Driving for Uber has its perks. You pick your hours, can earn more with bonuses and promotions, and don’t even need to own a car. If you do own a car and it’s less than 15 years old and in good working order, it will likely fit the bill to be used as an Uber. But with every pro, there is a con.
Beyond the continued conflict with taxi cab companies, rideshare drivers have had to unionize for employee rights and benefits, sued over wage theft, face increasing costs, and are asked to equip their vehicles as AI-training data gatherers for robotaxis that will eventually replace them. Whew.
Along with these big picture problems, in the car, drivers experience the good, bad, and ugly habits of riders, like tipping. Service industry workers understand that good service equals good tips. A reality Uber drivers encounter is receiving praise and the promise of a reward but, ultimately, getting no tip. According to a rideshare survey conducted by travel site Upgraded Points, nearly 20 percent of rideshare users surprisingly do this. Interestingly, the survey included over 3,100 rideshare passengers who admitted to this and other less-than-courteous behaviors.
There are millions of reasons why someone would order a rideshare but almost none to warrant being an irritating, rude, or downright terrible passenger. There are a plethora of passenger pet peeves for drivers (why do people behave so badly?). Some are expected, like riders who talk too much, but others are a bit more disconcerting, unsafe, or downright shocking.
We compiled this list of graceless examples through Upgraded Points’ survey results as well as reports from drivers via Reddit, community resources such as Ride.Guru and The Rideshare Guy, and Uber’s own Community Guidelines. Annoying passenger habits fall under five main categories: rude behavior, poor planning, safety, children and safety, and being gross, both literally and smarmily. Thankfully, there are several ways Uber drivers can deal with terrible riders before, during, and after a trip.
