Brampton Student’s Crowdfunding Page For $663 Uber Ride Replicates What This Woman Did In 2014
A Brampton student’s crowdfunding page recently made news for its odd request. After partying on Halloween night, the student named Daniel U took a 50-minute Uber ride because he heard “it was very reliable to use and affordable.” However, Daniel was shocked when his bill reached $663, which for him was enough to rent a car for the whole month.
Instead of shouldering the Uber bill himself, he opted to set up a crowdfunding page via GoFundMe. “I would appreciate it if anybody could help me out to pay the outstanding balance I now owe,” he wrote. The page is no longer available, but on Thursday, he already raised $621, thanks to donor Lisa Stilborn who gave him $600.
The page was filled with snide comments from people asking Daniel to take responsibility for partying until the wee hours of the morning. Jason Kraze said that it’s no one’s fault if he used Uber on a busy weekend night.
“Are you for real? You chose to take Uber, selected the most expensive type of vehicle, accepted a surge charge (which they ask you TWICE to accept) on Halloween and you want us to pay your bill? You’re a starving student and yet you wouldn’t have had a problem with the $187 bill? It sucks that you got drunk and weren’t paying attention, but you’re out of your mind if you think people are going to pay this for you. Chalk it up to a life lesson and start taking some extra shifts because no one is bailing you out.”
Brian Wilson also said that the student agreed to surge pricing before taking the ride.
“I don’t feel bad for you. You had to accept two warnings and have fare estimate available as well. It is pretty simple, if Uber is doing surge pricing, take a regular cab. No one is going to bail you out so stop acting like a spoiled brat and get to work.”
Uber’s “surge pricing” kicks in when the demand for rides is higher than usual. Rush hours, weekend nights, special events, and even public emergencies typically result to a price surge which currently has no cap.
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s wife once paid $415 for a short Uber ride because that night’s snowstorm resulted to an 8.0 price surge. Prior to confirming booking, the client has to confirm that he or she accepts the surge by typing it.
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It appears that the Brampton student found inspiration from Gabby, a waitress and freelancer in Baltimore who found herself in a similar situation in 2014. Gabby’s 20-minute Halloween Uber ride amounted to $362, but she managed to raise $512 through GoFundMe to cover her bill. She named her crowdfunding page “Uber Stole My 26th Birthday” because 80 percent of her personal funds went to the bill on the day of her birthday.
Uber has always been transparent with its surge pricing policy. Even if the policy is continuously criticized, the ride-sharing company states on its website that it is the only way to ensure that the service remains reliable.
“Our goal is to be as reliable as possible in connecting you with a driver whenever you need one. At times of high demand, the number of drivers we can connect you with becomes limited. As a result, prices increase to encourage more drivers to become available.”
A week before Halloween night, Uber similarly released a “Halloween Ride Guide” in order for riders to avoid being “tricked.” The company reminds riders to generate a Fare Estimate before booking, and to “keep fake blood, zombie paint, and glitter” in check to avoid cleaning fees.
Halloween's almost here, so check out our tips to ensure yours is full of treats—not tricks. https://t.co/l9OMvy3f1F pic.twitter.com/wrlb8ljhd0
— Uber (@Uber) October 21, 2015
[Photo via Bryan Bedder]
