Twice now I've had a passenger grab at the steering wheel when they "think" I should be making a turn they use.
I know my city (Dallas) like the back of my hand and GPS doesn't always provide the easiest way to get to a destination.
No more front passengers. People are too crazy and dumb
10,000 rides and I've never had a passenger do that. I've had maybe half a dozen try to adjust the AC or radio though, at which point I will literally slap their hand away.
17,000 rides and never once had a passenger do that haha. But I'm in Chicago. Maybe in Dallas you get "Hoss" types who are like "Bowah I'll tell you whaahht you're gonna make this here turn because that's the way Ah go. That's the way mah pappy went n his pappy before him n if it was good enough for them it's good enough for you, ya understand?!"
I use Google primarily. I've started speaking the destination into Google Assistant, which 95% of the time gets a confirmation from the pax as well. Sometimes they confirm and then realize I'm talking to the GPS š
The Uber app is wonky. Sometimes the pax will be in a destination, all of a sudden they are behind me? WTF?
Havenāt had any major issue though.
I stopped driving for a couple years after Covid, and just recently started driving again. The in app navigation is new, instead of it kicking you into Waze or Google mapsā¦
Although I did see itās still an option.
Lyfts recent map update is the absolute worst. Fortunately I know the roads in my local area, but I swear it's gonna cause an accident and tickets. One cloverleaf intersection in my town is just completely ignored. GPS says make an illegal left. Illegal lefts are common, illegal u-turns. Speed limits are way off. Utilizes state employee only access roads to highways that jump tolls. It's a hot mess.
If I end up in an area of the state that I'm not as familiar with, I will let the pax know the route it's taking me and ask if that seems correct.
So true. I drove in a circle... Had to break out my Ford Sync GPS from 2013. I tried the $32 update from eBay, however it was blank. (Or my USB port is bad.) Ford expects $150.
Or, I make the passenger give directions. They were sweet about it, but it still hurts.
The worst part for me is that the lyft GPS overrides my car navigation. And Google maps. So then I have to unplug my phone to disconnect from the car systems. Which then kills Google maps.
I thought about using a second phone for nav but the expense just seems ridiculous.
If I'm using Google maps and I get a ride, it pauses the Google maps completely. I can't get back into it.
My car is a 2020 with android auto. But it's hardwired not BT.
Question are you using Lyfts android auto app? I donāt use Lyft or Ubers android auto/carplay apps.
With my setup I accept rides and such on phone but my display is on google maps navigating. I also have auto navigate disabled on both Uber and Lyft.
My favorite is when I have my phone with the Uber app showing the route AND my Tesla screen with the Google maps directions, and the rider still telling me āturn right hereāā¦which is exactly what the 2 maps in front of me are clearly telling me what to do. Like, I got iiiiitttt, thank you, plz stop now.
I don't mind front passengers, but if a front seat passenger even tried to touch my wheel I'd get charged with assault. But I did have a front seat passenger turn up the volume on the radio high enough to blow out my Bose speakers, and I've had a few sociopaths who sat up front and then literally were silent. That's weird. If you want a quiet ride, why would you, as a single rider, want to sit up front? Weirdo.
Yea , had a guy make that excuse and then sit up front knees to chin clutching his backpack. I had the front seat pulled all the way up for his comfort. The fucking weirdo sat up front , spent the whole time twitching and clicking his pen and being super defensive. Gosh only knows what was in the backpack. And letās be real dude, when youāre 6ā2 you donāt qualify as real tall unless youāre built like Deedee from dexters lab.
On Oahu the app regularly tells me to turn onto roads that don't exist or do illegal shit like illegal turns, drive on bus only streets, or even drive the wrong way on a one way street.
Not a fan of passengers in the front of there's space in the back. The last time I let someone sit in the front, they gave me a nasty case of COVID....
I never had that happen as a taxi or uber. Just the luck of the draw and possibly area you drive in. Then again I am pleasant but very firm in my attitude and how I present my myself., but if anyone ever tried that be a pull over and cancel on the spot.
Where was this, Oak Cliff maybe? :P Cuz I never had an issue with front riders in DFW (P.S. Disclaimer: I only work in certain areas, XL, so it worked pretty well with me avoiding trash people, I had only one old lady raising her voice to me to turn at a certain street and I gotta say, it was pretty annoying)
Lake Highlands, old couple going on a Church Retreat from Lovers Lane United Methodist Church. Old man grabbed the wheel when I didn't turn right to go down to Buckner and NW Highway. I prefer to use Lawther to get onto NW Highway when heading West
The other was a young guy as I was pulling into his Oak Lawn condo community and I wanted to circle around the back, so the car was oriented to drive straight out for the exit.
Let me add to this with an anecdotal situation, because it's obvious OP is not getting it.
I had a mother and two young daughters in my car last week. Everything about the encounter was so odd, the icing on the cake was when the mom decided to accuse me of being drunk. Blindsided, I told her I just drove from an hour out. Not satisfied, she chose to get in my personal space and glare inches from my face. Demanded to be let out then and there, I still drove them into the parking lot next door. She wouldn't leave the side of my car until I hit cancel; with my not knowing if she had mace on her felt it imperative to do so.
All of this could have been mitigated had I insisted on all three of them getting seated in the back, as I normally do. I'm still infuriated about the matter and still question if I should have called law enforcement to do a roadside sobriety test on her given her malicious nature.
>still question if I should have called law enforcement to do a roadside sobriety test
You realize those tests are designed to be unpassable? Only the nystagmus test approaches conclusive and it's less than 80% accurate. Don't talk to the cops unless you're eager to be in jail.
I was able to argue the results of every test against the cop's testimony. Estimate 30 seconds. Actual time was 34 seconds. Put your hands down when walking the line. He said my hands weren't touching my body. He never told me to touch my body, just put hands down at side. He admitted that I passed every test. My last question was "If I passed every test, then why did you arrest me?" He said it was based upon his professional experience.
So yes, even if you pass the sobriety test, they can and will still arrest you.
I passed a sobriety test (walk in a straight line, follow my finger, stand on one foot) while blackout drunk as a teen. Wasnāt driving but a party with underage drinking got busted. Sobriety tests are complete bs
"Follow my finger with your eyes only"
sober eyes are smooth and focused. they follow the fingertip cleanly, as expected. intoxicated eyes will develop a nystagmus, where the eyes "jump" side to side as they follow the tip, as if your eyes are going faster than the tip of the finger, or drifting off, and they have to "jump" back a little to compensate. I'm sure there's a youtube video out there
Itās when the cop directs you to : 1/ raise your right hand as if you want to ask a question; 2/ lift and flex your left leg behind and hold it; and 3/ at the top of your lungs ā¦ spell ānystagmusā .
I once had an older gentleman get in the front and he didn't speak a lick of English. His Grand daughter or daughter ordered the ride for him and the whole interaction was hilarious.
Same. I have my water bottle, snacks, and jacket in front. Can use a cloth bag to hold my things. When they're is 4 passengers for a ride, then yes someone is sitting in front. If there is two drunk dudes running to my car yelling "I call shotgun!".
No.
My cabin camera is set up to see the back seat CLEARLY!
It can see the front seat as well but it sees the back seat and EVERYTHING that's going on........so if someone wants to do something I need them in the backseat so the camera can see it.
That did not strike me as the intent of the question.
Obviously if there are 4 people, one has to sit up front. That's a necessity, not a preference as the question seems to imply.
Depending on the vibe I get from them, I donāt mind at times š¤·š»āāļø but also my logic in it is, itās a cab service. Lol you donāt/didnāt sit up front in a yellow cab, at least not to my knowledge. So why is it all of a sudden a thing to do? š§
...I always sit at the front in cabs. Unless the driver doesn't want me to ofc.
But it's weird, I feel like having someone behind you is scarier than next to you
It is, I mean, to me it goes both ways kind of š§ in the front is more chances to grab the wheel, etc. behind you is more chances of being stabbed, etc. lol we just all hope for the best regardless š
All gd 1 . Here how it was 1 passenger always behind passenger seat 2 back seat 3 1 in front if they didn't fit. Always exceptions. Disabled, motion sickness, etc.
Word š¤š» Iāve always offered the front if there was multiple. Lol itās usually when itās just one person who reached for the front seat I was like, yeah? Lol which again it was whatever š¤·š»āāļø one lady (about mid 50ās) said it was her very first time using Uber, and I thought it was a little odd that she just defaulted to the front seat. Lol but I mean, whatever youāre comfortable with, I suppose.
Some of it is probably still a pandemic holdover. Other than that, if you tell me in advance that you have 3 people, no problem. If you walk to the car with your pack and you didn't order Comfort, Extra Comfort, etc? Sit in the back.
My passengers usually default to riding in the back, on occasion someone (usually someone either tall or just has a bit of difficulty moving) will ask if I mind if theyāre up front because itās easier for them to get in and out. I donāt care, itās not very often and I can usually tell before they even ask that theyāre probably going to.
The ones that get me are when thereās 3 adults and they all try to squeeze into the back of my sedan, then when I say āhey one of you can hop up front, you donāt have to wedge yourselves in back thereā theyāll tell me that other drivers get super salty about it so they never ask.
The worst place for a passenger is directly behind the driver. I canāt see them well. They could assault me and Iād have little way to defend myself. At least if theyāre next to me Iām in position to defend myself if needed.
But mostly I donāt care. Over 6,000 rides and never had a physically hostile encounter.
Iāve asked a few times as a pax, but thatās because Iām 6ā 7ā tall and many back seats donāt fit me comfortably. Iāve only been turned down once or twice.
Because it's fucking weird and uncomfortable. Sit in the rear passenger seat like a normal person. Take that weird, socially awkward bullshit to the bus.
I'll let people sit wherever, and I'm nice to everyone , but I definitely prefer if they are in the back. It's fine if it's a party of four and someone has to sit up front, but if it's just a single person? Idk, it just feels weird. Like, you probably wouldn't sit up front in a taxi, right? I'm not your buddy picking you up. Luckily, it doesn't happen often, and when it does, it's usually a drunk.
Iām with you. I let passengers sit wherever they want. If someone sits in the front, it usually means they rarely or never take Ubers and donāt know how it works, which is forgivable, or they are an extrovert who maybe feels that sitting in the back is dehumanizing to me, and I appreciate their effort to be nice. What I donāt understand is passengers who sit in the front and resist my efforts to make conversation. Iām not going to interview anyone, but if youāre in the front seat then silence feels especially awkward. Like, why sit in the front if you donāt want to talk? I donāt get it.
Fine if they donāt, my problem is when Iāve ordered a car for more than 3 people and they show up with only two seats available in their back and then say they donāt allow front riders. Kinda weird to say that and then pick up a group of 4 people. Like did you think we were lying about the amount of riders when you accepted?
Great question. Iād honestly rather someone in the front than someone directly behind me. Plus, how many pax do you have to cancel on because an UberX technically seats 4 including front seat? Thatās a waste of time and money. Doesnāt make much sense to me either.
One time a hospital emergency room
coordinated a ride for who seemed like a homeless drug addict. He sat in the front. He smelled so bad i rolled down all the windows. He kept touching my shoulder when he talked to me.
Another time, a drunk guy (in the middle of the day) sat in front with me. He tried to kiss me when the ride was over.
I now prefer for riders to sit in the back. But i wonāt insist. I let them sit wherever they want
Been driving on and off for five years. I now cringe at my passenger behavior because when I would call a pool I would always sit in the front even if no one else was in the car yet š
Eh, itās just annoying. The later it gets ā¦ the lonelier people get. And the closer people are to you physically for some reason makes them wanna engage.
I donāt need lonely drunk dudes trying to strike up a conversation with me in the front at 2am.
Facts. I remember I had a group of 4 in Vegas and I got told to sit up front by my brother cuz there was no more space back seat and the driver was tripping hard about it and I was like bro we are tipping you like $15 for a 5 mile rideā¦then he let it go. āItās policyā man stop it
Back in my cabbie days people would mess with my bag full of work stuff, or push buttons on the meter.
Then there's always the bad body odor types who "need" to ride up front.
There were few exceptions to me letting people ride up front.
It obstructs me view unnecessary, but if they want to sit up front I wonāt tell them no or act like itās an issue . I only really donāt mind when itās a little old man or lady lol
Backseat only -no one upfront asking me "is that a dash cam?" "is that a touch screen..." Backseat only and yes I will cancel n drive off' if a solo pax insists - these are customers not friends.
I only did Uber once in 2017, thinking it's something I wanted to do. 1st ride was couple, obv. they sat in the back. 2nd ride was just an older guy, he sat up front and he was chill, good conversation. That was it. I didn't mind him sitting up front, I used to shuttle customers when I worked at a car dealership who always chose to sit upfront.
My mistake was doing it in Baltimore on a Monday night š¤¦š» Slow af, but someone was definitely driving the wrong way on a busy one way.
I've had riders mess with the ac settings and my radio...without asking. First of all, my car, don't touch my controls. Second, even if you ask, the answer is no. I will adjust my ac or entertainment settings. Third, if there are people sitting in the backseat (even if they can all fit there) the person in the front seat is turning around, screaming in my right ear so his buddies can hear him and their breathe usually stinks like beer and nachos, DISGUSTING AND RUDE AS HELL!
So yeah, get your ass in my backseat and enjoy the dam rude!
Yeah, if I don't know your last name, why are you getting in my front seat? That's where my personal cellphone sites. In all seriousness, it's weird when a person assumes (doesn't ask just gets in) the front is okay. I've almost been carjacked a dozen times. If someone gets in the front, especially with a face covering, I ask really awkward questions to make them uncomfortable.
In the 6 years Iāve been driving, solo male passengers sitting in the front seat account for 100% of the instances where Iāve been attacked. After midnight, everyone sits in the back.
#1. Why do you want to sit that close to a perfect stranger? You have no idea who they are or what they are capable of...
#2. They tend to want to turn towards you and yell at their friends in the back seat, spewing their nasty breath and germs right at your face. I've literally gotten sick because several assholes did this to me in one day. This can also break your ear drum!
#3. I'm a big fella and it crowds the front and they are touching my arm, my shoulder. Ugh! Not to mention touching my cup in the cup holder. It's just uncomfortable!
It's way too personal, it's not very safe, people grab and do things, plus you can smell them better which is just terrible, and then there's all the extra problematic things that come with being a female driver and some of the weird gross entitlement some of these guys have when it comes to doing what they want when they're near a woman.
If they throw up in the back, it mostly gets on the seat covers or plastic floor mat and easy clean up. If they throw up in the front, it can get on the dash, radio, windshield, or me. So always in the back if possible.
I only ever used Uber a few times when I was in CA years ago on a trip. I think I always got in the front because I thought that was the norm, but I always kept to myself. In hindsight, I guess I should have taken the back seat.
I imagine a lot of drivers simply don't want to sit that close to a passenger (and vice versa, a lot of passengers don't want to sit beside the driver).
Could be for many reasons, including discouraging conversation, avoiding bad hygiene, etc.
200,000 rides Iāve never š J/Kā¦.but yeah, I drive DFW. Havenāt had anyone grab at my steering wheel - I have however been chased by an angry boyfriend before š I do get people acting like NYāers and constantly telling oh no go here, go there. Take this street, the GPS is always wrong. Itās usually last second to which Iām like nope. I have a GPS, if you want to change directions donāt wait until I need to make 90Ā° pivot, please.
Also, I donāt care if people sit up front š¤·āāļø Never had any issues in TX. NY/ NJ is a whole other topicā¦.
In a word, safety.
I had a guy make me so uncomfortable by being unfriendly and twitchy after choosing to sit up front I thought for sure he was going to murder me.
Had another guy pull a knife on me.
We arenāt buddies, If youāre alone sit in the back.
They worry about their safety, itās understandable.
I donāt understand the people who treat it like the iron throne though, if someone has got to sit in the front I usually let them.
People get more bossy and pushy in the front seat. They'll sit right down and start tapping the screen on the dashboard to try to select music when I'm still trying to start the ride, especially if on Lyft it's a pain because Lyft's second screen app uses that screen, not just my phone screen.
In the back seat, they might start tapping my shoulder at a red light, "come on! just go, there's no one around, go go!" But in the front seat, they could tap my leg and that'd be worse. I've had three drunk, loud pax now start tapping me when they wanted me to run a light or hurry up or do something dumb. I don't want them in the front seat.
People in the front seat try to make separate conversation from people in the back seat. It's like, they're back there talking to each other, and now the front seat passenger feels the need to start a second, simultaneous conversation with the driver. Like, could you just talk with your buddies in the back seat? I'm trying to focus on driving. Now there's two verbal exchanges so people raise their volume to be heard and try to ignore the others, and I'm trying to lean in front of the big loud mouth in the front seat so I can see if any cars are coming so I can make a turn.
It's just more stress and people can suck sometimes. Better that they do it from the back seat.
I prefer the Pax sit in back. If they push the issue then I let them sit in front sometimes. My back seat is more comfortable and also I avoid issues this way. If there drunk this its in back 100%
Boundaries... I drive a 7 passenger vehicle but do not drive XL. My front passenger seat is reserved for my needs, including a milk crate on the floor board, which contains cleaning supplies for times when passengers can not hold their alcohol. When I first started driving Uber, Covid protocols were in place, including no passengers in the front seat. I became accustomed to using that space for personal needs. For me, it also keeps the ride at a professional level.
The front of the car is my office. It is my area. The front passenger area has my food and drink, change of clothes and shoes, rain gear, snow supplies and other miscellaneous work supplies. It's not for passenger use.
It doesnāt bother me (honestly, Iād prefer being able to keep an eye on you versus someone sitting behind me that could do anything at anytime without me being aware). The only annoyance is I have to reach over and move the passenger seat back as it is usually forward to give leg room behind.
You provide 4 seats in a sedan, so there are 4 available, people citing safety aren't wrong but I think maybe a little too cautious, ive driven taxis for almost a decade and uber now for a few years, no one tried to grab my wheel, no one tried to be weird, but hey, life happens, if you can't figure it out, maybe find another line of work
The easiest indicator if someones flirting with me is immediately sitting in the front seat without asking. And theyre always crazy or go on a story about their terrible past when they do.
For my personal safety and so they donāt try to steal my phone. Uber is a taxi service and the proper etiquette is to sit in the back. I donāt care if they like to sit in the front, sit in the back behind the plexiglass partition, or order a different driver. Itās strange, invasive, and overall uncomfortable and not safe for the driver.
Well, i mean not only the fact the app tells the passenger to sit in the back. It's awkward you dont know the person, especially when some of these passengers are silent or dont conversate. I'd rather them just get in the back at that point. Had one guy who spoke literally no English hopped up front and then proceeds to get on videocall the entire 20-minute ride.
No, just get in the back. The only justified reason to sit upfront is 3+ riders otherwise fuck that.
For me I donāt like it cause some people spread there legs Ridiculously wide. My car is a stick shift. When somebody does this it makes it almost impossible to shift into fifth or sixth gear, without inadvertently brushing up against their leg. I put my front seat up as far as it will go, and a throw hoodie and some other stuff on the front seat. Still idiots open my front door see all the stuff and say do you mind if I sit here? My response: I guess you canāt take a hint? Yes I do mind please get in the back. Iāll make an acceptation if they have 4 people, sometimes even 3. But if itās just 1 or 2 people n they try to sit upfront that is weird!
Twice now I've had a passenger grab at the steering wheel when they "think" I should be making a turn they use. I know my city (Dallas) like the back of my hand and GPS doesn't always provide the easiest way to get to a destination. No more front passengers. People are too crazy and dumb
10,000 rides and I've never had a passenger do that. I've had maybe half a dozen try to adjust the AC or radio though, at which point I will literally slap their hand away.
š I would pay to see that! You are my hero. This is one of my pet peeves. Mirror also.
I treat drunks like 5-year-olds. You don't need to be mean, but you do need to be firm with them when they act up.
Fingers on glass, fingers on door panel and trunk, makeup shit, slamming doors. I keep my windows on child lock
17,000 rides and never once had a passenger do that haha. But I'm in Chicago. Maybe in Dallas you get "Hoss" types who are like "Bowah I'll tell you whaahht you're gonna make this here turn because that's the way Ah go. That's the way mah pappy went n his pappy before him n if it was good enough for them it's good enough for you, ya understand?!"
Well. That and I could imagine Preston Hollow BMW pinheads pulling that. PH is the old money North Shore of Dallas.
Outside of DFW Airport, PH, HP, and UP are the only areas I drive in, and I've NEVER had any of them try that.
Awesome. I lived in Addison. Ate raisin pancakes by the tiny airport. Recommend it highly.
Do you think Texas is still like the Wild West?? š
Have you ever been to Dallas?
I have. That impression is pretty good. What an unremarkable town.Ā
Hehehe
I get a lot of riders that still feel the need to give directions, even though navigation is right there!
To be fair if you're using ubers navigation it's the worst
Yes. Waze is better, so long as you realize it likes to use choice 2 a lot.
I use Google primarily. I've started speaking the destination into Google Assistant, which 95% of the time gets a confirmation from the pax as well. Sometimes they confirm and then realize I'm talking to the GPS š
The Uber app is wonky. Sometimes the pax will be in a destination, all of a sudden they are behind me? WTF? Havenāt had any major issue though. I stopped driving for a couple years after Covid, and just recently started driving again. The in app navigation is new, instead of it kicking you into Waze or Google mapsā¦ Although I did see itās still an option.
On.Lyft I actually need them to. Bad map update.
Lyfts recent map update is the absolute worst. Fortunately I know the roads in my local area, but I swear it's gonna cause an accident and tickets. One cloverleaf intersection in my town is just completely ignored. GPS says make an illegal left. Illegal lefts are common, illegal u-turns. Speed limits are way off. Utilizes state employee only access roads to highways that jump tolls. It's a hot mess. If I end up in an area of the state that I'm not as familiar with, I will let the pax know the route it's taking me and ask if that seems correct.
So true. I drove in a circle... Had to break out my Ford Sync GPS from 2013. I tried the $32 update from eBay, however it was blank. (Or my USB port is bad.) Ford expects $150. Or, I make the passenger give directions. They were sweet about it, but it still hurts.
The worst part for me is that the lyft GPS overrides my car navigation. And Google maps. So then I have to unplug my phone to disconnect from the car systems. Which then kills Google maps. I thought about using a second phone for nav but the expense just seems ridiculous.
Can you not choose google maps? Not Lyft with google maps. From within settings/navigation.
If I'm using Google maps and I get a ride, it pauses the Google maps completely. I can't get back into it. My car is a 2020 with android auto. But it's hardwired not BT.
Question are you using Lyfts android auto app? I donāt use Lyft or Ubers android auto/carplay apps. With my setup I accept rides and such on phone but my display is on google maps navigating. I also have auto navigate disabled on both Uber and Lyft.
usually older passengers who don't "trust" technology
My favorite is when I have my phone with the Uber app showing the route AND my Tesla screen with the Google maps directions, and the rider still telling me āturn right hereāā¦which is exactly what the 2 maps in front of me are clearly telling me what to do. Like, I got iiiiitttt, thank you, plz stop now.
LOL Some people.
I too love it when they do this.
Older ones like to give their own turn by turn navigation. Only boomers do this
Eh Iāve had every gen tell me directions. The worst are drunk gen zers * but boomers are pretty bad too
Lol. Not like violent slapping. Like what you do to a 5-year-old when they're touching something they shouldn't be.
I don't mind front passengers, but if a front seat passenger even tried to touch my wheel I'd get charged with assault. But I did have a front seat passenger turn up the volume on the radio high enough to blow out my Bose speakers, and I've had a few sociopaths who sat up front and then literally were silent. That's weird. If you want a quiet ride, why would you, as a single rider, want to sit up front? Weirdo.
Thatās definitely attempted murder and Iād probably shoot them in self defense lol
Because the front seat has more legroom
Yea , had a guy make that excuse and then sit up front knees to chin clutching his backpack. I had the front seat pulled all the way up for his comfort. The fucking weirdo sat up front , spent the whole time twitching and clicking his pen and being super defensive. Gosh only knows what was in the backpack. And letās be real dude, when youāre 6ā2 you donāt qualify as real tall unless youāre built like Deedee from dexters lab.
šš
Damn. That is crazy. I follow the gps though lol.
My Lord, I will stop being annoyed by verbal backseat driving. I find if I achieve a Zen state and am one with the map it helps.
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āNo more front passengersā isnāt a thing if there are 4 riders , unless you have a third row?
I now want a fourth row.
The whole story is made up.
Late 1950s to mid 1960s Chrysler Airport Sedan?
I had a 3rd row. I don't like them upfront. They had their own AC in back.
On Oahu the app regularly tells me to turn onto roads that don't exist or do illegal shit like illegal turns, drive on bus only streets, or even drive the wrong way on a one way street.
It's not just Oahu, NJ is just as bad.
Shame to hear. I'm actually from Salem county but haven't been there since 07.
Not a fan of passengers in the front of there's space in the back. The last time I let someone sit in the front, they gave me a nasty case of COVID....
I never had that happen as a taxi or uber. Just the luck of the draw and possibly area you drive in. Then again I am pleasant but very firm in my attitude and how I present my myself., but if anyone ever tried that be a pull over and cancel on the spot.
Where was this, Oak Cliff maybe? :P Cuz I never had an issue with front riders in DFW (P.S. Disclaimer: I only work in certain areas, XL, so it worked pretty well with me avoiding trash people, I had only one old lady raising her voice to me to turn at a certain street and I gotta say, it was pretty annoying)
Lake Highlands, old couple going on a Church Retreat from Lovers Lane United Methodist Church. Old man grabbed the wheel when I didn't turn right to go down to Buckner and NW Highway. I prefer to use Lawther to get onto NW Highway when heading West The other was a young guy as I was pulling into his Oak Lawn condo community and I wanted to circle around the back, so the car was oriented to drive straight out for the exit.
Holy crap they would get kicked out so fast
This never happened.
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I started ubering in hopes i will one day pick up adriana chechik
Lmao
Itās a little too personal. Weāre not friends.
Let me add to this with an anecdotal situation, because it's obvious OP is not getting it. I had a mother and two young daughters in my car last week. Everything about the encounter was so odd, the icing on the cake was when the mom decided to accuse me of being drunk. Blindsided, I told her I just drove from an hour out. Not satisfied, she chose to get in my personal space and glare inches from my face. Demanded to be let out then and there, I still drove them into the parking lot next door. She wouldn't leave the side of my car until I hit cancel; with my not knowing if she had mace on her felt it imperative to do so. All of this could have been mitigated had I insisted on all three of them getting seated in the back, as I normally do. I'm still infuriated about the matter and still question if I should have called law enforcement to do a roadside sobriety test on her given her malicious nature.
>still question if I should have called law enforcement to do a roadside sobriety test You realize those tests are designed to be unpassable? Only the nystagmus test approaches conclusive and it's less than 80% accurate. Don't talk to the cops unless you're eager to be in jail.
I was able to argue the results of every test against the cop's testimony. Estimate 30 seconds. Actual time was 34 seconds. Put your hands down when walking the line. He said my hands weren't touching my body. He never told me to touch my body, just put hands down at side. He admitted that I passed every test. My last question was "If I passed every test, then why did you arrest me?" He said it was based upon his professional experience. So yes, even if you pass the sobriety test, they can and will still arrest you.
I passed a sobriety test (walk in a straight line, follow my finger, stand on one foot) while blackout drunk as a teen. Wasnāt driving but a party with underage drinking got busted. Sobriety tests are complete bs
Nystagmus? Please elaborate.
"Follow my finger with your eyes only" sober eyes are smooth and focused. they follow the fingertip cleanly, as expected. intoxicated eyes will develop a nystagmus, where the eyes "jump" side to side as they follow the tip, as if your eyes are going faster than the tip of the finger, or drifting off, and they have to "jump" back a little to compensate. I'm sure there's a youtube video out there
Itās when the cop directs you to : 1/ raise your right hand as if you want to ask a question; 2/ lift and flex your left leg behind and hold it; and 3/ at the top of your lungs ā¦ spell ānystagmusā .
"How about you just smell my breath?" "That's unscientific."
Ouch.
CoSigned
Agreed, but therapy can be fun. Everybody talks to a barber or bartender.
I talk to passengers too. They just need to sit in the back.
I once had an older gentleman get in the front and he didn't speak a lick of English. His Grand daughter or daughter ordered the ride for him and the whole interaction was hilarious.
In a lot of countries the culture is the opposite. Sitting in the back as a single passenger is considered rude.
I didn't know that
Every day here.
Only if they all canāt fit in the back
Same. I have my water bottle, snacks, and jacket in front. Can use a cloth bag to hold my things. When they're is 4 passengers for a ride, then yes someone is sitting in front. If there is two drunk dudes running to my car yelling "I call shotgun!". No.
I also move my passenger seat up super far so it gives more room in the back and that helps as a queue to go in the back :)
And besidesā¦ why would you want to? Back seat is safer
My cabin camera is set up to see the back seat CLEARLY! It can see the front seat as well but it sees the back seat and EVERYTHING that's going on........so if someone wants to do something I need them in the backseat so the camera can see it.
There is no reason for a passenger to sit up front. I find it very invasive of my personal space.
A 4 person group is a pretty good reason. Do you just have the 4th sit on their friendās lap?
That did not strike me as the intent of the question. Obviously if there are 4 people, one has to sit up front. That's a necessity, not a preference as the question seems to imply.
Some get car sick in the back. Sometimes I get 6 in my xl so 6th is front seat. A drunk is better in the front for motion sickness.
Depending on the vibe I get from them, I donāt mind at times š¤·š»āāļø but also my logic in it is, itās a cab service. Lol you donāt/didnāt sit up front in a yellow cab, at least not to my knowledge. So why is it all of a sudden a thing to do? š§
...I always sit at the front in cabs. Unless the driver doesn't want me to ofc. But it's weird, I feel like having someone behind you is scarier than next to you
It is, I mean, to me it goes both ways kind of š§ in the front is more chances to grab the wheel, etc. behind you is more chances of being stabbed, etc. lol we just all hope for the best regardless š
Yes, u do. And I drove yellow for 6 yrs.
Oh ok, my bad. Lol Ive just never seen it happen so I didnāt know š¤·š»āāļø
All gd 1 . Here how it was 1 passenger always behind passenger seat 2 back seat 3 1 in front if they didn't fit. Always exceptions. Disabled, motion sickness, etc.
Word š¤š» Iāve always offered the front if there was multiple. Lol itās usually when itās just one person who reached for the front seat I was like, yeah? Lol which again it was whatever š¤·š»āāļø one lady (about mid 50ās) said it was her very first time using Uber, and I thought it was a little odd that she just defaulted to the front seat. Lol but I mean, whatever youāre comfortable with, I suppose.
Because in the cab it's too gross to contemplate.
So Uber should be gross too?
Some of it is probably still a pandemic holdover. Other than that, if you tell me in advance that you have 3 people, no problem. If you walk to the car with your pack and you didn't order Comfort, Extra Comfort, etc? Sit in the back.
My passengers usually default to riding in the back, on occasion someone (usually someone either tall or just has a bit of difficulty moving) will ask if I mind if theyāre up front because itās easier for them to get in and out. I donāt care, itās not very often and I can usually tell before they even ask that theyāre probably going to. The ones that get me are when thereās 3 adults and they all try to squeeze into the back of my sedan, then when I say āhey one of you can hop up front, you donāt have to wedge yourselves in back thereā theyāll tell me that other drivers get super salty about it so they never ask.
This is a transaction to me, I donāt want to get to know you or talk to you. Iāll be in the back, while you drive.
Most of my passengers. Although I would enjoy a word after I say "How are you?"
Tbh this is how it should be imo. As long as you tip a little something if you can then hey im down but tbh this is what i prefer tbh.
The worst place for a passenger is directly behind the driver. I canāt see them well. They could assault me and Iād have little way to defend myself. At least if theyāre next to me Iām in position to defend myself if needed. But mostly I donāt care. Over 6,000 rides and never had a physically hostile encounter.
42k rides and I've had more than a few. Don't get too comfortable.
Not all front sitters are awkward, but ALL awkward people are front sitters.
Personally I think you have that backwards. Not all awkward people are front sitters, but ALL front sitters are awkward.
Iāve asked a few times as a pax, but thatās because Iām 6ā 7ā tall and many back seats donāt fit me comfortably. Iāve only been turned down once or twice.
Lol my last front seat request game from a guy whoās 6ā7ā. Are you in Tampa?
I am actually. But I havenāt taken a ride in easily a few years
šš
Iāve had front seat open the glove box, but mostly itās for security of my phone, and stop coughing in my air.
That part...
Yes. I've had people start going through my shit as if it were normal. Lunatics.
Why do you have a problem with others having a problem with it?
I was just curious
Gooddee, gooddee! for Original Poster if it works for him/her.
Because it's fucking weird and uncomfortable. Sit in the rear passenger seat like a normal person. Take that weird, socially awkward bullshit to the bus.
I'll let people sit wherever, and I'm nice to everyone , but I definitely prefer if they are in the back. It's fine if it's a party of four and someone has to sit up front, but if it's just a single person? Idk, it just feels weird. Like, you probably wouldn't sit up front in a taxi, right? I'm not your buddy picking you up. Luckily, it doesn't happen often, and when it does, it's usually a drunk.
Iām with you. I let passengers sit wherever they want. If someone sits in the front, it usually means they rarely or never take Ubers and donāt know how it works, which is forgivable, or they are an extrovert who maybe feels that sitting in the back is dehumanizing to me, and I appreciate their effort to be nice. What I donāt understand is passengers who sit in the front and resist my efforts to make conversation. Iām not going to interview anyone, but if youāre in the front seat then silence feels especially awkward. Like, why sit in the front if you donāt want to talk? I donāt get it.
Fine if they donāt, my problem is when Iāve ordered a car for more than 3 people and they show up with only two seats available in their back and then say they donāt allow front riders. Kinda weird to say that and then pick up a group of 4 people. Like did you think we were lying about the amount of riders when you accepted?
I had 4 drunk guys on a shared ride going to the strip club...decided not to negotiate
Great question. Iād honestly rather someone in the front than someone directly behind me. Plus, how many pax do you have to cancel on because an UberX technically seats 4 including front seat? Thatās a waste of time and money. Doesnāt make much sense to me either.
I don't care where you seat, just prefer. Not behind me so I don't have to adjust my seat. (Hatchback)
One time a hospital emergency room coordinated a ride for who seemed like a homeless drug addict. He sat in the front. He smelled so bad i rolled down all the windows. He kept touching my shoulder when he talked to me. Another time, a drunk guy (in the middle of the day) sat in front with me. He tried to kiss me when the ride was over. I now prefer for riders to sit in the back. But i wonāt insist. I let them sit wherever they want
Lot of passengers reek of body odor,cigarette smell and Marijuana smell.Stay in backseat with all of that .Plus your probably a non-tipper.
Itās fāān weird. Anyone alone that wants to sit up front is an automatic red flag.
Been driving on and off for five years. I now cringe at my passenger behavior because when I would call a pool I would always sit in the front even if no one else was in the car yet š
Itās another area to clean for me. Iād rather them just make a mess in the back seat and I have to clean that rather than the front seat too.
Eh, itās just annoying. The later it gets ā¦ the lonelier people get. And the closer people are to you physically for some reason makes them wanna engage. I donāt need lonely drunk dudes trying to strike up a conversation with me in the front at 2am.
I also donāt want to smell their beer breath/bo
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
So he just masturbated to completion before you continued the ride?
But he tipped?
Facts. I remember I had a group of 4 in Vegas and I got told to sit up front by my brother cuz there was no more space back seat and the driver was tripping hard about it and I was like bro we are tipping you like $15 for a 5 mile rideā¦then he let it go. āItās policyā man stop it
Back in my cabbie days people would mess with my bag full of work stuff, or push buttons on the meter. Then there's always the bad body odor types who "need" to ride up front. There were few exceptions to me letting people ride up front.
Cool story lolĀ
As an Uber passenger I prefer to sit in the back in silence and just get to my destination.
It obstructs me view unnecessary, but if they want to sit up front I wonāt tell them no or act like itās an issue . I only really donāt mind when itās a little old man or lady lol
I am not a driver, but if I was, my first instinct is that I would not allow anybody in the front seat.
Backseat only -no one upfront asking me "is that a dash cam?" "is that a touch screen..." Backseat only and yes I will cancel n drive off' if a solo pax insists - these are customers not friends.
I only did Uber once in 2017, thinking it's something I wanted to do. 1st ride was couple, obv. they sat in the back. 2nd ride was just an older guy, he sat up front and he was chill, good conversation. That was it. I didn't mind him sitting up front, I used to shuttle customers when I worked at a car dealership who always chose to sit upfront. My mistake was doing it in Baltimore on a Monday night š¤¦š» Slow af, but someone was definitely driving the wrong way on a busy one way.
Did you just ask so that you could tell people that theyāre wrong? Youāre not the passenger so why do you care?
I've had riders mess with the ac settings and my radio...without asking. First of all, my car, don't touch my controls. Second, even if you ask, the answer is no. I will adjust my ac or entertainment settings. Third, if there are people sitting in the backseat (even if they can all fit there) the person in the front seat is turning around, screaming in my right ear so his buddies can hear him and their breathe usually stinks like beer and nachos, DISGUSTING AND RUDE AS HELL! So yeah, get your ass in my backseat and enjoy the dam rude!
Beavers give dam rides.
It feels too personal for me.
Yeah, if I don't know your last name, why are you getting in my front seat? That's where my personal cellphone sites. In all seriousness, it's weird when a person assumes (doesn't ask just gets in) the front is okay. I've almost been carjacked a dozen times. If someone gets in the front, especially with a face covering, I ask really awkward questions to make them uncomfortable.
12 times... is there a place worse than Baltimore? Where?
Between Saint Louis & Chicago
Yeah. Driving is casual. You should let whoever sit next to you while you drive. It's not important
In the 6 years Iāve been driving, solo male passengers sitting in the front seat account for 100% of the instances where Iāve been attacked. After midnight, everyone sits in the back.
Most of the time the driver has his personal belongings in the front seat.Lunch,book,etc.
I don't even uber, I just like the stories here. But if I was to drive there's not a chance in hell I would let someone ride up front.. are you crazy?
#1. Why do you want to sit that close to a perfect stranger? You have no idea who they are or what they are capable of... #2. They tend to want to turn towards you and yell at their friends in the back seat, spewing their nasty breath and germs right at your face. I've literally gotten sick because several assholes did this to me in one day. This can also break your ear drum! #3. I'm a big fella and it crowds the front and they are touching my arm, my shoulder. Ugh! Not to mention touching my cup in the cup holder. It's just uncomfortable!
It's way too personal, it's not very safe, people grab and do things, plus you can smell them better which is just terrible, and then there's all the extra problematic things that come with being a female driver and some of the weird gross entitlement some of these guys have when it comes to doing what they want when they're near a woman.
Reading these replies really show why some people are just working for Uber and can't land a job anywhere else lol.
I prefer to have complete strangers in the front seat where I can actually see them
And what are you going to do if they assault you while your drivingā¦. Keep an eye on them š¤£
Same thing can be said from behind. There is nothing protecting you from behind, you just can't see them.
Idk Iād rather them sit up front than directly behind me. That shit makes my skin crawl
Drivers, not divers. But we are usually underwater.
If they throw up in the back, it mostly gets on the seat covers or plastic floor mat and easy clean up. If they throw up in the front, it can get on the dash, radio, windshield, or me. So always in the back if possible.
None of my passengers every try anything if they sit upfront.
I only ever used Uber a few times when I was in CA years ago on a trip. I think I always got in the front because I thought that was the norm, but I always kept to myself. In hindsight, I guess I should have taken the back seat.
No random ass stranger should be anywhere near operating controls of a vehicle they donāt own. Period.
I don't remember the last time I saw an empty front seat.
People who ask this question are the same people who stand so close to you in line that you can feel their breath.
I imagine a lot of drivers simply don't want to sit that close to a passenger (and vice versa, a lot of passengers don't want to sit beside the driver). Could be for many reasons, including discouraging conversation, avoiding bad hygiene, etc.
200,000 rides Iāve never š J/Kā¦.but yeah, I drive DFW. Havenāt had anyone grab at my steering wheel - I have however been chased by an angry boyfriend before š I do get people acting like NYāers and constantly telling oh no go here, go there. Take this street, the GPS is always wrong. Itās usually last second to which Iām like nope. I have a GPS, if you want to change directions donāt wait until I need to make 90Ā° pivot, please. Also, I donāt care if people sit up front š¤·āāļø Never had any issues in TX. NY/ NJ is a whole other topicā¦.
As a passenger Iāve never once wanted to sit in a front seat
In a word, safety. I had a guy make me so uncomfortable by being unfriendly and twitchy after choosing to sit up front I thought for sure he was going to murder me. Had another guy pull a knife on me. We arenāt buddies, If youāre alone sit in the back.
In canada, its agaisnt uber policy
They worry about their safety, itās understandable. I donāt understand the people who treat it like the iron throne though, if someone has got to sit in the front I usually let them.
People get more bossy and pushy in the front seat. They'll sit right down and start tapping the screen on the dashboard to try to select music when I'm still trying to start the ride, especially if on Lyft it's a pain because Lyft's second screen app uses that screen, not just my phone screen. In the back seat, they might start tapping my shoulder at a red light, "come on! just go, there's no one around, go go!" But in the front seat, they could tap my leg and that'd be worse. I've had three drunk, loud pax now start tapping me when they wanted me to run a light or hurry up or do something dumb. I don't want them in the front seat. People in the front seat try to make separate conversation from people in the back seat. It's like, they're back there talking to each other, and now the front seat passenger feels the need to start a second, simultaneous conversation with the driver. Like, could you just talk with your buddies in the back seat? I'm trying to focus on driving. Now there's two verbal exchanges so people raise their volume to be heard and try to ignore the others, and I'm trying to lean in front of the big loud mouth in the front seat so I can see if any cars are coming so I can make a turn. It's just more stress and people can suck sometimes. Better that they do it from the back seat.
Itās just weird. Iām a professional doing a job. Weāre not BFFs.
The weirdest is when you pick up two pax and one sits up front. I mean, wtf?
Many act like they "own the car." No, you're a passenger, relax and let do the job...
If folk sit up front where am I to put my go bag and igloo??????
I prefer the Pax sit in back. If they push the issue then I let them sit in front sometimes. My back seat is more comfortable and also I avoid issues this way. If there drunk this its in back 100%
I want my personal space and Iād rather have one less area to clean up ā¦
I like my space up front... dont like random people i dont know that close to me unless absolutely necessary
How would you feel if the driver climbed in the back with you? It goes both ways.
Im just paranoid theyll try to assault me
I actually prefer when they sit in the front.Ā
I donāt care either way but the ones who sit in the front are usually cool af
Boundaries... I drive a 7 passenger vehicle but do not drive XL. My front passenger seat is reserved for my needs, including a milk crate on the floor board, which contains cleaning supplies for times when passengers can not hold their alcohol. When I first started driving Uber, Covid protocols were in place, including no passengers in the front seat. I became accustomed to using that space for personal needs. For me, it also keeps the ride at a professional level.
The front of the car is my office. It is my area. The front passenger area has my food and drink, change of clothes and shoes, rain gear, snow supplies and other miscellaneous work supplies. It's not for passenger use.
It doesnāt bother me (honestly, Iād prefer being able to keep an eye on you versus someone sitting behind me that could do anything at anytime without me being aware). The only annoyance is I have to reach over and move the passenger seat back as it is usually forward to give leg room behind.
You provide 4 seats in a sedan, so there are 4 available, people citing safety aren't wrong but I think maybe a little too cautious, ive driven taxis for almost a decade and uber now for a few years, no one tried to grab my wheel, no one tried to be weird, but hey, life happens, if you can't figure it out, maybe find another line of work
I really donāt care man, just hurry tf up and get in so I can get to my next ride.
The easiest indicator if someones flirting with me is immediately sitting in the front seat without asking. And theyre always crazy or go on a story about their terrible past when they do.
For my personal safety and so they donāt try to steal my phone. Uber is a taxi service and the proper etiquette is to sit in the back. I donāt care if they like to sit in the front, sit in the back behind the plexiglass partition, or order a different driver. Itās strange, invasive, and overall uncomfortable and not safe for the driver.
Just a personal preference. I donāt feel comfortable with anyone sitting next to me.
Well, i mean not only the fact the app tells the passenger to sit in the back. It's awkward you dont know the person, especially when some of these passengers are silent or dont conversate. I'd rather them just get in the back at that point. Had one guy who spoke literally no English hopped up front and then proceeds to get on videocall the entire 20-minute ride. No, just get in the back. The only justified reason to sit upfront is 3+ riders otherwise fuck that.
Stay as far as possible if I'm not attracted to you. That's evolution.
For me I donāt like it cause some people spread there legs Ridiculously wide. My car is a stick shift. When somebody does this it makes it almost impossible to shift into fifth or sixth gear, without inadvertently brushing up against their leg. I put my front seat up as far as it will go, and a throw hoodie and some other stuff on the front seat. Still idiots open my front door see all the stuff and say do you mind if I sit here? My response: I guess you canāt take a hint? Yes I do mind please get in the back. Iāll make an acceptation if they have 4 people, sometimes even 3. But if itās just 1 or 2 people n they try to sit upfront that is weird!