Beware the "murphy" taxi driver...

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June-01-15, 12:09 PM
Al Publican

Beware the "murphy" taxi driver...

Signed up for an Uber account just before coming into Detroit. I worked out fine as while staying at a downtown hotel. We used Uber to visit folks in the suburbs several times and the pick up times were surprisingly quick. We walked around our former Corktown area and around much of downtown.

Our one negative experience was meeting a fake Uber driver in Greektown. I was punching in an Uber request when a fella in a burgundy Dodge Caravan saw me and said he was an Uber driver. We jumped in and as he began to drive he announced it was a "cash run." I figured he was driving off the Uber meter and didn't think much about it until we got to our destination and announced a fare that was twice or three times more than a previous run on Uber to the same destination and a lot more than one a taxi would charge.

Upon arriving at our destination, he said the fare was $75. I said $40. should cover it as that is more than what we paid a previous Uber driver to make the same run. I gave him $50. and he got out and became irate about his $75. "fare" going on about it being a "red zone" run.

Never heard of such a thing as a "red zone" taxi run, I told him. And I've done taxis in a number of cities in the US. I finally gave him $10. for a total of $60. and began to walk way. When he started to follow me, I told him that he wasn't an Uber driver and that I would report him to the police as an unlicensed taxi driver and he left on that note.

The $60. I gave him was about $5. more than an Uber run to the same place earlier in the day, so he was not shorted on a fare. I felt rather silly having let a fake [["murphy man") taxi driver trick me into believing he was a Uber driver, especially since I once worked the streets of Detroit alone for so many years and thought I had seen and heard it all.
June-01-15, 12:47 PM
belleislerunner

Do you also respond to Siri calls from the IRS or email spoofs?

You N-E-V-E-R close a cab door without agreeing to the price up front [[either fixed fee or mileage).

User error. Welcome to city life, city living.
June-01-15, 01:24 PM
gvidas

I've never used Uber, but I thought one of the main points about it is that you get to see a picture of the actual driver and their car, and then watch a dot representing them approach your location on a map. Choosing to then get into a different car does sound like user error to me.
June-01-15, 05:27 PM
Chicago48

Quote:

Originally Posted by gvidas

I've never used Uber, but I thought one of the main points about it is that you get to see a picture of the actual driver and their car, and then watch a dot representing them approach your location on a map. Choosing to then get into a different car does sound like user error to me.

You are correct ^^ The OP must have been drunk out of his mind.
June-13-15, 05:47 PM
Al Publican

This was the third time I had used an Uber car and didn't think anything of it until we got in in front of a downtown hotel. By the time the driver told me not to bother signing in with Uber, I assumed he was doing a run off the Uber the meter, if you will. He was okay until we got the to the destination and tried to work me for a higher than normal fare, higher than what a regular taxi charged me on a previous run.
No knock on Uber here, which I was impressed with during about eight uses during our visit. I was momentarily naive and should have known better having worked the streets of Detroit alone for many years. In short, I got too comfortable in my old turf.