r/nosleep
u/davevr
I tipped my Uber driver $20 - I hope it was enough
Not sure where to post this but here goes...
Last night I was working late so I took advantage of my company's guaranteed ride home program for overtime works and called an Uber.
I was initially surprise when my driver pulled up in an unexpectedly nice vehicle - a Mercedes GL 450. I don't Uber that much,but when I do I don't think I've ever gotten anything other than a Prius. This was next level. There was bottled water, chargers for every type of phone, and even some snacks . I actually checked my app to make sure I didn't request an Uber Select or something by accident. But it was just ordinary Uber X. I was thinking maybe I got lucky.
The driver was an Asian girl. Chinese maybe. I know there is a stereotype that westerners can't tell the age of Asians but I honestly couldn't say if this woman was in her early 20's or early 50's. She had that timeless fresh Asian look - like that actress from Agents of Shield. She was very pretty, but there was something anomalous about her and Uber driving and this car.
Normally I don't make chit-chat with my Uber drivers, but it was a 45 minute ride home and after half an hour in silence the overall oddity of the situation eventually overcame my reluctance.
"This is a really great car" I tried.
The woman smiled. "Thanks, I like it to."
I was racking my brain for a follow-up but everything that popped into my head sounded like I was some kind of stalker. There was another few minutes of silence before I tried again.
"So how do you decide to be an Uber driver?'
"Oh, it's kind of a long story." she responded.
"We have some time I think."
The woman looked at me in the rear view mirror. Her eyes were incredibly piercing, as if she was taking measure of my soul. Then she turned back to the road.
"Actually, originally my husband was an Uber driver. He was a profesisonal driver in China, which was a high-status job, working for government officials and high-profile foreign visitors. When we immigrated here, he got his commercial license and signed up with Uber. He drove Uber Black and only had commercial clients. Business was good, and he bought this car for that."
"Oh - that's cool" I added. I wasn't sure where this was going.
"But when Uber got popular, there were more drivers. And then they introduced Uber X. Then anyone could drive. You didn't need a commercial license or anything. You didn't have to be a professional driver at all.
"For a while it was still OK, but over time there were fewer and fewer requests for the high-end Ubers. He thought he could make it up in tips, but at first Uber didn't have tipping. And even when they added it, most people still didn't tip. No one cared about the quality of service or the professionalism. On top of not tipping, people were so disrespectful. They would get the car dirty, come in with their dirty shoes or reeking of cigarette smoke. And worst of all, people would downrate him for no reason - just if they were having a bad day or maybe they just didn't like Chinese. It was humiliating for him.
"His income kept going down, until eventually he couldn't even pay for our house. We had to move into an apartment, and even then it was a struggle. Eventually, he was so ashamed that he took his own life."
I was stunned. I didn't know what to say. I was wishing I had just kept my mouth shut. Luckily we were almost home.
"That's really tragic. I'm so sorry for your loss."
"Since his passing, I've taken over for him, driving on his account. I go out of my to provide the best possible experience. And then, if a passenger still gives me a bad rating or no tip, I remember them. I know where they live or where they work. And later, I make them pay what they did to my husband."
I was still processing the full import of this when the car came to a stop in front of my house.
"Here you go! I hope you had a good trip."
I thanked her and carefully exited the vehicle.
As I entered my house, she drove away. My Uber app pinged in my pocket, asking me to rate my driver. My entire body when cold with fear.
I gave her 5 stars and $20. I hope it was enough.
▶Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/b71zwi/i_tipped_my_uber_driver_20_i_hope_it_was_enough/
▶Author: https://www.reddit.com/user/davevr
