Taxi Driver Online

A couple of broadly similar Uber stories, so have put them in same thread.

Could just about see a newbie driver getting into a traffic pickle during the Edinburgh Festival (and there's a surge element as well), but the Birmingham Airport one isn't so easily explainable.

Wonder why the punter allowed him to go all the way to Coventry, though?

By the looks of the map of the route taken the driver seemed to start in the right direction, but ended up on the M6 heading towards Coventry for some reason. I'm guessing it was a major junction but he took the wrong exit (or whatever) and either didn't realise, or couldn't get back on the correct route

I'm sure we've all been there to a degree, but 30-odd miles or so for a 12 mile trip seems excessive


Edinburgh Uber user furious after being charged £26 for a one-mile journey during the Fringe

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/ed ... r-16780121

Actor Amanda Bailey says she was charged an "extortionate" amount for the journey, which was subject to surge pricing

An actor currently appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe has taken to Twitter to complain after being charged £26 to travel just one mile on Saturday evening (17 August) using the Uber app.

Amanda Bailey is appearing in a play called The Good Scout at The Space, Surgeon's Hall until 24 August.

She took an Uber car from Edinburgh Playhouse to Surgeon's Hall, a distance of 0.8 of a mile. She chose to take a cab rather than walk as she was in costume and it had started to rain, but she claims that the driver took several long detours and was left shocked when she found she had been billed £26 for the short journey, which should ordinarily take about 7 minutes.

She tweeted:

"Hey @Uber charging me £26 for a £4 fare, even at your ridiculous 2.5 surge charge is beyond extreme... please send me a refund for the difference, thank you."

Amanda told Edinburgh Live how she ended up with such a high fare:

"There was quite a queue for the black cabs (outside the Playhouse), so I checked on Uber and a cab was available in about a minute.

"When it arrived we sat in traffic for a while at the roadworks outside the Playhouse, and as we crept up the hill the driver said ‘I’ll try to go round this.’

"We went down Calton Hill and got stuck in further traffic, then as he zigzagged to get us to our destination we got stuck several times again, especially on the Canongate, which is always busy.

"Had he stayed on the normal route to go over South Bridge we’d have travelled just over one mile instead of the 4.8 miles he took. I've had several non- committal responses from Uber saying they have to contact the driver to find out if he agrees with them adjusting the amount, and that I have to wait 72 hours.

"I’ve explained to them that they shouldn’t need to contact the driver to see that the fare I’ve been charged is extortionate, and that they should refund me straight away. I have not heard anything further from them as yet."

Edinburgh Live have reached out to Uber for comment.

Have you ever been stung by a significant Uber surge charge? Feel free to let us know on our Facebook or Twitter groups, or by contacting us on news@edinburghlive.co.uk.


Uber passenger fury after driver 'heads wrong way home from Birmingham Airport and triples cost'

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/m ... r-16767943

The holidaymaker was charged £75 for a trip he says should have cost just £25

An Uber passenger was left furious after claiming the taxi firm tripled his charge home from Birmingham Airport - after taking a huge diversion.

The customer hit out after claiming the driver took him from the airport to his home in Sutton Coldfield via COVENTRY.

His home town is just 12 miles north of the airport.


Image: Google/Birmingham Mail

But he claims he was first driven miles out of his way into into Coventry before finally reaching his destination.

And the late-night drive - which he says usually costs just £25 - was tripled to £75 to account.

George took to Twitter to vent his anger to Uber after the trip on Monday August 12.

He said: "Gotta love it when an @Uber driver drives from Birmingham Airport to Sutton Coldfield VIA COVENTRY???

"£25 fare and he charged £75. Disgusting scumbags."

He shared an image of his trip details, which were viewed in the Uber app following the journey at around 10.20pm.


Image: Twitter

The route of the trip can clearly be seen in the image, including how the driver looped round Coventry before returning the passenger home to Sutton.

Uber Support responded to his tweet, saying: "We're sorry to hear this was your experience, @georgeg147 .

"Kindly send us a DM of the phone number connected to your account, so we can further assist."

An Uber spokeswoman added: “We are always happy review a trip if there are concerns about the route taken, and provide a fare adjustment where appropriate."

Skinflints getting ripped off,I have no sympathy!.

At a guess i would say driver missed the turning to come off A45 and continued to coventry before realising he'd missed his turn. You do come onto and off the A45 in only a couple of hundred yards.

But the cheeky so and so's at Uber charged them for the actual mileage not what it should have been

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Down here Uber charge double the rate to airports that traditional taxi/PH charge.

So if the mug punters want to be ripped off, f***em.

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IDFIMH

My thoughts entirely.

I try not work near the city centre anymore but,when I did and do I'm forever seeing (young) people glancing at their phones waiting for poober.these are the same people who believe in independent shops and coffee shops,who believe in the swift man made climate change (forever nipping over to Europe from stanstead on cheap flights),ignoring the fact that their poober ride is subsidised.Oh and mummy and daddy were always driving them to school in their 4x4s.makes me want to puke!.