by on 5 Comments

GetDismissed Allows You To Fight Traffic Tickets From Your Couch

Harry here, We’ve partnered up with GetDismissed.com to help drivers fight traffic tickets in California. Today, senior RSG contributor Christian Perea covers a basic strategy for fighting tickets in CA. If you would like to sign up for their service using our link, you can save $10 by using the code RSG10.

Traffic tickets suck, but I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that.  It always seems that I spend an entire day on the road watching other people break traffic laws: speeding, texting, stopping in the red zone, swerving in lanes while checking their Facebook status and all with no interference from the cops!

Drive with Uber 1

In fact, I once tried to let a cop into traffic as he was trying to exit a Shell station. Traffic was bumper to bumper and nobody would let him in. I waved for him to go since I’m a nice guy (and prefer that he be in front of me). He then waved for me to go first and once I did, the cop pulled me over for having an “illegal light” which just so happened to by my Lyft Glowstache. It took him 45 minutes to write the ticket, and my passengers and I watched Dodgeball in my car while he tried to figure out what law I broke.

Not the actual cop.

(FYI, Lyft may pay this ticket for you if you call their Trust and Safety Line and it’s not a moving violation.)

Track Your Miles for Free with Stride Drive

Stride DriveSmart drivers know they need to track their mileage from start to finish. Stride Drive is a free app you can use to track your mileage, which will help you save money at tax time. 

[Read more…]

by on 24 Comments

Is It Safe To Drive For Uber and Lyft?

Harry here.  It seems like there’s no shortage of scary stories in the news about safety issues for Uber drivers.  Today, RSG senior contributor John Ince takes a look at just how safe being a rideshare driver can be and what drivers should do to be prepared just in case.

By now most drivers have heard about the Taco Bell executive who attacked his Uber driver in a now infamous Youtube clip.  But in case you missed that one, the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) has created the website, Who’s Driving You?  

It’s obviously biased, but it paints a pretty damaging image of safety with a long list of frightening incidents.  Whenever Uber or Lyft are pressed on the safety issue, they reflexively respond with a refrain that goes something like, the number of such incidents is very small in comparison to the millions of rides given every day. 

But as the ridesharing platforms grow, they’re also expanding into socioeconomic sectors and regions that are prone to higher crime rates.  In addition, Uber’s decision to test out cash payments in Colorado has raised concerns among many drivers.  Due to all of this, many drivers rightly wonder whether this gig is really as safe as Uber and Lyft want us to think it is.

What do you think about the safety of Uber and Lyft? Has driving become more or less safe? What concerns you (as a driver and/or as a passenger)?

[Read more…]

by on 50 Comments

Are Uber and Lyft Drivers Allowed To Carry Non-Lethal Weapons?

Over the weekend, a Portland Lyft driver was banned from the platform after she pulled out a stun gun to defend herself when her passengers refused to exit the vehicle.  I always knew that Uber and Lyft had policies against drivers carrying firearms but I was surprised to find out that Lyft drivers aren’t allowed to carry non-lethal weapons like pepper spray or stun guns either.

And in a strange twist, Uber’s policy actually allows drivers to carry non-lethal weapons – but does that mean you should?

Are Uber and Lyft drivers allowed to carry weapons in their cars? While state laws differ, Uber and Lyft's policies are clear, but do you agree with them?

[Read more…]

by on 50 Comments

What Should Drivers Do When Shit Hits the Fan?

Harry here.  Most rides go off without a hitch, but with millions of trips per day, there are bound to be some unfortunate incidents.  Today, RSG contributor John Ince recaps this week’s viral video and shares his tips on what to do if/when the situation gets out of hand AND how to avoid it in the first place.

A video went viral this week in which a passenger, who apparently requested a ride to the emergency room at a local hospital, refused to get out of the car, despite the fact that the app indicated that they had arrived at their destination.  The female passenger wanted the male driver to take her to the entrance of the emergency room and he lost his cool in the face of her repeated insistence that he take her to what she considered her final destination.  An altercation ensued and things escalated quickly as she recorded a video of the incident.

Drivers and most everyone else on message boards and Facebook sided with the driver who laced the passenger with such choice lines as “Get out of my f—ing car” and “I’m looking at a f—ing moron”.  But if history is any guide here, the driver will likely be deactivated pending an investigation by Uber.  In any event, the driver’s afternoon was ruined.

We’ve all faced similar situations though, and they always result in needless hours of lost sleep and questioning whether this job is really worth all the hassle. Take a look and see what you think (WARNING: Explicit language!)

[Read more…]

by on 24 Comments

What to Make of Uber’s New Driver Tracking Features

Harry here. Getting feedback from Uber on ways to improve driving behavior can be a challenge. But today, RSG senior contributor Christian Perea takes a look at Uber’s new safety report card that they started sending out to drivers this week.  It may feel a little big-brotherish but will it help drivers and make the roads safer?

Uber released a new feature last week that tracks driver behavior and provides them with a daily “Driving Report”.  It’s meant to grade drivers on things like acceleration, braking, and whether or not your cell phone is properly secured.

Uber is gathering the real-time data using your phone’s GPS, accelerometer, and various other instruments in order to provide feedback on how you drive.  This technology has actually been around for a while and is known as “telemetrics”. It’s currently used to monitor limo, cab, bus, and truck drivers all throughout the world.

For Uber drivers though, at the end of each day, you’ll receive a report that looks something like this:

13619969_10202101741581690_7213163872514683020_n

RSG reader Errma Rovera shared her report for this post.

[Read more…]