Dear Urban Diplomat: How do I get my fellow UberPooler to show up on time?
I usually UberPool to and from my office on Bay Street. I’ve shared a ride with the same guy a few times, and he’s often late or just a total no-show. Once, I joked about his tardiness, and he got defensive and snippy, which made for an extremely unpleasant ride. I’m tired of waiting around for him, but I worry dressing him down about his punctuality will make him even angrier, and I don’t want my morning commute to be a game of Russian roulette. What can I do?
—Foe Rider, Liberty Village
If Uber’s $5 no-show charge—and the thought of keeping someone waiting in Toronto traffic—doesn’t change this guy’s ways, he’s a lost cause. So, control what you can: remind your UberPool driver they’re supposed to wait no longer than two minutes for a late passenger. It’s only a matter of time before his passenger rating dips low enough that drivers refuse to pick him up at all. In the meantime, there is one surefire way to avoid being trapped with rogue ridesharers: buy a bike.
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