Uber safety tips that aren’t just for uber, they’re for Lyft and any other rideshare service too.
Uber keeps safety at the forefront of their mind, they even have a webpage dedicated to it. I have been using uber since 2017, so I have had my fair share of drivers. Most of them are great, but below are some uber safety tips I have learned over the years. I feel as though these are very important to making sure you stay safe. Along with my tips, you can click here for a list of safety tips from uber themselves.
1. Ask the driver “Who are you here for”
Never say your name before they do. My name is Sarah so I would never say “Are you here for Sarah?” I would instead ask them who they’re here for and have them say my name. You want to do this because if you say “are you here for *your name*”, then they can just say yes and that might not be your ride.
2. Check the tag number
In the app it will tell you what kind of vehicle your driver is in and their tag number. After they tell you they are there for you, walk around to the back of their vehicle and check to make sure the tag number matches what it says in the app.
3. Never let the driver know that you have no idea where you are
Typically, drivers don’t usually talk to you. Every now and then, especially in the south, you’ll get one that makes conversation. But, usually, it’s a quiet — little bit awkward — car ride.
However, if you are in there with others (friends, significant other, etc) and you see something neat that you want to point out, say it in a way that makes the driver think you know where you are. Don’t say “Oh my gosh look over there, look at that!” Instead, say something like “Oh my gosh look at that, as many times as I’ve been here, I’ve never noticed that.”
You do this because you do not want the driver to know you have no clue where you are. For all the driver knows you might have lived there for awhile, you might visit the area often, or you might have family there. So, just in case they are considering bad intentions, you want them to think you know exactly where you are, and you just chose to use them instead of taking your car.
4. The driver not following the GPS is not always reason to panic
This isn’t really a safety tip, just something to keep in mind. On the app you can watch the driver follow the GPS to where they are taking you.
Usually, the driver has their phone mounted on the windshield and will put the address of your destination in their phone (usually they use Google maps). You can watch that GPS from the backseat and see where it says to go. They do not always follow what the GPS says to do, and it is very easy to panic if you see your driver not following the GPS. Remember, they live there. So, if you’re in a really congested area, the driver probably knows more about how to get around that traffic. Almost every uber I have been in doesn’t follow the GPS exactly. It is very easy to panic when that happens, but know that’s not always reason for panic.
This does not mean uber is unsafe
None of this means that uber and lyft aren’t safe, typically it is safe to use them. According to statistics, 99.9% of rides happen without incident. Only 0.0002% of rides have an incident occur and that includes traffic fatalities and assaults. Sometimes you will hear horror stories, but that is not what usually happens on these rides. I, personally, love using uber. I think it is a great and easy way to get around in the city. It’s just always good to be safe no matter what you’re doing.
