Uber Las Vegas

I recently posted about how Uber is a double-edged sword, but I have to say my Uber experiences in Las Vegas have been pretty good. The longest I've had to wait for an Uber  has been 8 minutes, and every driver has been personable and helpful. I got great suggestions for restaurants and things to do.

One of my Uber drivers was Westley Stevens--apparently he and Lionel Richie had a bet going about who could earn the most while driving for Uber, or something. I think we was just trying to pay the bills. Regardless, he was quite entertaining and had a fun story to tell.

I had recommendations for Casa Don Juan where I had the chicken mole, and another recommendation for The Cornish Pasty Co where I had a pepper steak pasty. I strongly recommend both restaurants to anyone visiting Las Vegas.

And I definitely learned that I do not need to drive in Vegas with the convenience of Uber. And because everything is so close to the strip, most rides are less than $10, and even cheaper if you go with the Uber Pool option. The Pool option also has a high probability of meeting some fun people as well. I met a couple from Arizona that were really enjoying their time in Vegas and just happy as all get out. Today I shared a ride with a couple young women that were staying at my same hotel and were obviously enjoying their time in Vegas--interestingly they were returning from the grocery store with a couple shopping bags of groceries because they didn't want to go out to eat at restaurants. And I shared a ride with a guy that was there to see his son who played football for the University of Nevada and who was being recruited for the NFL.

It is amazing how much people can tell you about themselves in a short 10 minute ride when they are happy and willing to share. Surprisingly none of these people were on their phones during the rides preferring to chat with a complete stranger instead. Almost makes me think driving for Uber could be a lot of fun, at least in Vegas.

Let's Talk About Uber

Where to begin? Uber really is a two-edged sword. It is both a fantastic service and a necessary evil.

As a frequent traveler that doesn't own a car, I need a way to get to and from the airport efficiently and safely, as well as a way to get around town when I'm in a location where renting a car simply isn't practical such as New York City, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. To that end, I typically turn to Uber as my go-to car service, and this experience tends to be a mixed bag. Almost every driver has made me feel welcomed and safe, but the problems start when I have to deal with Uber the company and specifically support.

Uber's support is probably one of the worst support groups I've ever encountered, and the app itself, hard codes all the support options making it incredibly difficult to actually get help on the specific topic you need help with. To date, I have yet to get an issue resolved on the first go. In fact, I firmly believe that it is Uber policy to not offer help unless you push the issue further. Even worse, and as an IT professional this irks me in the biggest way, they seem incapable of reading a support request and comprehending the problem on the first go regardless of the verbosity of the description of the problem.

However, on the positive side, as I mentioned, the drivers for the most part are great. I get that everyone has a bad day, and sometimes you just don't feel like chatting, so I forgive those drivers that made me feel a bit meh. I have had some great conversations with drivers, and I think it is great that they come from all walks of life and different life experiences, and I've actually learned some interesting stuff from drivers. But I've also had a driver--NYC--scare the crap out of me dodging cars, driving on the wrong side of the road, and taking risks that I thought were insane. The good news is that when you rate these drivers, Uber is great about following up right away and taking action with these sorts of drivers.

The best advice that I can give you regarding Uber is always, always, verify the license plate number before getting in the vehicle. And compare the driver's picture in the app with the person driving the vehicle. Finally, read the Uber FAQ. This is probably the number one thing everyone should do before you start using Uber or before you start using them extensively. These same tips also apply to Lyft, by the way.

So have you taken an Uber ride? If so, what was it like? Any tips? Any of you drive for Uber? Any secrets you can share with us?