Part 2 – Wrong Pick up Addresses
Continuing my series answering Uber riders’ question of how I rate riders. Be sure to check out Part 1.
Many riders question me about how the riders get rated. I decided to do a some posts on how drivers rate riders. Remember, I’m only speaking for myself, but here goes.
A reminder: Every rider in my car starts with 5 stars with me. Then depending on the following it can go down. Today we are covering problem pick up addresses.
GPS Goofs: The Uber Rider can pick up your current location from the Smartphone’s GPS receiver. But the location it uses is limited by the accuracy of the GPS Receiver.
How many GPS satellites it is picking up is important. For decent accuracy you should pick up at least three satellites for triangulation. Satellite signals can be blocked by tall buildings, mountains etc. There are other factors such as the weather that can affect it. Smartphones do not report how many GPS satellites are picked up. Ever notice that you’re GPS is more accurate in one location than another? This is why.
Next is how accurate your phone’s GPS is. Some units are better than others. My Galaxy 8+ is pretty accurate. But not as good as the Garmin hand held I use for Geocaching. My phone can be of by several yards when the Garmin Handheld is within feet. Many smartphones are not as accurate as mine. Some may be better.
Also effecting your location is the map Uber uses to match your GPS coordinates. Remember, the map shows were locations start and stop. They also decide which street a corner lot is on. One way to help this is to go into the rider apps settings and put in your address. It will suggest an address but if it is wrong just type in the correct one.
How This Relates to Ratings: OK, enough semi-technical talk. I go to the address I’m given. If we don’t connect you get a rider not at location which may lower your rating. That is up to Uber. If we connect after I’ve gone to the wrong address I may start deducting points based on distance and whether you have had this problem before. You would be surprised at how many people I get a bad address for who tell me it happens all the time. And remember, my being given the wrong address will also increase your wait time.
How to Avoid This: First check the location Uber is showing. It is your responsibility to make sure it is right. First put in where you want to go and the type of Uber you want. The app will now show a map. There is a little pointer box that says “my location” tap this . The screen now says “for me” at the top of the screen Below this is a box with the address location it found for you. If it is correct, great. Just hit the back arrow and confirm your ride. If it is wrong just type in the correct address. Hit the back arrow and confirm.
You can also call or text the driver from the app to give a correction.
In conclusion: This is a very preventable rating killer. My dad always said “measure twice and cut once”. A little double checking will help keep your rating up. And your wait time may go down.