6 ms·

I don't think there's much you can do, or if there is it is none of these things. Mine was ~4.5 for forever. I was always on time, careful entering/exiting the

I don't think there's much you can do, or if there is it is none of these things. Mine was ~4.5 for forever. I was always on time, careful entering/exiting the vehicle, very polite, etc. and even regularly gave cash tips before the app offered the option. A few years ago I started dating a girl who had nearly a 5 star rating. She eventually moved in with me and since then nearly all my trips are together. We are often late arriving to the meeting point, she has no hesitation to ask the driver to change the air temperature, adjust the music station or volume, open or close windows, always takes water when available, and asks to be dropped off at a given point regardless of traffic lights or inconvenient turns for the driver. Since this started, my rating has steadily climbed and is now around 4.8.

Balgair 7y ago
Based off your comment, I'll assume that you are a male. Based on this assumption, there is a possbility that gender is at play.
- SkyBelow 7y ago
  There is also the possibility that asking people to do small things for you will increase their positive view of you. I remember reading about psychologist having uncovered such an effect but I forget the name of it. If I had to bet, I would say both factors (and others we aren't considered) are at play.
  - HackPotter 7y ago
    This is known as the Ben Franklin Effect [0] and is pretty interesting to read up on. It wouldn't at all surprise me if this plays into passenger ratings, even though it seems counter-intuitive. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Franklin_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Franklin_effect
  - jobigoud 7y ago
    OK, I think it's another effect than "increasing their positive view of you". It is something I have noted and struggled with because it is counter intuitive to me. I always try to be very autonomous and ask the minimum favors/services from people, trying not to bother them. This has caused me trouble several times, from people that were supposed to help me. When I was doing track and field two decades ago I had a sports sponsorship cancelled essentially because I didn't ask any extra gear. When you ask a favor and the person fulfills it, they get to be useful and it gives them purpose. I have found that this varies from people to people. The Uber driver will most likely feel good if you actually need his help as a human being rather than just be a mindless vehicle operator.
jandrese 7y ago
Congratulations on having a pretty girlfriend. Don't underestimate the power of having a pretty girl talk to you, even if it's just to ask to change the radio station.
- beat 7y ago
  It goes both ways. I remember a conversation I had with a very nice Uber driver, a Muslim woman. She made a point of picking up female riders with low ratings, because she believed male Uber drivers would downrate them if they thought the women unattractive, or if they rejected advances.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - village-idiot 7y ago
    Also an effective strategy to get uncontested rides, I assume. Of course, occasionally you’re going to get low rated passengers who are just straight up assholes. So there’s some risk.
JumpCrisscross 7y ago
> I don't think there's much you can do Have you tried asking? I asked a few drivers, at the end of a ride and after I’d rated them, what I could do better. Two complained about my taking work calls in the car. I started requesting permission, at the beginning of the ride, to take a phone call. (It’s their car, after all.) Never been refused. Rating jumped from ~4.4 to ~4.9. I’ll also note that some of the sweetest people I know have terrible ratings for constantly being late, at the wrong pick-up spot or other little reasons. It’s mostly a rating around if you’re observant and treat the driver like a human being more than if you’re a good person. (Note: I’m a guy. I don’t think gender is as powerful as other comments assume.)
- ghaff 7y ago
  >Two complained about my taking work calls in the car. I started requesting permission, at the beginning of the ride, to take a phone call.(It’s their car, after all.) Seriously? It's their car that you've contracted to take you from Point A to Point B. It would never occur to me to ask permission before making (or taking) a phone call.
  - CydeWeys 7y ago
    I dunno, if I were a driver I'd probably be pretty annoyed by hearing one end of a loud conversation for an entire long ride. Generally in the rides I'm in the driver is still listening to whatever music they like, which obviously they can't do if the passenger is trying to have a phone conversation.
    - p10_user 7y ago
      Welcome to the service industry. This isn’t doing a favor for a friend but driving someone around for cash.
  - unreal37 7y ago
    You have the right to loudly talk on the phone, and they have the right to rate you lower. It's a fair system in that way.
petre 7y ago
Maybe it works like the Chinese Sesame credit system then. Who knows. You're probably trying too hard.
koyote 7y ago
Same here, my rating is ~4.6 whereas my girlfriend is at close to 5 with exactly the same circumstances as you. Maybe I am not as charming :( It would be interesting to see how the average rating compares between young women vs men.
Rapzid 7y ago
Is she polite about it? Could be the Ben Franklin effect.

Balgair 7y ago

Based off your comment, I'll assume that you are a male. Based on this assumption, there is a possbility that gender is at play.

SkyBelow 7y ago
There is also the possibility that asking people to do small things for you will increase their positive view of you. I remember reading about psychologist having uncovered such an effect but I forget the name of it. If I had to bet, I would say both factors (and others we aren't considered) are at play.
- HackPotter 7y ago
  This is known as the Ben Franklin Effect [0] and is pretty interesting to read up on. It wouldn't at all surprise me if this plays into passenger ratings, even though it seems counter-intuitive. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Franklin_effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Franklin_effect
- jobigoud 7y ago
  OK, I think it's another effect than "increasing their positive view of you". It is something I have noted and struggled with because it is counter intuitive to me. I always try to be very autonomous and ask the minimum favors/services from people, trying not to bother them. This has caused me trouble several times, from people that were supposed to help me. When I was doing track and field two decades ago I had a sports sponsorship cancelled essentially because I didn't ask any extra gear. When you ask a favor and the person fulfills it, they get to be useful and it gives them purpose. I have found that this varies from people to people. The Uber driver will most likely feel good if you actually need his help as a human being rather than just be a mindless vehicle operator.

jandrese 7y ago

Congratulations on having a pretty girlfriend. Don't underestimate the power of having a pretty girl talk to you, even if it's just to ask to change the radio station.

beat 7y ago
It goes both ways. I remember a conversation I had with a very nice Uber driver, a Muslim woman. She made a point of picking up female riders with low ratings, because she believed male Uber drivers would downrate them if they thought the women unattractive, or if they rejected advances.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- village-idiot 7y ago
  Also an effective strategy to get uncontested rides, I assume. Of course, occasionally you’re going to get low rated passengers who are just straight up assholes. So there’s some risk.

JumpCrisscross 7y ago

> I don't think there's much you can do Have you tried asking? I asked a few drivers, at the end of a ride and after I’d rated them, what I could do better. Two complained about my taking work calls in the car. I started requesting permission, at the beginning of the ride, to take a phone call. (It’s their car, after all.) Never been refused. Rating jumped from ~4.4 to ~4.9. I’ll also note that some of the sweetest people I know have terrible ratings for constantly being late, at the wrong pick-up spot or other little reasons. It’s mostly a rating around if you’re observant and treat the driver like a human being more than if you’re a good person. (Note: I’m a guy. I don’t think gender is as powerful as other comments assume.)

ghaff 7y ago
>Two complained about my taking work calls in the car. I started requesting permission, at the beginning of the ride, to take a phone call.(It’s their car, after all.) Seriously? It's their car that you've contracted to take you from Point A to Point B. It would never occur to me to ask permission before making (or taking) a phone call.
- CydeWeys 7y ago
  I dunno, if I were a driver I'd probably be pretty annoyed by hearing one end of a loud conversation for an entire long ride. Generally in the rides I'm in the driver is still listening to whatever music they like, which obviously they can't do if the passenger is trying to have a phone conversation.
  - p10_user 7y ago
    Welcome to the service industry. This isn’t doing a favor for a friend but driving someone around for cash.
- unreal37 7y ago
  You have the right to loudly talk on the phone, and they have the right to rate you lower. It's a fair system in that way.

petre 7y ago

Maybe it works like the Chinese Sesame credit system then. Who knows. You're probably trying too hard.

koyote 7y ago

Same here, my rating is ~4.6 whereas my girlfriend is at close to 5 with exactly the same circumstances as you. Maybe I am not as charming :( It would be interesting to see how the average rating compares between young women vs men.

Rapzid 7y ago

Is she polite about it? Could be the Ben Franklin effect.