Uber may be one of the best things to come out of the tech explosion. No longer do you have to deal with having to take expensive — and often dirty — taxis from one place to another when you are unwilling or unable to drive. With a click of a button on your smartphone, you can instantly order a car to pick you up. However, before you go on hopping into a stranger's vehicle, there are a few things you need to know about Uber. The following list entails some of the best tips and general information to make your Uber ride that much safer and enjoyable for everyone involved.
How It Works
As with anything in life, you should understand how an Uber works before attempting to use it. Essentially, Uber vehicles are an on-call service that consumers can access through an app on their phones. You will need to provide some information to the app beforehand. This may include your name, address, and credit card information, to name a few. After you're done setting up, the app allows you to choose (depending on availability) the type of car you would like to have for your ride. These include UberX, UberXL, UberBlack and Uber SUV for larger parties. Lastly, you simply wait for your Uber to arrive and then hop in.
Staying Safe
The demand for Uber exploded in large cities almost overnight. However, the big question on everyone's mind was still, how safe is it? People were comfortable hopping into taxis because those vehicles belonged to a company. However, Uber vehicles are often owned by the person driving it and not by Uber, so you can see why some people were a little hesitant at first. It’s a good idea to quickly familiarize yourself with the identity of the car and the driver. The app will provide you these two pieces of information. If one of these two things doesn't match, then it is highly recommended that you do not follow through with the ride.
You should also know what to do in case of an accident. The first thing is to make sure everyone is OK. If the situation isn't too dire, you must then take photos and identify any injuries you might have sustained. Although no part of the accident will be your fault, you can still qualify for Uber's $1 million dollar policy if you were to need it.
Avoid Surcharges
Often, during sporting events or even bad weather, Uber will add a surcharge to every ride. This may fluctuate, but it is often as high as two times the normal rate. The best thing to do to avoid these charges is simply wait. If you are in a safe area and don't mind waiting out the bad weather, it can certainly save you money. Are you stuck at a sporting event? If you are able to walk a few blocks away, that surcharge can quickly disappear as Uber drivers no longer have to wait at busy stadium parking lots to pick you up.
Uber has been an incredible innovation in ridesharing. However, you still must stay vigilant about the service. As many precautions that Uber takes to keep their drivers and passengers safe, you may still run into some issues. Adhere to the list above to not only find a convenient way to travel around your city, but also to stay safe doing so.
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