OT: Uber

[mildone]

My only concern is people throwing up in my car. I don't think I could deal with that.

I know I couldn't deal with that. Anyway, my car is not really suitable for passengers the way I have it set up right now anyway. I'm told it's vomit inducing even w/out alcolhol. And that was by people who love roller coasters.

Maybe it's my driving.

 

[RU4Real]

I know I couldn't deal with that. Anyway, my car is not really suitable for passengers the way I have it set up right now anyway. I'm told it's vomit inducing even w/out alcolhol. And that was by people who love roller coasters.

Maybe it's my driving.

Mine keeps getting me stopped.

Three times in the last 3 months for 41 in a 25, all in different towns. No tickets, thankfully. But I'm running out of polite, contrite platitudes. The real problem, which would never fly as an explanation, is that the friggin' car simply won't go 25 mph unless I put the DSG in "M" and shift it myself. And I'm too lazy for that.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

Mine keeps getting me stopped.

Three times in the last 3 months for 41 in a 25, all in different towns. No tickets, thankfully. But I'm running out of polite, contrite platitudes. The real problem, which would never fly as an explanation, is that the friggin' car simply won't go 25 mph unless I put the DSG in "M" and shift it myself. And I'm too lazy for that.

I have a similar problem. My car just likes to go 90 on the highway. Its not my fault. if I really concentrate I can go slower, but as soon as I stop paying attention, the car will be going 90 again. Its just where it runs best. Actually, its 89, but close enough. None of these work as excuses though.

I also thought about saying "look, before this I had a beat up Jeep, and it wanted to go about 62. So I used to drive everywhere too slowly. I didn't want to rush the Jeep, and I don't like to slow down now. People who don't love cars and love to drive don't understand any of this.

 

[RU4Real]

I have a similar problem. My car just likes to go 90 on the highway. Its not my fault. if I really concentrate I can go slower, but as soon as I stop paying attention, the car will be going 90 again. Its just where it runs best. Actually, its 89, but close enough. None of these work as excuses though.

I also thought about saying "look, before this I had a beat up Jeep, and it wanted to go about 62. So I used to drive everywhere too slowly. I didn't want to rush the Jeep, and I don't like to slow down now. People who don't love to drive don't understand any of this.

It's kind of a problem with German cars in general, I think (not really assuming your car is German). They're designed for one kind of environment and then sold - in large numbers - in another, more restrictive environment.

I was thinking about something similar to what you're saying, the other day. I remember when I was a kid and I would put my Chevelle on the Turnpike and floor it and watch the speedometer as it went through 60, then 70, 80, 90... finally 100.

If I floor my Audi at 70 mph on the highway, it's at 100 by the time I take my eyes off the road and look down at the speedometer.

Cars are way different than they used to be and the ones that are designed to run on Euro roads can land you in serious shit, here, if you're not careful.

 

[mildone]

Mine keeps getting me stopped.

Three times in the last 3 months for 41 in a 25, all in different towns. No tickets, thankfully. But I'm running out of polite, contrite platitudes. The real problem, which would never fly as an explanation, is that the friggin' car simply won't go 25 mph unless I put the DSG in "M" and shift it myself. And I'm too lazy for that.

Yeah, that excuse seems unlikely to be too persuasive to most cops. Is the problem that the gearing is too long? You're driving the A3, right?

 

[RU4Real]

Yeah, that excuse seems unlikely to be too persuasive to most cops. Is the problem that the gearing is too long? You're driving the A3, right?

Yes, the 2.0T variant. The problem, I think, is the combination of two things - the fact that it has a shitload of low-end torque and that the DSG doesn't have any slip to it and it's programmed to shift early in 'D' mode. So when you launch, it really doesn't make any difference how light you are on the accelerator - as long as you have any travel in the pedal at all, it will keep shifting. It's one of those cars that, if you just let it idle, it will keep idling up through the gears until it's doing roughly 52 mph in 6th gear at 900 RPM.

 

[mildone]

I have a similar problem. My car just likes to go 90 on the highway. Its not my fault. if I really concentrate I can go slower, but as soon as I stop paying attention, the car will be going 90 again. Its just where it runs best. Actually, its 89, but close enough. None of these work as excuses though.

I also thought about saying "look, before this I had a beat up Jeep, and it wanted to go about 62. So I used to drive everywhere too slowly. I didn't want to rush the Jeep, and I don't like to slow down now. People who don't love cars and love to drive don't understand any of this.

I had a Toyota MR2 (one of the original ones a very long time ago) and it simply didn't like being driven between 50 and 75. At 80 up to it's max of 120, it felt great. Part of it was just how the engine felt. But also, with the engine being behind the driver, the front end would get light and just not feel planted until there was enough wind to generate enough downforce in the front that the car would settle down.

My wife would give me crap for speeding (about 80-90 if she was in the car) and then, when she'd drive it, she'd wind up going between 80-90 and not even realize it (till I pointed it out like the d-bag that I am).

I think most cars have those kinds of peculiarities. I don't think it's restricted to German cars.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

It's kind of a problem with German cars in general, I think (not really assuming your car is German). They're designed for one kind of environment and then sold - in large numbers - in another, more restrictive environment.

I was thinking about something similar to what you're saying, the other day. I remember when I was a kid and I would put my Chevelle on the Turnpike and floor it and watch the speedometer as it went through 60, then 70, 80, 90... finally 100.

If I floor my Audi at 70 mph on the highway, it's at 100 by the time I take my eyes off the road and look down at the speedometer.

Cars are way different than they used to be and the ones that are designed to run on Euro roads can land you in serious shit, here, if you're not careful.

A6 with the big engine.

You nailed it with the old car comparison too. The only cars I have ever owned that are as fast are old american cars. They are all low end, and sort of build speed on the highway. With the Audi, its not that its that fast, not off the line anyhow, but these German cars are really fast if you want to blast around one, two or a dozen cars on the highway. They go from 70 to 110 in a hurry, and seemingly without any effort. I'm pretty used to it now, but I am amazed I didn't get a ticket the first month. Going from a Jeep GC, I would look down and be doing 20 over on local streets and a buck on the highway completely unintentionally.

Its begging for trouble, but its also pretty awesome when you get fed up with a clump of idiots on the highway.

What Chevelle did you have?

 

[RU4Real]

The MR2 had that awesome twin-cam motor that was, as I recall, the first engine to combine fuel injection, twin cams, 4 valves per cylinder and dual intake tracts. A girl I knew in the old neighborhood had one of the original Corolla GTS variants with that same motor. I loved driving that car - for the mid-80s, that thing would flat-out boogie.

 

[We Are RU]

How does car insurance work? Does Uber offer insurance?

I'd like to know about this too.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

I had a Toyota MR2 (one of the original ones a very long time ago) and it simply didn't like being driven between 50 and 75. At 80 up to it's max of 120, it felt great. Part of it was just how the engine felt. But also, with the engine being behind the driver, the front end would get light and just not feel planted until there was enough wind to generate enough downforce in the front that the car would settle down.

My wife would give me crap for speeding (about 80-90 if she was in the car) and then, when she'd drive it, she'd wind up going between 80-90 and not even realize it (till I pointed it out like the d-bag that I am).

I think most cars have those kinds of peculiarities. I don't think it's restricted to German cars.

I agree. Every car I've ever owned had a speed it "wanted" to go on the highway. I have always thought of those old MR2's the same as a Fiero. Is that unfair to the MR2? My Dad had an 84 Fiero when I first got my license, and although he wouldn't let me drive it I took it out a few times and that thing was fun to drive. It was absolutely glued to the road. My first car was a fake muscle car - old pontiac tempest with the straight 6.

 

[RU4Real]

A6 with the big engine.

You nailed it with the old car comparison too. The only cars I have ever owned that are as fast are old american cars. They are all low end, and sort of build speed on the highway. With the Audi, its not that its that fast, not off the line anyhow, but these German cars are really fast if you want to blast around one, two or a dozen cars on the highway. They go from 70 to 110 in a hurry, and seemingly without any effort. I'm pretty used to it now, but I am amazed I didn't get a ticket the first month. Going from a Jeep GC, I would look down and be doing 20 over on local streets and a buck on the highway completely unintentionally.

Its begging for trouble, but its also pretty awesome when you get fed up with a clump of idiots on the highway.

What Chevelle did you have?

I had a '77 S3, the one with the 'vette motor (L82, I seem to recall). It was the very tail-end of the muscle cars, the last of a dying breed. It seemed so special, then.... but to your point, looking at it in retrospect, in comparison to what we're driving now... It was a dog. Like you said, lots of low-end, but getting it up into serious territory required a lot of room.

I did, however, once get stopped on Rt 18 in Colts Neck Township for doing 140. The cop cut me a break and wrote me for 99. lol

 

[mildone]

The MR2 had that awesome twin-cam motor that was, as I recall, the first engine to combine fuel injection, twin cams, 4 valves per cylinder and dual intake tracts. A girl I know in the old neighborhood had one of the original Corolla GTS variants with that same motor. I loved driving that car - for the mid-80s, that thing would flat-out boogie.

Yep, I really had a blast with that car. It was under-powered, even the subsequent supercharged and then later turbocharged variants. But it was high-revving and light and had incredible balance and agility. Toyota was doing all kinds of fun but not very profitable things with that car's engine across the model years. Must have been a fun place to work for engineers in those days.

 

[mildone]

I agree. Every car I've ever owned had a speed it "wanted" to go on the highway. I have always thought of those old MR2's the same as a Fiero. Is that unfair to the MR2? My Dad had an 84 Fiero when I first got my license, and although he wouldn't let me drive it I took it out a few times and that thing was fun to drive. It was absolutely glued to the road. My first car was a fake muscle car - old pontiac tempest with the straight 6.

My buddy had a Fiero. The Fiero looked way, way nicer, IMO, and had more horsepower and was definitely fun to drive. Both were mid-engined cars, both were light. But his car had a lot of reliability issues which is what my research had said when I bought the Toyota.

Right about when we bought our cars, which we did not knowing what the other was buying, we had another friend whose parents had saved money up and bought him a Porche 944 Turbo S. Man were we jealous. LOL

 

[RU4Real]

Yep, I really had a blast with that car. It was under-powered, even the subsequent supercharged and then later turbocharged variants. But it was high-revving and light and had incredible balance and agility. Toyota was doing all kinds of fun but not very profitable things with that car's engine across the model years. Must have been a fun place to work for engineers in those days.

You may recall that when the late David E. Davis launched Automobile Magazine in 1986, the 1st issue cover story was the Toyota MR2 and D.E.D.'s comparing it - and pronouncing it superior - to the Ferrari 328.

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

I had a '77 S3, the one with the 'vette motor (L82, I seem to recall). It was the very tail-end of the muscle cars, the last of a dying breed. It seemed so special, then.... but to your point, looking at it in retrospect, in comparison to what we're driving now... It was a dog. Like you said, lots of low-end, but getting it up into serious territory required a lot of room.

I did, however, once get stopped on Rt 18 in Colts Neck Township for doing 140. The cop cut me a break and wrote me for 99. lol

That's awesome. '77 was the end of the Chevelle. I had to look that up...If you asked me I would've guessed '76. Its good they just ended it...didn't give it the Nova treatment. In my opinion, we've only really just recovered from what they did to american muscle. But we are officially past it now, with Dodge putting out what, like 700hp cars under the SRT badge?

 

[CornerTavern]

Insurance: if your passenger gets hurt in an accident, you're screwed and they can sue you for everything you own.

 

[RU4Real]

That's awesome. '77 was the end of the Chevelle. I had to look that up...If you asked me I would've guessed '76. Its good they just ended it...didn't give it the Nova treatment.

I had a girlfriend my senior year of high school who had a bone-stock '70 Chevelle with a 327. The difference between the two was like night and day. The '70 was a ballerina compared to my car.

 

[mildone]

You may recall that when the late David E. Davis launched Automobile Magazine in 1986, the 1st issue cover story was the Toyota MR2 and D.E.D.'s comparing it - and pronouncing it superior - to the Ferrari 328.

I don't recall that - not sure I ever knew it. That's pretty funny. I would've traded in a heartbeat, like pretty much anybody else.

The strongest memory I have of the MR2 is how bad it's wet weather handling was. Or rather, the handling was just perfect until you hit the limit and then, without any kind of perceptible warning, the car would be rotating around it's engine. That happened to me several times, rotating more than a complete 360 each time. I probably peed myself a little the first time. Never been in a car before or since that gave absolutely zero warning whatsoever that it was approaching the grip limit that way. Amazingly, I never hit anything or did any damage.

Another memory I just had was when I lived on Cedar Lane in Highland Park around the time I had the MR2. I used to approach Cedar Lane on River Road coming from Route 27 (headed towards the football stadium). There's an underpass under the railroad tracks on River Road where the road bends a bit to the left then, right under the underpass, bends sharply back to the right with a median ahead and to the left. I could reliably get the car to drift sideways through that right hander, almost right up onto the grass median, and would do it almost every time I went that way (which was almost daily).

The wife didn't like that too much, no she didn't. [laughing]

 

[Ole Cabbagehead]

I don't recall that - not sure I ever knew it. That's pretty funny. I would've traded in a heartbeat, like pretty much anybody else.

The strongest memory I have of the MR2 is how bad it's wet weather handling was. Or rather, the handling was just perfect until you hit the limit and then, without any kind of perceptible warning, the car would be rotating around it's engine. That happened to me several times, rotating more than a complete 360 each time. I probably peed myself a little the first time. Never been in a car before or since that gave absolutely zero warning whatsoever that it was approaching the grip limit that way. Amazingly, I never hit anything or did any damage.

Another memory I just had was when I lived on Cedar Lane in Highland Park around the time I had the MR2. I used to approach Cedar Lane on River Road coming from Route 27 (headed towards the football stadium). There's an underpass under the railroad tracks on River Road where the road bends a bit to the left then, right under the underpass, bends sharply back to the right with a median ahead and to the left. I could reliably get the car to drift sideways through that right hander, almost right up onto the grass median, and would do it almost every time I went that way (which was almost daily).

The wife didn't like that too much, no she didn't. [laughing]

Lol.. that's fantastic about River road. The same thing happened in the Fiero once too, with my dad driving. Spun it on an exit ramp in the rain. Thing just did a 360 around the engine, just like you said. Never even hit the curb. "Don't tell your mother."

 

[RU4Real]

I don't recall that - not sure I ever knew it. That's pretty funny. I would've traded in a heartbeat, like pretty much anybody else.

The strongest memory I have of the MR2 is how bad it's wet weather handling was. Or rather, the handling was just perfect until you hit the limit and then, without any kind of perceptible warning, the car would be rotating around it's engine. That happened to me several times, rotating more than a complete 360 each time. I probably peed myself a little the first time. Never been in a car before or since that gave absolutely zero warning whatsoever that it was approaching the grip limit that way. Amazingly, I never hit anything or did any damage.

Another memory I just had was when I lived on Cedar Lane in Highland Park around the time I had the MR2. I used to approach Cedar Lane on River Road coming from Route 27 (headed towards the football stadium). There's an underpass under the railroad tracks on River Road where the road bends a bit to the left then, right under the underpass, bends sharply back to the right with a median ahead and to the left. I could reliably get the car to drift sideways through that right hander, almost right up onto the grass median, and would do it almost every time I went that way (which was almost daily).

The wife didn't like that too much, no she didn't. [laughing]

Apropos of your comment about the MR2's adhesion characteristics - Polar Moment of Inertia has always been one of my favorite topics with respect to vehicle dynamics. The gist of it is that short-wheelbase cars, generally, will rotate easily but can be stopped easily. Long-wheelbase cars are much slower to rotate, but tend to keep going once they start.

Recently, one of the magazines had an online piece about the Hellcat (Charger). They noted that it has small rubber for a car with 707 horsepower and when they asked the SRT team about that, the answer they got was that the smaller contact patch makes the handling more neutral and predictable. They said that if you put high-performance tires on the Hellcat, it tends to snap at the limit, without any warning or feedback. I thought that was interesting.

 

[mildone]

That's awesome. '77 was the end of the Chevelle. I had to look that up...If you asked me I would've guessed '76. Its good they just ended it...didn't give it the Nova treatment. In my opinion, we've only really just recovered from what they did to american muscle. But we are officially past it now, with Dodge putting out what, like 700hp cars under the SRT badge?

American Muscle cars have entered a whole new era. The engines were always special. But no longer are they just fast in a straight line. Hell, the 2016 Corvette w/the Z07 performance package is a supercar at a discount (if $100+K can be considered a discount).

 

[Plum Street]

Any uber driver worth his/ her salt drives an accord

 

[Upstream]

Mine keeps getting me stopped.

Three times in the last 3 months for 41 in a 25, all in different towns. No tickets, thankfully. But I'm running out of polite, contrite platitudes. The real problem, which would never fly as an explanation, is that the friggin' car simply won't go 25 mph unless I put the DSG in "M" and shift it myself. And I'm too lazy for that.

Get an Accord. They don't have that problem.

 

[mildone]

Apropos of your comment about the MR2's adhesion characteristics - Polar Moment of Inertia has always been one of my favorite topics with respect to vehicle dynamics. The gist of it is that short-wheelbase cars, generally, will rotate easily but can be stopped easily. Long-wheelbase cars are much slower to rotate, but tend to keep going once they start.

Recently, one of the magazines had an online piece about the Hellcat (Charger). They noted that it has small rubber for a car with 707 horsepower and when they asked the SRT team about that, the answer they got was that the smaller contact patch makes the handling more neutral and predictable. They said that if you put high-performance tires on the Hellcat, it tends to snap at the limit, without any warning or feedback. I thought that was interesting.

It's very interesting stuff. A while back, I read about how Porsche addressed the snap-oversteer problems inherent in 911's. I need to try to dig up that article because it was pretty fascinating what Porsche did, at first with mechanical bits, then later with AWD, rear wheel steering and software, to tame that particular tendency.

 

[mildone]

You don't see snap-oversteer in an Accord; that's for sure. And cops can't even see an Accord, let alone get a radar hit on one.

It is the King of All Cars.

 

[KeithK7624]

Very frequent Uber/Lyft rider here.

The 3 main reasons I take Uber are 1) The cars are clean, 2) the drivers are nice, and 3) it's cheaper than taxis (in most cases). If you can cover 1 and 2, you are gtg in most cases.

Everyone except one driver got 5 stars from me. In my mind (and I assume most others), you start with 5 stars and can only go down from there.

Unless the customer says otherwise, you should always just follow the route Uber gives you (assuming they punched in their destination) or gain their agreement if you'd rather take another route. It'll only piss the rider off if you take an alternate route and it ends up taking longer in distance or time (which means we pay more).

Water is nice, but not expected at all. It doesn't get any bonus points from me...maybe it would others. I think if I requested UberBlack, I'd expect some water, but not UberX. If you are UberX, the cost probably outweighs the value for the driver.

Sometimes I'm very chatty and other times I'm pretty quiet (ex: 4:30 AM rides to the airport). I'd say just let the mood dictate the course here. If the rider isn't talking, they probably aren't interested in chatting. If the driver doesn't seem interested in talking to me, I take the queue and stfu.

Uber doesn't allow tipping, while Lyft does. Lyft also has cheaper rates than Uber, so it offsets a bit.

For Uber (not with Lyft), there seems to be more of an expectation to help with bags. I personally dont care if I load my own bag since I am a capable young guy. I'd recommend offering help to others though. Probably an easy way to get dinged.

As a frequent uber rider I agree wth everything said above. The only times i haven't given 5 stars were because the driver took a different route then the one I told him too, he was too chatty at 430, and the car absolutely stink of perfume. Just be polite, ask if there's a radio station I would like, and ask about the temperature. While helping with bags, opening the door, or offering water is nice, I typically decline them.

 

[RichG]

Been using uber for past couple of months, about a dozen trips.
Love the convenience and promptness.
All, my rides have been 5 star rated, had no reason to rate lower.
Clean car and safe ride are my priorities. Water/mints nice gesture by driver, but unnecessary imho.
A little introductory chat is fine, then I prefer to sit back and let the driver, drive.

 

[RUBlueLot]

VIP user here... (NYC, NJ and wherever I fly for business)

I like when the car doesn't smell (no cig's) and the driver is somewhat aggressive.

we went to the Wisconsin game and a uber my buddy's took the woman had a pot of melted cheese. She deserved 10 stars in my opinion.

 

[RUBlueLot]

Just announced... Uber is about to get a whole lot cheaper in NJ!!!

Yeah baby -

 

[RocktheRac]

Just got my email. Prices for riders drops drastically. Oh well....can't make much money now. From 2014 base ride had dropped from 2.00 to 1.25 . Dropped .20 to .18 per minute and 1.65 to 1.10 per mile. It is now 1.05 base .15 per min. and .85 per mile .

 

[newell138]

i can see a lot of drivers bailing with them cutting rates to only 85 cents per mile. Not sure how anyone can make $$ driving for that. But from what I can see, this is Ubers business model, lure drivers in at the high rates and gradually decrease the rates to lure in more riders. It may work in the south but if you try that up here, the only drivers they will have left will be the non english speaking ones driving humpty humps.

I'll keep doing it on the weekends because the rates down the shore are still decent enough ($1.65 mile and a $8.60 minimum) to make some part time money but I'm sure we will be following suit soon enough with the rate cuts.

 

[RUBlueLot]

I'll be taking Uber back from Newark tonight to Jersey City.... We shall see what type of car and if this person speaks english