Comment by fluidcruft

Comment by fluidcruft 6 months ago

21 replies

There's also the issue of tipping. I haven't been in a waymo but I generally tip well in Uber or Lyft. I wouldn't tip a robot. So at least to me $15+$5 tip vs $20 is pretty much a wash.

drcode 6 months ago

I was kinda pissed when my local mall got a "barista robot", and it asks for a 20% tip when you swipe your card

  • fosk 6 months ago

    Tipping has lost its meaning and it is simply a money grab these days in many establishments, as your experience demonstrates. Like tipping for food to go.

    I only tip when I sit down and good service is actually provided.

chipsrafferty 6 months ago

You don't have to tip an Uber or Lyft, either.

  • StableAlkyne 6 months ago

    [Caveat: there aren't many Lyft drivers in my town, so I have only used Uber]

    The problem is their system extorts you into tipping. If you don't tip, the driver will give you a 1/5 rating. If your rating averages low enough, nobody will pick you up. It's more of a bribe you pay for a good passenger rating than an actual tip.

    As a result, you're forced to tip if you want to use it long term.

    Personally, I'm hoping Waymo takes Uber's lunch money. I will gladly pay more for a service has not been infected with tipping.

    • Macha 6 months ago

      Don't the drivers only see the tips in aggregate form at the end of the week?

      • FireBeyond 6 months ago

        Unsure. But they at least know you've tipped. "Steve thanked you for your tip."

        • addaon 6 months ago

          > Unsure. But they at least know you've tipped. "Steve thanked you for your tip."

          Wait, is that actually based on driver action? I assumed it was just another notification to drive "engagement" when someone accidentally taps it, same as the daily "special deals" for Eats and stuff.

    • oefrha 6 months ago

      That’s straight up false. I don’t tip and my Uber passenger rating was ~4.95 last I checked.

    • fluidcruft 6 months ago

      I haven't really thought about whether it's known or unknown. I've assumed it was known, but often I tip cash anyway.

    • biztos 6 months ago

      I don’t know if that’s really how it works with Uber, but surely Waymo could charge extra for “priority pickup” if it got popular enough.

      • Dylan16807 6 months ago

        If it's actually for priority that's okay. It will only have a significant effect when they're hitting their capacity limits, and it ends up being similar to surge pricing.

        If they start refusing to pick up people that don't pay, while having idle cars, I expect them to get in trouble in various ways.

    • kortilla 6 months ago

      They have to rate long before you tip/rate.

      • throw4f543w 6 months ago

        Drivers have up to two weeks to change passenger ratings. A petty driver could see their passenger tipped and then go back and change the ratings.

  • fluidcruft 6 months ago

    Sure, nobody has to tip anyone. But I do tip taxis and etc, typically about 30%, and it factors into my overall price perception.

    I'm just saying $15 that I will add a tip to vs $20 that I have no intention or inclination to tip isn't anything more than I don't have any expectations or empathy about tipping a machine. It doesn't seem particularly complex an issue about why Waymo can charge the same amount that I am willing to pay anyway.

loloquwowndueo 6 months ago

Holy crap that’s 33% tip!

  • ghushn3 6 months ago

    It's also a small, $5 tip. When you get small numbers, like $5, it tends to blow out the percentages.