A purported Uber driver received online praise for his patience in dealing with a "belligerent" passenger.
Posting in Reddit's "Malicious Compliance" forum under the username u/StarsBear75063, the Dallas-based driver wrote: "Is this what you want? Fine. The customer is always right!" The post has garnered 12,700 upvotes and hundreds of supportive comments. It also sparked a conversation about dashcams. You can read the full post here.
The Trip
In his post, u/StarsBear75063 said he has a surveillance camera installed inside his car, a detail listed on the Uber app, and on signs posted on his car doors. Despite all the warnings, however, he said he recently picked up a rider who didn't notice the camera until about five minutes into their trip.
"[T]he rider asked me what was on my rearview mirror [and] I told him it was my interior cam. He got mad and told me to turn it off because he didn't like such surveillance," u/StarsBear75063 wrote.
"I reminded him that the Uber app would have said there was video recording...He could have declined the trip if there was a problem," u/StarsBear75063 continued.
The passenger demanded that u/StarsBear75063 either turn off the camera or "stop [the] trip." So, u/StarsBear75063 "exited the highway and pulled into a convenience store."
"[The rider] acted a bit stunned before shouting, 'What the hell are you doing?'" u/StarsBear75063 recalled. "I calmly stated, 'You said either I stop recording or I end the trip. As I have no intention of stopping the recording I am letting you out here.'"
As the passenger screamed and cursed, the driver pulled up the Uber app and gave the rider a one-star review with a note saying he felt unsafe. The driver then threatened to get the attention of a nearby police officer if the rider didn't exit his vehicle.
"After getting a few more cutting jabs and getting out, [the rider] tossed his open protein drink at my head...It was that time I got a text message from Uber support," u/StarsBear75063 wrote. "They told me his account was suspended...and [that] he would be charged a $75 cleaning fee."
Can Uber Drivers Record Passengers?
Unfortunately, many Uber drivers have faced bad and downright "violent" behavior from passengers.
In March, for example, an Uber driver was repeatedly punched by a passenger after canceling a ride.
In April 2021, a passenger reportedly "sank her teeth" into her Uber driver in a "violent rampage."
And back in 2019, two Las Vegas teenagers were arrested for allegedly attacking an Uber driver after he declined to give them a ride.
With all this in mind, Uber allows its drivers to install cameras to record their rides, which can be used to "provide evidence to Uber, law enforcement, or insurance companies in the event that something goes wrong on a ride," according to the company's website. There are, however, a few caveats.
"In some locations, local laws and regulations require that a rider provide consent to being recorded. Please check your local laws to understand your responsibilities," Uber advised before encouraging drivers to register their dashcams with the company.
Uber also reminded drivers that sharing recordings on social media or other public platforms is a violation of its community guidelines and could prompt an investigation.
Redditors React
Many Redditors commended u/StarsBear75063's patience, while some said the post exemplified why Uber drivers need dashcams.
"How could you be so patient?? That's incredibly amazing that you can keep your cool [until] the end," u/Cloud9_Forest said.
"You have the patience of an absolute saint," u/HourOk2135 agreed.
"You're a better person than I am OP [Original Poster]. The self-control that you exhibited is highly commendable!" u/Totknax exclaimed.
"Good on ya. I still haven't gotten a belligerent rider yet and I hope I never do," u/ChaoticGoodTath wrote.
u/Blekanly commented: "And that sir, is why we record passengers, good day."
u/Ryugi added: "People like that are exactly why Uber drivers like to use video recording in their vehicles."
Newsweek has reached out to u/StarsBear75063 for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Sara Santora is a Newsweek reporter based in Florida. Her focus is reporting on viral social media posts and trends. ... Read more
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