Unfortunate Lyft incident

On Monday, 4/17/17, my wife and I arrived in Las Vegas and requested a ride from Lyft from the airport to the Cosmopolitan. We were picked up within 10 minutes and when our driver left the airport he immediately took us through the tunnel. We have been to Las Vegas at least 25 times and while we may not know the best way to get everywhere, I know that from the airport to the Cosmo is a pretty straight shot and that Harmon Ave takes you to the entrance of the Cosmo.

I asked him why he decided to take this route and he said that it would save us money over the price of a cab. He said that he used to drive a cab and he knows the best way to take people. He also said that he is unlike other Lyft drivers who sleep on their parent’s couch so he needs to make the rides last longer so he can make more money.

I asked him if that is why we got tunneled and he became irate. By now we were on I-15 and he started yelling at me stating that he would pull this car over right now and drop us off on the highway! He continued to berate us for suggesting that he was doing something wrong and threaten to turn the car around and take us back to the airport. He asked if that was what I wanted and I said that I wanted to be taken to my destination. He then asked me why I had a problem with the longer ride, “what’s the matter, can’t you afford it?”

Being on the highway with someone threatening to drop me and my wife off on the highway was not a great position to be in, so I decided to sit there silently and then take this up with Lyft at a later time.

When we finally got to the Cosmopolitan, the driver popped the trunk from inside his car and reached his hand up to the screen where it said something like “reached destination". But I noticed that he never pushed the button, just either pretended to or changed his mind. I got out of the car and went and grabbed my bag from his trunk. He also got out of his car and met me at the back of the vehicle. I grabbed my bag and checked my phone and noticed that it still did not tell me that my ride was complete and no total was given. I worried that was because he failed to push the end ride button he was somehow going to keep the fare going even after dropping us off to charge us even more. I asked if he was going to close this transaction by ending the ride?

He got back in his car and pushed the button and immediately drove away. The fare came up on my phone and I paid it. When it asked for my rating of the driver I gave him one star. I did that only because I worried if I gave no stars that it might look like I just missed that step. I paid the full fare of $14.89 and did not leave a tip.

This was a horrible way to begin our trip. Being ripped off is one thing, but then being threatened with being dropped off on I-15 at 11pm is something much worse. He clearly took advantage of us and then became hostile and aggressive when he realized that he had been caught.

After arriving home, I sent an email to Lyft letting them know what happened. Within a few hours I received a response stating that I would get a full refund and that the unfavorable rating I received from the driver was removed from my account. They also told me they would address these concerns with the driver and they apologized for his actions.

I have no issue with Lyft. I appreciate how they handled the situation. Just like calling a cab, one of the first games of chance you play in Vegas is the type of driver you receive. This time we lost.

 

I'm not surprised. There are bad apple in every profession. I've had Lyft drivers in Vegas tell me they are ex cabbies all while tunneling us. I've found it best to not confront them because of the potential for exactly what happened to you. It is still cheaper than a cab but that certainly doesn't make it right. Uber/Lyft have the ability to rate and complain and they will make it right.

 

https://www.lyft.com/safety

Report them in addition to emailing them - unfortunately, there isn't much government regulation to Lyft and Uber - if you have a bad experience, try to tell them ASAP - they'll revoke their access. With everything happening with Uber lately, I wouldn't hesitate to do so.

 

Just when you think you're out, they (unscrupulous drivers) pull you back in again... Being relatively new to ride-sharing, I've allowed myself to be lulled into a false sense of security thinking that Lyft and Uber are immune from the long haul. Riders beware and be aware! Thanks for sharing.

 

What route did the lyft app say you should be on? It usually spits out a route for you.

 

That's bad attitude from the driver. You deserve get full refund.
Talking about the long haul itself, $14.89 from the airport is within the ballpark for Uber/Lyft.

 

Thank you for sharing your unfortunate experience, ref59405.
Sorry to hear your trip started on such a sour note!
Hopefully the rest of your trip was great!

RICHARD

 

Nice thing about Lyft, is it shows the company the route the driver took. I hope they revoke access from this clown. Glad Lyft took care of everything.

As mentioned above there are bad apples in every profession. I have used Uber/Lyft a lot and the worst I've had some guy trying to sell us weed and trying to get us to go to a strip club rather than our destination. Also had a similar story with a cab driver, except he tried to sell us ecstasy not weed lol.

 

'nuff said.

 

Unfortunate may be the understatement of the year

 

I have noticed that a lot of former cab drivers are becoming lyft/Uber drivers, and THOSE are the ones tunneling people...
We've had about 50/50 tunnel with rideshare, and it's ALWAYS been people who were former cabbies...
The people who are retired and just doing rideshare for extra money, or young people, have NEVER tunneled, they ALWAYS go by the google map, which says to go paradise to flamingo or whatever...

 

I've never had a bad driver when I rent a car!

 

How awful.

 

Does you wife agree with that? lol

 

Wow yeah sorry to hear it.. you should have video record the guy bitching!!! No wonder most people doesn't have good experience w cabbies. I hope lyft cancel his services.

 

The only sub standard Lyft we had last trip was with an ex-cabbie. He was dreadful.

 

It sucks you had a bad driver. Good news that you were able to give feedback, get a refund, and maybe keep others from experiencing this driver.
Thanks for sharing.
Ty

 

This was only my 2nd time using Lyft so I am afraid I was not smart enough to first look at the route. But I did see the route he took afterwards and it looks very funny to see the long way he took to bring us to the Cosmo

 

I haven't used Lyft but I have used Uber. They gave me a price when I ordered the ride and that was what I had charged to my credit card.

 

I use Uber exclusively and have never been tunneled or long hauled. No lyft for me!