I pulled up at a pickup and one of the pax had some kind of smoking pipe. I assumed it was a vape pipe. I’d arrived before at pickups where pax had been vaping immediately before getting into the car, and they neither stank nor stank the car up, so I let this guy get in with his pipe. I immediately smelled the vape smell on these guys but assumed that the smell would go if I rolled the windows down. They were in the car four minutes; it was a very short bar hop ride. Two months later, when I got rid of the car, the car interior still smelled of that pipe. The smell just would not go.
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suck it up, and buy a dual lens dashcam (and automotive LED interior lights), so that it doesn’t happen again. only with solid proof will you win in Court, perhaps up to triple damages.
I always shake my head when I see nice luxury cars doing U / L. Like a recent Mercedes, Audi, BMW. Just to " help pay it off" and have the interior ruined with chemicals from febreeze, Ozium, dirty pax and now the occasional cigarette blunt pressed against your seats.
Don’t forget Uber/Lyft have a no smoking policy for both riders and drivers. Because it’s people don’t like to ride in cars that smell like smoke it turns them off. Also you don’t want to have a passenger complain to Uber/Lyft that your car smells like smoke, they will both deactivate you as they investigate.
I find it hard to believe that you noticed the burned seat right after they left the vehicle. .yet, you didn’t notice after 1st ridee, sec until the 3rd person lit up his cigarette before you sad something. … duuuude, were you spacing out or blind that you didn’t realize it until you smelled it.
Be more aware of what’s going on inside your car and when you hear weird movement, look on your rear view mirror and identify it. With as much driving i have done… haven’t had a single person lit up a cigarette although, many have tried before
What if you picked up some pax that smelled like complete shit? Some variables are out of your control… so I let the smokers lit up which increases tips which increases “separate people from their money”
Letting one person smoke who might “possibly” tip, is not the way to get more tips. You are increasing the chances of getting no tips from several riders after that due to the smell, and low ratings. No, it is not worth it to let one person smoke just for the possibility of them tipping.
I have ended the trip on a pax with outrageous BO and asked him to exit the vehicle. Quite awkward, but damn… this guy smelled like he’d been dead for a month and I would have thrown up if I hadn’t ejected him.
You still run the risk of not getting the entire smell out. You may not smell it anymore because your senses have adjusted to it, a new rider may smell it and that’s just not worth it. Too much risk for me to let people smoke in my car.
I think the best thing you can do is tell Uber you will go to the news media and be ready to follow through with that threat. I’m sure your local news have one of those like “channel X on your side” or something like that. They really don’t want bad publicity. The way I see it at the very minimum Uber should charge the passenger the 250 bucks.
I picked up a group of young ladies, one of whom was vaping as I pulled up. I thought she put it away when they entered the car. But halfway there I smelled the powerful aroma of – blueberries and vanilla. After the drop off I drove for several miles with all the windows down, before I could get rid of the smell.
The smell does not go away. It’s disgusting and the people that think it goes away are usually smokers themselves and since they have a diminished sense of smell they are blissfully unaware of the acrid reek of stale nicotine.
I would stop the vehicle. Come outside. Open the passenger door. Tell the pax that they have something to see outside. Once they are out. Close the door. Get back into the car and drive away. no verbal exchange. simple.
I never offered febreeze to clean cars. Looks like another idiot failing to read the full and just my comments alone. Good job. The probability of a smoker in your car is very miniscule, so when someone does ask, it’s ok to be a human being and also be polite for once in your sh*tty life and let them light one. But noooo you’re working for Uber! You’re an entitled stuck-up badass that must stand up for yourself!
Why can’t they just ask first? Even though it’s not really sharing a ride, it’s still our personal vehicles. We can make any personal concessions we want. I don’t let people eat their drive-thru in my car. Eat, ride’s over. I don’t offer music choices to short rides; I just play an instrumental playlist. If you’re not going to the airport, I don’t generally offer to stop and grab snacks.
There are some ozone generators for removing smell from the cars.
I detail cars… if you can buy Meguiars Air-refresher and follow the instructions. Or roll up all the windows in the car. Put the Air conditioner set to recycle the air. Spray a very very heavy amount of your favorite Air Freshner. Let the car run with the A.C. recycling the air for 15 minutes. Then open all the window and let it run for 5 minute with the A.C. on fresh air intake. The problem with vape odors is that they are oil based so the permeate fabrics and vents. This method gets a fresh scent into vents and fabric. I was able to completely remove years of my fathers cigar smoke from his cara this way. Good luck I know scents can be a review and tip killer for you guys.
Automotive LED lights? Assuming for the night vision ?