Let’s say you need to catch a ride to the airport, but a friend or family member isn’t available to help. What do you do? Years ago, the straightforward answer was to hail a taxi, or ride a bus or a subway if your town has those options! These days, though, one of the most common solutions is simply to book a ride on Uber. If you’ve never done this before, you might be wondering if this is really the best option for you. To help you make this decision, check out the following pros and cons of Uber rides.
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It’s Convenient And Affordable
Hailing an Uber is a quick and simple process, much more so than other more traditional methods of transportation. From an app on your phone, all you have to do is book a trip and just sit back and wait on your ride. As opposed to buses or subways, the ride comes straight to you! Not only is the service easy to access, it can also be quite affordable. Uber often provides discounts to loyal or first-time customers to help incentivize them.
You Can Have Private Rides
One of the huge perks Uber has that sets it apart from traditional transportation is that it allows you to travel in relative privacy. While you’ll still obviously have your Uber driver in the vehicle with you, you won’t have to crowd in with strangers like you would on a bus or subway. Whether you’re concerned about germs or safety, or if you just like to have your own space, the privacy they provide can be well worth it.
Potential For Car Accidents
While this may go without saying, there’s always a risk of a potential accident if you ride in an Uber. Just like with almost any other mode of transportation, you immediately assume the chance of getting into an accident when you hit the road. Don’t worry, though. If you are in an Uber accident, you can rest assured that Uber or a private lawyer will do everything they can to fight to make sure you are taken care of, as best as possible.
Possibility Of Danger
While they strive to provide the safest ride possible, there is always the risk that an Uber driver could prove dangerous. Not only could the driver cause you harm, but any additional passengers could also. Uber does its best to protect both its drivers and riders through background checks and its rating system that allows all users to share feedback about riders or drivers, but this is not always necessarily foolproof. Just as in most other modes of transportation, there’s always a chance someone with malicious intent could slip through the cracks and wreak havoc. This is a risk you take any time you opt to ride with a stranger, though.
There are plenty of reasons why using an Uber is a fantastic idea, as well as quite a few reasons why it should maybe give you pause. Before you hire a ride, think about whether the convenience, affordability and privacy are worth the potential safety hazards you assume.