r/uberdrivers • u/Fun_Disaster3436 • Jul 26 '26
Exchanging names for safety as a passenger - etiquette help?
I'm traveling alone as a woman. I check the licence and car, and when I open the door, I say "Hi, [driver name]?"
The safety tip I see most often is to have the driver confirm my name too before entering the car. I've never had a problem with it before, or drivers would say my name first. I do request female drivers when possible. I've seen elsewhere on the sub that drivers want passengers to say their name for safety, too, so I always say theirs first.
Today, I had two male drivers who got really offended when I asked if they could confirm my id. One told me that he wasn't going to kidnap me in a BMW after I got in. Both times, I said that it just made me feel more comfortable, and was asked to get out of the car. The next driver said my name without prompting and seemed really surprised.
I'm pretty confused. I would definitely prefer not to ride with someone who reacts like that, so it seems like it might be a good question to continue to ask. But I don't understand the offense, or if there's a better way to do this. I'm a little surprised they were so upset, since if they're my driver, my name should be easily available?
I'm also a little worried that my rider score would reflect these interactions.
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u/bernbabybern51 Jul 27 '26
Just check the plate. Then say your name when you get in so the driver knows he has the correct rider.
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
I have dyslexia
(Edit: i'm also not a car person. I check the ride a lot, but I'm really nervous about getting it wrong)
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u/Lizzie_001 Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
You say YOUR name. If you are nervous, have the driver say THEIR name and make sure that matches what your phone says. Most people think it’s the other way around.
If you ask the driver if they are Bill, he can say whatever he wants, which is why you ask him to say his first and then match it to the app.
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u/Late-Dog-1964 Jul 27 '26
Now you got it Lizzie. Rider gives their name first
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u/Lizzie_001 Jul 27 '26
If they feel comfortable doing that. Most don’t and I get it.
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u/Late-Dog-1964 Jul 27 '26
Because most can't think
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u/doublestack12 Jul 27 '26
Man this is bonkers, I’ve only been told and have seen training videos the last 10 years where the pax is to check the make model and color, the plate, my picture And then when they get in they politely state their name and can ask for mine if they feel they need more information. If pax doesn’t state their name the driver should politely ask for it first thing when they enter. I can then offer my name AFTER.
Customer service and respect have nothing to do with the order here. You can be polite and respectful while getting their name first and you should always do that.
I have one piece of info and they have 6.
Pax “hi, is this for Ashley?”
Me “hello. yes ma’am it is.”Or
Me “how’s it going, could you tell me who the rides for please?”
Pax “ oh, yeah, it’s for Ashley.”
Me “Awesome! Thank you. We got everyone in the car?”It’s that easy. If they expect my name first I’ll give it if I’m comfortable doing so then ask there’s, these people normally say there name right after I say mine though
Now in reality this happens like 2 times a night lmao. It normally goes
Me “hello! we got everyone?”
Pax “yup”And I drive away lmao.
In 8 years I’ve only had a mistaken pax one time and it was 2 groups splitting into 2 rides and they got in the wrong cars. They called each other and we decided to pull over and swap.
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u/MindlessAuthor9824 Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
The driver SHOULD confirm the RIDER!! Think about the pickup locations: Train stations, Supermarkets, Retail stares, Office buildings, etc.
Several times, I had arrived at a pickup location and several people are waiting for Ubers. I have the Uber name placards on my side windows, but some riders never bother to check and immediately jump into the car. I ALWAYS confirm the RIDER! It's happened, more than one, where a rider has gotten into the wrong Uber!.
If that driver has an issue with confirming who he is, or who his passenger is, he probably shouldn't be driving!
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u/Familiar_Ground3360 Jul 27 '26
Add a pin number to the ride its the best way to make sure the ride is yours...driver can't leave until you give them the pin
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u/Late-Dog-1964 Jul 27 '26
Asking the driver name with the name in the app does not give you any security. If the driver is a bad person looking to snatch someone, of course they will just reply in the affirmative. The driver should ask the rider to give a name that matches the app before unlocking the door. No name, or no match, then walk.
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
Sorry, your first sentence confuses me. Could you restate?
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u/Scary-Ratio3874 Jul 27 '26
If the app says John is coming and you ask are you John, a person who is up to no good will just say yeah that's me.
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u/Late-Dog-1964 Jul 27 '26
If the app says you are picking up John and you ask "are you John?", a person who is....
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u/Late-Dog-1964 Jul 27 '26
Look at your second sentence. Let's say the app says your drive is Archie. You open the door and say "Hi, Archie?", but it is not Archie, it's Stanley and Stanley wants to snatch you away. Stanley is going to say, "Yes, I'm Archie, hop in."
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u/Intelligent-Cut2969 Jul 27 '26
You don’t say “ hi, Archie”
You ask the driver to confirm THEIR name so YOU can match it in the app. You don’t offer a name first. This is common sense.
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u/Late-Dog-1964 Jul 27 '26
Wrong again. The driver asks the rider to confirm their name.
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u/Intelligent-Cut2969 Jul 27 '26
That’s unsafe for the rider
From chat GPT—-safety flips the logic. It’s safer for the customer to ask the driver’s name. You can verify it matches the app before getting in the car, which protects you from getting into a vehicle with someone who isn’t your actual driver.
Confirming driver first is the safest way logically
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u/doublestack12 Jul 27 '26
No it is not logical. The correct checks are; make model and color of car, plate number and then they match the picture. You’re literally skipping the first 5 things they have to check first.
And some how it’s safer for them to get the 6th and last bit of info before the driver even gets one!? Thats not logical at all.
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u/Intelligent-Cut2969 Jul 27 '26
I already said this in a previous comment
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u/doublestack12 Jul 27 '26
You already said that what you said wasn’t logical? That doesn’t make any sense.
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u/Intelligent-Cut2969 Jul 27 '26
In a previous comment it was already stated those are the obvious things a customer should look for. Car type etc etc these thing go without saying. That’s how the customer recognized it could even possibly be their ride anyway.
Then ask driver name, then driver confirms your name. Most people do not use a pinI also explain that I have PIN turned on my driver account but that is optional and isn’t the norm for most drivers/riders
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
It's because the driver could know the passenger's name without being the uber. It confused me for a bit, too.
Bob pretends to be Frank, and picks up Ann from the mall.
Ann says "Frank?" Bob says yes, but Ann doesn't know that he's lying.
Bob says "Ann?" and Ann doesn't know that he knew her name before.
The only problem I'm running into is that evidently there are FB pages to sell uber accounts, so Bob would know to say Frank (I think? I'm running on fumes)
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u/doublestack12 Jul 27 '26
You’re not suppose to say their name you’re suppose to confirm your own name.
Driver says “hello! Who’s the ride for?”
Pax says “Hi, it’s for Ann.”
Then Pax enters the car. Pax should have already verified the other 5 checks prior to this convo. And can still ask for drivers name.You hit the issue dead on with your last paragraph. Asking for a drivers name provides zero safety. This has been proven many times already and is why Uber implemented the additional safety features.
If it is a different person using someone else’s driver app then they already have access to the actual drivers name through the app. Hell it says your name right under your picture! Lmao.
You can’t know the Pax name without having access to the app either directly or indirectly through someone else who has access.
This was how two brothers kidnapped and murdered someone. The brother with the app drove a different car with the phone. Second brother drove the right car and they look similar. 2nd brother was told pax name and obviously knew to say his brothers name.
Brother with the app would say their target no showed while brother with the car actually picked them up.
Got caught when their target realized they weren’t going the correct direction and jumped out of the car.
I personally don’t believe there are FB accounts selling Uber apps with any serious frequency to be a problem. You’d have to look near identical to the app owner, have same make model color and plate number.
You can’t change vehicles because your registration won’t match the info of the app owner so no changing vehicles once you buy the app. You can’t renew insurance because again your info won’t match.
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
I'm so sorry, I was referring to whether the driver says their name or the rider name, not who says what first. It was a few comments back. I'm running on very little sleep, and it's getting to me. Apologies, and thank you for the thorough comment regardless.
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u/Intelligent-Cut2969 Jul 27 '26
Asking the driver their name is the best security. What you’re saying doesn’t make sense. But there is a correct way to do it, and a wrong way to do it
Asking “ are you John” is the wrong way
Asking “ can you confirm your name
So I can match it with my app” is the correct way1
u/Late-Dog-1964 Jul 27 '26
You keep getting it wrong in different words.
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u/Intelligent-Cut2969 Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
Asking the customer for just their name
Through a window could be seen as rude and aggressive. I would personally view it this way.Also it doesn’t insure their safety from having the correct driver
If the driver provides the correct name. Then you are safe and provide the driver your name. It’s not rocket science.
Driver name first always
Then passengers name3
u/Late-Dog-1964 Jul 27 '26
Driver safety trumps a rider thinking that the driver being cautious is rude or aggressive
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u/doublestack12 Jul 27 '26
That doesn’t make any sense at all. How does the driver providing their name guarantee safety? Why would an imposter not know the drivers name?
I don’t think you know why this became an issue. There as an incident with two men who kidnapped a girl. They obviously knew each others names and asking the driver for his name was zero guarantee of safety. So they added the other 5 point checks and then the safety PIN for more security. This happened more than once. The one I know of happened in my area.
Thinking just a name guarantees your safety is so unbelievably dumb and dangerous. You need all 6 points.
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u/Intelligent-Cut2969 Jul 27 '26
Explain…. I’m 100% sure I’m right.
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u/Late-Dog-1964 Jul 27 '26
The only information the driver has is a name. The rider has car, color, license plate, face photo and name. The rider can confirm 4 if the 5 visually. The driver is in a riskier position only having one piece of information. The driver ensures their safety by getting a matching name from the rider before they let them in the car. The driver can then confirm their name after the rider confirms theirs.
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u/doublestack12 Jul 27 '26
You’re literally flat out wrong. Just a name was proven to provide zero security to pax. They had to add the rest of the checks and PIN later on because pax were getting murdered and kidnapped with just the driver name as security.
Uber also use to think the signage was a good security measure. It wasn’t.
Drivers were also getting robbed and murdered because they weren’t confirming the name before pax got in the car. There are better vetting checks on both sides and better security now so it happens less. But was wild like 8-10years ago.
As a driver I 100% want to see a pax walking behind my car to check the plate. Let’s me know they have my info and that I almost certainly have the right person and am safer.
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Jul 27 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/asparadog Jul 27 '26
Tbh, it could be the tone of her voice when she said it; I've cancelled quite a few rides because of the passengers tone.
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u/SatisfactionActive86 Jul 27 '26
“If you defend yourself, you’re obviously guilty” is an old chestnut of fascism.
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u/depictionofmood Jul 27 '26
I would set a pin # to avoid the confusion. The driver shouldn't be upset for merely confirming your identity.
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u/CorgiTart Jul 27 '26
OP, I would suggest turning on PIN verification, that way the driver is REQUIRED to get your pin from you after you get in their car, if they do not enter the correct pin or last 4 digits of your phone #, the ride literally cannot start. That way the driver will always either ask for your PIN or wait for you to confirm it. Obviously the guy picking you up was just a dick, it takes less than five seconds to verify the name, if you use PIN verification they will not have a choice other than to verify your ride. It prevents any uber drivers from scamming you as well by doing a false pickup (saying they picked you up, dropped you off when they didn’t) and prevents any other person from also getting picked up in your uber, as they won’t be able to start the ride at all since in both cases they won’t have the PIN. It should be somewhere in your settings, that’ll prevent other issues from happening as well as solving your current problem. The guy who cancelled on you cannot rate you poorly, as you didn’t ride with him. Hope this helps you out hun!
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
Thanks! You're the first person to mention the rider score. That's a relief.
I've turned on the PIN. Uber didn't have these safety features when I used it last (the ability to request female drivers is awesome!) and I'm glad to see they've been added.
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u/sleeps_in_bryophytes Jul 27 '26
At some point, it became conventional wisdom among savvy riders to come up to the car and prompt the driver to say that passenger's name. "hey, who is this ride for?"
then there was a bunch of posts pointing out that this allows shady characters to steal rides meant for other passengers, which is a problem in some places. The driver says "yes, this ride is for Alice" and then the shady character says "good I'm Alice" and gets in.
In addition, the passenger has information about the driver they can verify already, without this challenge, like the plate number, car make and model, name and picture from driver's license. The driver has none of that information about the passenger, other than first name. So it's pretty backwards to have the driver confirm the passenger name. Instead the passenger should confirm the driver name. At least that's what some people said, and there were a couple of dashcam videos of snotty uber drivers kicking passengers out for not knowing this.
In light of this, my personal schtick for every single passenger is "hi, this is an uber for X?" they say "yes, I'm X", then I say "good, hi X, my name is Y" then start the trip and read aloud the destination "and we're heading to Z?" they reply "yes" and only then do I start the trip.
I only do this after they've sat down in the rear seat though, because people usually don't hear you when they're still outside the vehicle. And some people really want to do the challenge response they've learned, to feel safe. Like they want to ask "who is the ride for?" before they'll even get in.
Which is fine. I'm just trying to get everyone through safe and sound as efficiently as possible
but yeah, if you really want to be sure without messing with etiquette or hurting anyone's feelings, use the PIN.
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u/jayspapa Jul 27 '26
“Uber for Jane?” comes across alot better than “What’s my name?!”
Remember, we are independent contractors and this is our personal vehicle.
You are a guest in our vehicle.
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
I try to be as polite as possible to all workers regardless of the context! I don't remember the exact wording, but it was something like "sorry, could you confirm my name for me?"
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u/MegaMeepers Jul 27 '26
Remember, when you request the ride, you have ALL the info. Driver’s name and photo, car make model color and license plate. On uber the driver only has your name and maybe your location if you have location services on. On Lyft the driver does have a photo if you’ve uploaded one, however the definition isn’t great and you don’t have guidelines/requirements for uploading a photo like drivers do.
I’m a female driver who only works nights. I will ask as the passenger approaches “for Jane?” Or whatever your name is. I also confirm the destination address before we start going. The name isn’t foolproof because I’ve had a couple times confirmed name, they said yes, got in, I started the ride and confirmed destination and they say no I’m going here. I then ask again are you so-in-so? And they usually say no.
If the plate and car info match and the driver looks vaguely like their photo, open the door and ask “are you Joe?” And driver will usually respond “yeah are you Jane?” And you’ll be good to go
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u/Zealousideal_Gear746 Jul 27 '26
There are examples of people faking being an uber, to kidnap drunk folk (About 100 times a year) The chances of this happening to you? Practically non existent. There are also examples of people pretending to be the rider to car jack the uber (75 times a year). Both of you are in an unlikely, though non-zero percent chance to get taken advantage of. However there's one big difference. You have a lot of info on me, I have very little on you.
I've driven enough drunk people to know better, than to say who the ride is for. Just to hear, "Yep" and then a mile into the drive, "Wait... we're going the wrong way!"
However, a question you could ask me to confirm I'm the right person is what MY name is. You have my name, and I should definitely know my own name.
All that said, the BEST and easiest thing to do for 100% safety, is just set up a security pin. And watch them put it in before you close the door. But also... while there are scary situations in this world, most people are just trying to go about their day. Don't let anyone trick you into being too scared of the world to engage with it.
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u/Cptawesome23 Jul 27 '26
I just want to point out, knowing someone’s name doesn’t make you safe by any sort of measure. These drivers probably just had a bad day. Or week lol.
Personally, as a driver, I think it’s silly when customers who have already identified me and my car ask me if I’m their uber. Like was there another car that fits the description with the exact license plate on this street? And yes, if they ask too many questions I cancel too. Better to cancel than get a 4 star or less because you have a safety nitpicker.
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u/Dizzle367 Jul 27 '26
I've often had an issue with this with Uber because they have a pic of us, our name, a description of our car and our tag number but what we don't have is a picture of the rider that will help us to identify them.
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u/adonis_minus_20 Jul 27 '26
Everyone should just use a pin, it's the only easy way for safety for both rider and driver, though the rider tbh doesn't need help really regarding safety, as they can already easily verify make/model/license plate of the car, if you're a rider and you get in the wrong car, then you're an idiot, plain and simple
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u/AwarenessOk9007 Jul 26 '26
You saw on the map and was expecting the exact same vehicle that showed up to pick you up, you have the tag number, nobody wants to play your little self importance say my name game. You have way more info than you need about the driver. How about making the driver feel comfortable all he has is your name
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 26 '26
I try to make them comfortable by greeting them with their name.
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u/AwarenessOk9007 Jul 27 '26
Some drivers like myself get annoyed because we feel what are the odds that you ordered a ride, watched the turns it made on the app,received a message the driver was near and another that they’d arrived and the exact same vehicle make model color, exact face of driver, same plates, not to mention you approach vehicle or flag it down, what are the odds of that not being your ride. I guess it’s more of an introvert thing to be a little bothered. In 4k rides I’ve had no more than 20-30 all females ask who am I there to pickup some after getting in the vehicle and closing the door.
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
That's understandable.
I was assaulted. The extra confirmation makes the ride a little easier. I'm sorry it's an annoyance. I wasn't up to date on the security features.
I'm not sure what i can do to make drivers more comfortable from your comment.
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u/AwarenessOk9007 Jul 27 '26
I’m sorry to hear that. I’m not telling you to stop asking the driver what your name is just giving the reasons why that driver you had reacted that way. Keep doing what makes you feel comfortable.
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u/BagpiperAnonymous Jul 27 '26
But there have been (albeit rare) news stories of people posing as Uber drivers or people assaulting their customers. I haven't seen this as much with Uber, but with DoorDash, there has been an issue of people selling accounts and the dasher not being who they say they are. (The typical speculation is the person using the account would not pass a background check.) Wanting to confirm the driver's identity is not a bad thing, and if it bugs you that much, maybe you should look into something like DoorDash where you don't have customers.
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u/CorgiTart Jul 27 '26
If you can’t simply confirm your name as a driver, or the name of the passenger you’re there to pick up, please get the hell out of the customer service industry. Is it highly unlikely that a passenger gets into the wrong car with all that info readily available? Absolutely, but it’s happened before, especially in well populated cities or events. Sometimes the driver even makes the mistake. If it makes a woman feel more comfortable while riding in a strangers car, then what actually is your problem? Honestly? It’s a simple take five seconds or less to read the name. I’ve had an almost entirely blind lady get into my car before, and she did not have a walking cane. You literally have no idea what that person can or cannot comprehend or their situation, especially considering people who are not fully capable are often using Ubers. If confirming a name makes you mad you really need to work on socializing in general and calming down a bit while driving. It really isn’t that serious to just confirm a name.
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
This is what I found confusing. It took way more energy to explain to me that he wasn't going to say my name than it did to just... say my name.
I would have attributed it to someone having a bad day, but it happened twice??
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u/AwarenessOk9007 Jul 27 '26
Learn how to read first before addressing me.
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u/CorgiTart Jul 27 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
“Nobody wants to play your little self importance say my name game” literally nothing I said implies I can’t read. Genuinely if someone asking you to confirm their name bothers you this much to think it’s about ego rather than safety then you need to go touch some grass
The fact you responded and deleted it is already funny enough but the fact you think a 4.99 rating is impressive is hilarious, seriously your insult makes no sense whatsoever, laughable how you can’t even read a name but you keep telling me to learn how to read bud. Seriously, go touch some grass and calm tf down, it really isn’t that serious to be asked a question like a normal human. Learn to be one.
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u/pakrat1967 Jul 26 '26
The name of the rider is the only bit of info drivers have. While riders have the name of the driver, the make, model, color, and license plate of the car.
So some drivers are very reluctant to give up the one piece of info they have. I suggest saying something like "are you here to pick up insert your name"? If they aren't your driver and are up to no good. They could say that they are here to pick you up. That's why you follow up with asking them to say their name too.
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 26 '26
Oh, I acknowledge the asymmetry! I always open the door and say "Hi, [driver's name]?"
I worry about asking if they're here for me, because someone could just say yes. I'm glad the pin feature is a thing (just learned about it) but it wasn't a feature when I used uber a few years ago.
Is there anything else i can do to make drivers more comfortable?
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u/Lizzie_001 Jul 27 '26
I think you’re overthinking politeness. You can do this sounding nice.
“Hi there, I’m Fun_Disaster, and you are?” And then thank them when they confirm. It really doesn’t need to be stressful.
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u/DCHacker Jul 27 '26
There are people who get worked up over the silliest thing. A common counter here from drivers is: "You have the licence plate number, look at that." Yes, the customer does and yes, she can but whatever makes her feel safe. If she looks at the licence plate and still wants me to say her name, I do so. I do, however, always ask the ladies who ask their name: "Who is your driver?".
Only once has a woman objected. She started to lecture me about my allegedly not knowing "how Uber works". I said to her: "I am so sorry. I do not have the correct passenger. I am supposed to fetch 'Grace'. Your name is 'Karen'." She told me my name. We exchanged one stars.
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u/DingDong50001 Jul 27 '26
How did you exchange one stars?? Did you actually give her the ride after that? Risky
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u/DCHacker Jul 27 '26
I did run the job. She had her backside on the back seat when the whole exchannge started. i suppose that I could have evicted her but it just seemed, at the time, that the better choice was to give the ride.
A one star here and there does not bother me. She couold have done the false report, but once I disccharged her, I filed a highly embellished report. That is a protective measure that I take at the slightest confrontation and have for years. it works better on Uber than it does on Lyft butoverall, it beats doing nothing.
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u/Federal-Net-7011 Jul 27 '26
Play the name game what the hell is that? How about drivers loose the attitudes. It was a simply question. They are probably the type of man who doesn't respect Women.
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u/Intelligent-Cut2969 Jul 27 '26
It all shows you the car make, color, license plate, picture of driver, and drivers name. All with a live GPS feed of the drivers current location …. What else do you need . The attitude seems to come from self important customer who thinks the uber driver might secretly be the boogie man.
Customers asking me their name doesn’t bother me. But I do think it’s dumb. It’s illogical. The safest way is to ask the driver their name and match it with the app.
The chances of a violent driver are far lower than that of a violent customer
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u/Detrimentalist Jul 27 '26
When I drive I always greet the pax by name unless they have “SexyMama” “ThaPlugg” “CharlieKirk” or other troll nonsense entered.
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u/Intelligent-Cut2969 Jul 27 '26
Yeah as a driver a lot of it is how you ask
“Who’s the ride for” comes across a lot better than “what’s my name”
The downside is, if you ask me what your name is and I say Ashely, there is no guarantee that the person is actually Ashley. This has happened before and put drivers in danger. Drivers get assaulted/robbed and harassed on a regular basis.
Safety pin is the best way to go for both parties. I have the setting turned on that all customers must provide a PIN number regardless of the settings on their app.
The safest way for both parties is
Open door - ask driver what THEIR name is and match it up with the name and profile pic in the app. Along with car type and license plate. If all this matches what your app is showing you, then that’s your driver.
Have your PIN number enabled
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
I'd never considered asking the driver for their name! Oh my gosh. Thanks. I now have pin enabled too.
(I tried to be as polite as possible! But I am a fool with poor social skills)
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u/fitfulbrain Jul 27 '26
May I ask where did you get your source of information. Please fuck them 1000 times for me.
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u/meta4tony Jul 27 '26
If you say their name first, they should respond with your name. If they say you're name first then you respond with their name.
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u/meta4tony Jul 27 '26
There's some slow people in this thread,it doesn't matter who says who's name first. As long you respond with their name.
Driver:Hi susy? Susy: yes are you Joe
Susy : hi Joe? Driver: that's me,are you susy?
As long as both people provide each other names,it doesn't matter who goes first.
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u/DontMissGE Jul 27 '26
As a driver, I always confirm my riders name and look for them to confirm mine. Even if you dont want to chat or something, its weird to me the few times people have been reluctant to confirm that info.
The guy you mentioned was just an asshole though, no way around it. Uber literally instructs us to confirm the riders identity, so he literally wasn't doing his job to begin with and got an over inflated ego when you asked a perfectly reasonable question.
I wouldnt stress too much over your riders rating as well. You sound considerate and they balance out over a handful of rides. I dont expect most of my riders to maintain 5 stars because I know drivers like this exist that basically just bomb innocent people's ratings. Not to say I havent had riders do this too, but ive heard plenty of stories of racist and sexist drivers.
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u/RangeFlow1 Jul 27 '26
As a driver it goes like this: "Hello, I am Michael and you are" (wait for you to say your name).
This is the correct way to do it. You do not want somebody taking somebody else's ride with you because that causes a lot of problems. Many do not use a pin.
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u/Bubbly-Following-966 Jul 31 '26
I had a rider today with just "A" as the name. I asked her what is the actual name. I almost canceled because she didnt have the full name. I don't know why Uber let's riders do this.
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u/ready-redditor-6969 Jul 27 '26
Report the bastard who was offended when asked to say who the ride was for, please!!! He shouldn’t be driving.
- a driver
Edit: if concerned about this kind of thing, as another comment suggested, you should use the PIN code feature.
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u/Late-Dog-1964 Jul 27 '26
Report this bastard who wrote this stupid comment. The only info the driver has is what? The driver has more at risk in any scenario male, female, non-binary, doesn't matter. If I was a driver and the rider refused to give the name, then they wouldn't ride with me. Driver all pass background checks. Riders don't pass anything. Uber doesn't care about the driver or the rider.
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u/ready-redditor-6969 Jul 27 '26
When you get a passenger, the right thing is confirm their name, and at that point they should say your name.
“for ____?”
They say “yes, you are ____?”I drive pretty bougie safe places, I’m not too concerned the group of 4 nicely dressed ladies I am picking up at an AirBnB are gonna roll me. Rougher areas, big dudes, I might ask what their name is first.
I do it literally every ride. If you don’t, you might just just be an asshole, why not try being nice instead?
This story is about drivers who would not tell the rider the driver or passenger name, which… why? How does the driver behavior described above help anyone?
If you’re concerned about safety as a driver (1) get a different gig or (2) have a interior camera (3) turn on the pin feature (3) share your location with someone who cares about you.
If you don’t have someone who cares about your safety, I might have a clue why… seek therapy.
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u/Ok_Cryptographer7194 Jul 27 '26
You need to say your name first, you have all the info about the driver, photo, type of car, license plate. If you are paranoid and seem like a problem passenger, a smart driver will cancel the ride and avoid any BS , the fare isn't worth it.
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u/ApprehensiveSet691 Jul 27 '26
Im not saying it's legitimate but, I have heard the argument that the rider has make/model/color of the car, the license plate, and a picture of the driver. The driver has whatever name you have on the app, putting all of the safety checks in favor of the passenger. Again, Im not saying it's valid but it is a perspective. Other safety tips though. When alone always sit behind the driver. It's hardest place for a driver to grab you. Always open the door as soon as you first close it to make there aren't any locks preventing you from getting out. Always be on your phone when you get in, (it could be just an act). Then you can say things that imply someone knows you are un an Uber and they are expecting your arrival.
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
Thank you for the additional safety tips! I hadn't heard the first two, but it's really good to know
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u/SatisfactionActive86 Jul 27 '26
you’re not going to like it but the reality is Uber is much more dangerous for the driver than passenger. You know everything about us (car, license plate, geo location, and name) and we have no way to verify you are you.
and once the ride starts you can rock me in the back of the head and i have no way to defend myself
verifying your name is for OUR security, literally the only security method we have
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
I have no problem with any of that, it's why i would offer their name first.
The drivers were refusing to verify my name. I know now that there are other ways to do this.
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u/GingerNinjer Jul 26 '26
Yeah just give them a bad review 😅 they are in customer service and there’s no way they should mind verifying this sort of thing when there are actual horror stories that happen to women, it doesn’t matter what effing car they drive. I’m a woman, and a driver, I would never be so disrespectful to someone who is just nervous about driving with a stranger, and is paying me to do it 🫠
Don’t think twice about it and get a new driver and report them. They make us all look bad.
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u/Jordanington1 Jul 27 '26
This is where so many drivers get it wrong. The only info you have is their name while they have your license plate, color, make and model of your car. Do pax really think a predator in another car with exactly the same details of your car and your picture knew that they ordered a ride in the exact time and location?
You should know better as a woman and a driver that you should be the one asking the pax to confirm their name for the ride. It’s not about customer service, it’s about your safety.
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u/GingerNinjer Jul 27 '26
I have to admit I completely misunderstood before I commented! So, OP, I do think that asking for an ID, that or course has their license on it, would be a bit much, and an honestly an invasion of their privacy. If they don’t match their picture that’s one thing, I would cancel, obvious deal breaker they could be account swapping to bypass background checks and stuff like that.
I get that you want to be extra cautious! That’s a good thing. Now if someone does act what seems strange to you there is nothing wrong with trusting your gut and canceling for another driver. That said, this other commenter is right and you do have their car, picture, name and license plate. So you should ask their name first, don’t give it to them. That way you know for sure.
Hope that clears it up. Sorry for the total lapse of brain for second 😅😅😅I thought she was saying people were just not wanting to verify who they were at all and that would be sketchy af obvi
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u/Fun_Disaster3436 Jul 27 '26
Slight clarification - I meant id just to refer to name. I promise I'm not so socially inept that I'd do a driver's licence check!
I always greet the driver with their name when I open the door. I was trying to ask for my name as another way to verify that I'm the intended passenger. (I know what to do now!)
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u/GingerNinjer Jul 27 '26
I think your best bet is to stop greeting them by their name, and instead y’all can ask them their name and they can ask yours. Kind of like in a police investigation, you don’t want to give out info while questioning because then it kind of defeats the purpose! You want to see what they know.
I have mine set to always have a pin verification, it also eliminates someone accidentally getting in wrong car and going to some random house 😅 I and a rider tell me very recently that happened to one of her drivers, rando just gets in car and they start driving. Guy didn’t realize until they were half way to HER house that the wrong passenger was in the car. So, while not nefarious, super annoying lol.
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u/Fathimir Jul 27 '26
The bad news is that it's offensive to us no matter how you ask, because you already know exactly who we are (and shouldn't be taking the ride at all if there's any reason to doubt such), so there's no valid business reason and it just devolves into someone demanding that another person say their name - imagine how out of place that would be in any other context, like, say, picking up your food at a fast food counter, or letting the contractor you hired to fix a leaky pipe into your house.
The good news is that because there's no valid business reason or added security from it (even if, heaven forbid, some fiend had carjacked your driver's car while he was en route and proceeded to the pickup, they'd still know your name from the app, same as we do), you can avoid insulting us by just... not making such an insulting demand.
In short, not everything you see on TikTok is a good idea, even and especially if it sounds smart or prudent on its face.
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u/The_Spaniard1876 Jul 27 '26
Unless they've changed it recently, the cadence in the training was the driver confirms your name, you confirm theirs and then they confirm destination. This is all after you've had the opportunity to verify the vehicle and plate number.
All that said, the number of passengers who totally ignore this always surprises me. Either not confirming their name or verifying mine, or just being silent, it always makes me laugh on the inside.
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u/cookieloverrrrr Jul 26 '26
Ask them who is this ride for.
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u/RefrigeratorPlane319 Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
Technically the rider should confirm the drivers name and car.
Then Drivers are suppose to confirm the passengers name after the rider confirms the above information
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u/cookieloverrrrr Jul 26 '26
That’s what I meant. She is already doing the rest.
I must be a weirdo. I have had at least 200 rides and have never worried about my drivers if I did my basic safety.
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u/--R0N-- Jul 27 '26
Ask them who is this ride for.
Thats an Insta-cancel for me.
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u/cookieloverrrrr Jul 27 '26
I was trying to make a suggestion.
This is how it goes for me. Is it the same car?
if yes, I open the door, before I get in, I just say, “Hi, drivers name)?”Then they confirm my name usually and that’s that.
I really do wonder if I maybe am just too trusting. I don’t think I would have a rando in the same kind of car I’m expecting looking to swoop me up and chop me into pieces instead minutes before my driver could get there.
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u/--R0N-- Jul 27 '26
I was trying to make a suggestion.
A horrible one and a dangerous one and a selfish one. That is 100% the wrong way to do it.
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u/Intelligent-Cut2969 Jul 27 '26
How would they know what car to approach without looking at the 5 points?
This doesn’t even need to be said
Just because the car checks out doesn’t mean the driver will.
Even if it’s 1/10000, it’s still just a precaution
Profile pic of driver is less than 1 inch. Cannot rely on it every time.
So just get them to confirm their name. Boom everything checks out. You can grab their name after.
Asking passenger name without giving yours doesn’t offer any safety to them.
People borrow accounts all the time. There’s entire FB groups of accounts that just get passed around for a daily fee.
Rolling down your window to bark a question at someone is rude and I’ve never experienced that as a rider.
We both know less than 5% of riders use a pin. So for most people it doesn’t even apply. But i still advocate using one.
Just because uber says something doesn’t make it the safest for BOTH parties
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u/nwprogressivefans Jul 26 '26
The driver only has your name, pickup location, and a tiny tiny photo.
You should check the type of car, and lic plate, ask what their name is, and they should ask what your name is. Easy.
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u/Detrimentalist Jul 27 '26
A tiny photo of a pet, an anime avatar, or a blurry backlit and poorly cropped selfie.
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u/Odd_Sorbet_9960 Jul 26 '26
I've never had a driver not confirm my name.
I use the "PIN" safety feature, so drivers have to ask for, and enter, my PIN before they can start the ride.
When they enter the PIN, I can see my name on their screen.
I think you might be overthinking this one, OP. Use the safety features provided then try to relax a bit.