

I suggested just taking a road that goes straight from her place to the destination but warned I didn’t know how slow it would be with rush hour traffic. I made it clear we would be taking a chance and she agreed.