Last Friday I wrote a post to remind everyone to beware of Uber Surge Pricing On Halloween. Apparently one young lady in Maryland missed my post!
In my post I wasn’t sure if surge pricing was expected all over the country (since the e-mail I received and it was from Uber NYC), but apparently it was.
This Halloween was more trick than treat for 26 year old Baltimoron Gabby Wathen.
Wathen was out to celebrate her birthday in the Baltimore area and decided to take an Uber home to avoid drunk driving. She said that she lives “22 minutes, tops, from the party I was leaving”.
She apparently didn’t realize that Uber was in Surge Pricing and woke up to a really crappy surprise. Her 20 minute Uber ride from the evening before had cost $362!
Yes you read it correctly, $362 for a 20 Minute Cab Ride.
She could not afford to pay her $450 per month rent also due on the same day after coming across the $362 charge to her bank account.
So what’s a 26 year old birthday girl to do? Turn to crowdfunding!
Wathen started a GoFundMe to raise the money to pay for her Uber ride.
I came across a post from Buzzfeed about this uber-expensive cab ride a couple of days back. According to the article, at the time of writing $573 had been raised to cover her ride. (I don’t get why people kept funded it if she was looking for $362???)
Not all of the people visiting Wathen’s GoFundMe page supported her. Buzzfeed included some negative comments related to her choice to go partying and use Uber when so “deep in the hole”.
When going back to Buzzfeed’s article, it was updated to say that the GoFundMe campaign had been removed. I’m not sure if this means since the money earned exceeded what was asked for it ended or if it was removed with no funds going to benefit the birthday girl…
This sounds like an Uber horror story where I’d have to place a lot of blame on the drunk girl. While $362 for a 20 minute cab ride is absolutely ridiculous, Uber has seemed to go out of its way to warn/ remind people about Surge Pricing.
Find out more about the story from Buzzfeed here.
If you’re new to Uber, you can sign up through my link to earn a free ride (up to $30). Once you take your first ride, I’ll get up to $30 off of a ride too!
Related Posts:
Two Years of UberX 45 years of Taxi’s
It is an absolute misconception and falsehood to say that when you ride with UberX there is no insurance Please go to this website and get a little education before making such a statement.
https://wallethub.com/edu/ridesharing-insurance/13884/
I would also like to state that in both Boston and DC, I have ridden in cabs where drivers have been actively smoking both cigarettes and marijuana, also I have had to endure screening matches with the cab driver and whomever they were on there cell phone with. Oh yes, should I mention fresh vomit on the floor of a Boston Taxi going to Logan airport (yes I would have got out if i would not have been late for my flight).
Why is it that every UberX I have been in has been clean?
I take UberX every workday (much cheaper than parking).
If you are very early using Uber Pool is a real treat for your wallet(remember with pool you could be the 2nd or 3rd rider dropped off)
I totally agree with Billy – November 4, 2014 – RE: surge pricing
My only Peeve (not complaint) is that on rare occasion the car will be Tiny
The News media will ignore Taxi related crimes but will jump all over any UberX Related Crimes!
I know you were wondering if I work for UberX or Uber Anything: No!
I have a large family in many states,do any of them work for UberX or Uber Anything: Not to my knowledge.
Ask anyone 60 or older, about how clean and nice taxis used to be! Now don’t be surprised if a taxi driver spits in your face for saying; Good morning!
People r dumb it asks you numerous times if you want to proceed when they have surge pricing in effect, I do not use uber when there is surge pricing simple as that….never… ever.. = no problem.
And if it weren’t for surge pricing, she would have been walking home on the streets of Baltimore late at night as cars would not have been available.
Their app could not be more clear about surge pricing.
No sympathies, and certainly no crowdfunding, for folks who cannot take care of themselves.
Billy,
In what ZIP code do you live? I have a guess on its population density.
…and this is why the taxi industry is heavily regulated and taxis are supposed to have meters. car services on the other hand, don’t have meters but prices are usually arranged ahead of time. Uber operates illegally in most cities, and in violation of all consumer protection laws.