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UBER "problem," or maybe not?


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I checked the board and found an email for an Uber driver in Ajijic/Chapala with an email. OK, so I emailed him and asked if he was an Uber driver. "Yes."

So I said where I wanted to go (address in Guadalajara) and the date (setting it up in advance).

Next day, I get an email from driver that says due to some new Jalisco law, he needs to do it off the app. Hmmmmm. I said I didn't know of any laws in Jalisco, so he sends me a link. I translate it and it really says nothing other than about traffic issues and app drivers must have baby seats (not sure it that was Uber has to have them or the passenger(s)).

Driver had asked me if I was going round trip. I said yes and asked if there would be a waiting charge if he waited (1/2 hour at most). Then comes the kicker.

He says he has a "deal" where he will take us to Guadalajara, wait and take us back for $1,200.00. That is well more than double the Uber rte on the app. It also has to be cash.

FWIW

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Once again, pointing out how people with cars are trying to take advantage. What a ludicrous proposition. Please post his name. We all need to know.

Uber prices should be half of taxi prices. Airport fares should be under $200. I bet with the heavy competition in Guadalajara, there's less shysterism.

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29 minutes ago, ComputerGuy said:

Once again, pointing out how people with cars are trying to take advantage. What a ludicrous proposition. Please post his name. We all need to know.

Uber prices should be half of taxi prices. Airport fares should be under $200. I bet with the heavy competition in Guadalajara, there's less shysterism.

The last taxi fare I paid, Airport  to Ajijic was 420 pesos..with respect I do not think you will get a Uber fare for under 200 pesos....anyone with a different  experience 

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Current price via the app 228 pesos from sat.

Many scammers out there ,only use the app.

Used uber in many places in mexico all been great, apart from Guadalajara. 

Cancel for no reason.

Rude.

Cars dirty.

Moan about coming to lakeside as the tarrif is low. I normally say i will give them 100 pesos cash extra. Still a deal from central gdl.

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Private driver came from Guad to Ajijic back to Guad trips thru the city for various stuff back to Ajijic and he back to Guad = 6 hours = $1400.  

 

I made sure he had commercial insurance.

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14 minutes ago, solajijic said:

Private driver came from Guad to Ajijic back to Guad trips thru the city for various stuff back to Ajijic and he back to Guad = 6 hours = $1400.  

 

I made sure he had commercial insurance.

I needed to go for an MRI in downtown Guadalajara this year.  The Miramontes family sent one of their drivers to my door; he helped me deal with the personnel, waited until the exam was finished and drove me to my door.  $1200 pesos.  Cars are in top condition, clean and the drivers are very good.  This is  a private family operation and reliable.

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Sr. Miramontes  senior/father came to do my last airport run; $500. But guess what-  --  he was driving a taxi.  He says he now drives a taxi although before he told us he was "retiring."

Belt and suspenders me thinks.

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3 hours ago, barcelonaman said:

Current price via the app 228 pesos from sat.

There ya go. Thanks. And unless I get more than one Uber on more than one occasion doing the same route, then it's hard to tell what any price should be. Back home? Always the same except in peak hours, stuff like that.

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4 hours ago, Eric Blair said:

Next day, I get an email from driver that says due to some new Jalisco law, he needs to do it off the app. Hmmmmm. I said I didn't know of any laws in Jalisco, so he sends me a link. I translate it and it really says nothing other than about traffic issues and app drivers must have baby seats (not sure it that was Uber has to have them or the passenger(s)). 

Driver had asked me if I was going round trip. I said yes and asked if there would be a waiting charge if he waited (1/2 hour at most). Then comes the kicker.

He says he has a "deal" where he will take us to Guadalajara, wait and take us back for $1,200.00. That is well more than double the Uber rte on the app. It also has to be cash.

FWIW

The part about the new Jalisco regulation and the baby seats is true. And unless the driver ponies up the fee and buys the child seats, s/he is illegal and subject to fine. That's why he wanted to do it off-app.  This law was implemented unfairly, uber drivers say, at the behest of taxi drivers, who they insist paid off the powers that be. Taxi drivers, btw, are not required to have the baby seats, and they don't pay the exorbitant fee.

The $1200 quote is a rip off, but it you don't speak spanish or know how to play the game, that's really your fault. That's the way it is in all kinds of places. I've had that sort of thing happen in pharmacies even.  Over the past few years we have made a short list of a few uber drivers we like in Guadalajara, and now we call them. They are extremely responsive to us, and the charges are never more than we would have paid on app. And of course we pay cash-- the driver has no way to accept a card.

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I usually pony up the $$$ and hire a driver. If I do, then I run other GDL errands, like going to La Comer, etc.

Alternately, I take the nice bus from Chapala and get a cab to my destination. If it is a hospital or clinic, they will often call a cab for you. Back to the Chapala bus station and to home. RT, for example to Old Bus Station/Andares?Old Bus Station about 350pesos. No waiting. Plenty of cabs almost everywhere.

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Furthermore, if an Uber driver is selling you a trip 'off-app', he's not driving for Uber--he's driving for himself and can ask you to pay him whatever the traffic will bear.  I'd bargain with him over the price.

I've used Uber services in several cities in both Mexico and the USA.  No Uber driver has ever offered me 'off-app' services.  No Uber driver has ever accepted a cash payment from me, not even as a tip.  If I'm not mistaken, Uber in Guadalajara does accept cash payments, so YMMV. 

If it were me and an Uber driver offered 'off-app' services, I'd report him and his offer to Uber.  His 'off-app' offer of service means he's stealing from Uber.  Here's the link for that:  https://help.uber.com/.  Use "I had another issue".

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I checked Guadalajara to Ajijic Uber prices a few weeks ago and was quoted $520 pesos (one way).  Your driver wants to do it off app because Uber drivers have to give 25% to Uber. 

 

Uber prices fluctuate depending on demand too. I have seen prices from Providencia to the airport (1 way) fluctuate between $170-$450 this year.  Uber prices have generally gone up compared to years past. They are convenient though.

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47 minutes ago, More Liana said:

Furthermore, if an Uber driver is selling you a trip 'off-app', he's not driving for Uber--he's driving for himself and can ask you to pay him whatever the traffic will bear.  I'd bargain with him over the price.

Right? the whole point of driving for Uber is because it's a huge, international company that gives immediate cred to anyone who drives for them. Mexico is one of only six countries where Uber allows cash; I have to think the only reason for it is because these countries don't have a lot of people with credit cards. But taking cash negates the whole lock on financial control.

And of course, it still has to be done via the app. So any driver that won't do that is cheating. Just call yourself a personal driver, then. First, you don't want to pay union dues or get a taxi license; now you don't want to pay Uber their fair share for giving you the cred.

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12 hours ago, ComputerGuy said:

Right? the whole point of driving for Uber is because it's a huge, international company that gives immediate cred to anyone who drives for them. Mexico is one of only six countries where Uber allows cash; I have to think the only reason for it is because these countries don't have a lot of people with credit cards. But taking cash negates the whole lock on financial control.

And of course, it still has to be done via the app. So any driver that won't do that is cheating. Just call yourself a personal driver, then. First, you don't want to pay union dues or get a taxi license; now you don't want to pay Uber their fair share for giving you the cred.

YES!

And as I think I mentioned, one can only pay with one's registered credit or debit card in CDMX.  NO cash.

 

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You got punked.  Uber is application only, as there is no phone line to God, there isn´t one either to Uber, many claim to be Uber but if you can call them then they are obviously not.

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On 8/29/2018 at 10:59 AM, Eric Blair said:

I checked the board and found an email for an Uber driver in Ajijic/Chapala with an email. OK, so I emailed him and asked if he was an Uber driver. "Yes."

So I said where I wanted to go (address in Guadalajara) and the date (setting it up in advance).

Next day, I get an email from driver that says due to some new Jalisco law, he needs to do it off the app. Hmmmmm. I said I didn't know of any laws in Jalisco, so he sends me a link. I translate it and it really says nothing other than about traffic issues and app drivers must have baby seats (not sure it that was Uber has to have them or the passenger(s)).

Driver had asked me if I was going round trip. I said yes and asked if there would be a waiting charge if he waited (1/2 hour at most). Then comes the kicker.

He says he has a "deal" where he will take us to Guadalajara, wait and take us back for $1,200.00. That is well more than double the Uber rte on the app. It also has to be cash.

FWIW

There's a saying in Spanish, Eric Blair: te vieron la cara.  

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The exact same thing is happening with Airbnbs. There are a whole bunch of scammers who will post a link on Craigslist, Facebook, etc, to their supposed Airbnb listing. When a person goes to that link, it is set up to be an almost exact replica of the official Airbnb site, the only difference is that the URL is just slightly different, but the average person can't tell. Then they start getting emails from the supposed host, telling them that something is messed up with the Airbnb payment system, so the guest will have to wire money into their bank account and that once that is received, an Airbnb rep will send them a package with the keys and directions, and if they don't like the place, of course their money will be refunded. Airbnb doesn't work like this- all money for reservations is made with credit card through the official Airbnb site, Airbnb does not have reps who send keys, meet guests, or preview listings for them. Airbnb hosts do not receive any money for a booking until 24 hours after a guest checks in. Nor is a guest's phone number or email visible to a host until a booking is confirmed. Many poor saps have lost thousands of dollars to these scammers, who, of course, have no accomodation to rent out, and are never to be heard from again once the  mark has wired the money.

You want a real Uber, use the app. You want a real Airbnb accomodation, use the app or the official Airbnb desktop site.

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On 8/29/2018 at 12:11 PM, gringal said:

I needed to go for an MRI in downtown Guadalajara this year.  The Miramontes family sent one of their drivers to my door; he helped me deal with the personnel, waited until the exam was finished and drove me to my door.  $1200 pesos.  Cars are in top condition, clean and the drivers are very good.  This is  a private family operation and reliable.

We have had the same experience using Miramontes.  All that you said is exactly accurate. 

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