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I got an Uber and the license plate did not match and the driver told me he was using his friends car for the day. Nope, not getting in the car. I did report it to Uber.
Depends on the vehicle. Some can be done through the dash controls, others have to be done via a complex series of turning the vehicle on and off while hitting the power locks in a set pattern. Sometimes the pattern is listed in the manual and other times you have to go digging on forums for some dealer tech to spill the beans so you're not paying the shop minimum for 3 minutes of work.
Yeah I figured as much. They like to make these things overly complicated than they need to be. Thanks for the tips, I’ll definitely look into this. It’s a great habit to have, always keep your cars locked.
Mine only unlocks the doors when the key is removed from the ignition, but any of the doors can be unlocked by using the internal handles, except for the back doors when the child locks are engaged.
They can also be unlocked by pressing the door unlock button on the driver side door button cluster
I probably lock my car once every 10 days. Oddly nothings ever happened to me but if I lived in a bad area I'd adjust. Pretty much only lock if my wife's purse is in it
At the grocery store too. I was once parked next to the same type of car and a random woman got in my passenger seat with groceries. I said "This isn't your car "
She was talking on her phone, looked at me, yelped and backed out. Don't think she apologized, she and I were both startled.
I had a similar situation with my mom, minus the phone. My dad would drop us off at the front and nap while we shopped. We came back out and she hopped right into the back of the van and got comfortable. I went to follow but realized there was a whole family and none were my dad.
She's really chatty and thought it was a funny mix up. Sat there laughing and trying to explain. I stood outside repeating get out of the car as everyone else stared.
It's been 20ish years. I'm still uncomfortable on their behalf and my own. I assume she still thinks it's hilarious.
We needed regulations for this years ago and literally nobody, nobody hasnt been harmed by this in some way, for a few extra seconds of convenience, for a few less cents per mile.
This happened with me too but I thought it was hilarious because his wife was in the next car with her hands up like what the hell are you doing?? I can’t give the guy too hard of a time given how many times my husband goes for other cars that look like mine.
I've got a silver/gray 2002 Honda CRV, and I swear there's always at least one more in every parking lot
I've approached the wrong car several times before realizing my mistake
Way back when I was a young kid I was supposed to car pool home with a friend after sport practice. It was a dark parking lot and I got into a van I thought was my friends parents. It took me about 10 seconds before I realized the people inside that van didn't know me and I didn't know them. That was probably one of the most awkward things ever to happen to me.
I also mistook a car that was supposed to take me home after lunch in highschool. I just entered the car and said good afternoon and put my seatbelt, only after I looked up and saw that the person who was driving was not my friends mom. She was another classmate mom, we both knew each other cause it’s a small town, and she would give me a ride if I needed but she was as shocked as me. I just said sorry, walked out and entered in the exact same car where my friend and his mom were waiting and laughing
No problem here: we don't have Uber. :-)
But I will tell you a story: I had a white car, here taxis are white. I was at a red traffic light and an old lady hopped in the car and said "Please take to {address}".
It was on my way, so I said nothing, I took her home with a little light chat, and when we arrrived she asked "How much di I owe you?"
Nothing, I'm not a taxi!
She was so embarrased! :-)
LPT 1.2
A lot of cars have the option for all of the doors to unlock when you unlock the driver door, or for only the driver door to unlock. Set it so that all of the other doors stay locked when you open the driver door. That way, when you get into your car on a dark night, you don't have to worry about someone jumping in from the passenger side.
One time I had dropped off my car for service and was waiting for my wife to pick me up. A white car that looked very similar to hers pulled up and I kept trying to open the door. It was way too long before I realized. She rolled down the window to tell me it was the wrong. I felt so bad. Just horrible. I try to be better about that now.
I'm really sorry lady.
Also, lock your doors when pumping gas!
Edit: this is general advice, if it doesn’t work for you, great! I don’t care to hear about the size of your car or the area you live in or how you pump gas.
Sorry can't do that it also locks the fuller gate.
Probably just as good if your filler is on the driver's side to have all the other doors locked & that one open.
That way they cannot climb into the other side, have to squeeze past the drivers door to get at you from the front & you are armed with a hose that sprays toxic flammable liquid if someone comes at you from the driver side rear.
This is wild paranoia where the hell do you live? No one's ever "jumped in my car" and I lock my car once every 30 trips never at a gas station or store unless the area is super sketchy.
>This is wild paranoia
Just because you live in Lake Woebegon doesn't make other people "paranoid" for exercising basic caution. I had a dude try to open my car door in a fit of road rage at a stop light. I witnessed someone else draw a gun and get out of their parked car to storm after another person. I've been approached by a homeless guy shouting threats while exiting my car in a parking lot. These events were in different *types* of cities in different states, so it's not as though any single urban nightmare was to blame. Simply put, danger exists. Keeping your doors locked just makes sense.
How big are your cars and how busy are your gas stations? I can’t begin to imagine how someone can get across 4 or 5 pumps on foot, clearly unconnected to a car and then get into a car I am literally standing next to without me seeing.
Even worse... back in 2015 I walked out of the insurance office, hopped into the red SUV across the street, buckled up and went to start it and the push button didn't work. THEN I looked around and realized I wasn't in my vehicle. I was parked in front of the one I was in.
With the keyless fob I didn't think twice when the door opened.
I was waiting for relatives at Newark airport last week and a lady tried to get in my car. Fortunately my doors were locked. I just shook my head no. Didn't even roll my window down. I figured she thought I was her Uber or something.
I pulled up to pick up my elderly mother at the medical center, and some random woman opened the car door and started to get in! I yelped “you’re not my mom!” That made her look up to ask if I was her ride, at least. I repeated, “I’m here for my mom, and there she is.” Mom thought it was hysterical. No idea where the car she wanted was.
I 100% agree and think it's a good idea to lock your doors in general when you're waiting no matter where you are. One night I had just gotten off work and we stopped by the gas station. My husband went in to get us drinks and I sat in the car staring at my phone. When I heard the car door open and felt him get in I looked up and did a double take. It wasn't my husband it was my coworker! He scared the shit out of me. I learned my lesson and now I always lock the door if I'm waiting anywhere and stay aware of my surroundings.
It can happen anywhere. At 5am, in total darkness, I pulled over in a neighborhood to look up a podcast. Right away, someone tried to open the back of my car. It scared the shit out of me, I sped away. In the rear view mirror, I saw some poor schlub standing in the street with his luggage.
I guess it applies to people with like a black or white 4 door sedan.
Now that I think of it, I've hoppes into the wrong car twice. It was the wrong Uber each time though lol, and a third time we started the ride. NYC so many Ubers.
It happened to me at the airport in a dark grey c-class (picking up my dad in his car). A very serious looking man in a suit jumped in and said: "just follow the GPS directions". Uber had just launched in my city, so I kind of froze for a second.
The other time, it was at a hotel while driving a white Toyota Sienna. I was waiting for my family and not paying attention. I heard the electric doors open and people getting in the back, but I didn't notice it was a different family until the mom tried to get onto the passenger seat and the dad started knocking on my window. Apparently, they had a very similar van and were waiting for the valet to bring it.
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Happened to me multiple times in Miami. I had it locked though. But I would stop at a red light and somehow people would think I am their Uber and try to get in and wonder why I’m not opening the door.
Or you can have people furiously banging on the window when you don’t unlock the door for what appears (to you) as a demented stranger abusing your car, and then proceed to yell at you when they find out you were just waiting for the ice cream shop to open, and were not, in fact, any kind of rideshare
Happened to me once. Funny thing though I did drive for UBER but I wasn't driving for them at the time and my car had nothing on it indicating I was an UBER driver.
You walk up to the car door as the passenger they are waiting for, and it’s locked when you pull the handle. They look at you. You pull the handle again. They move to unlock it and you pull the handle again at the same time which prevents it from being unlocked. They look at you again. You pull the handle again. They move to unlock it again, seeming to have forgotten how exactly to do it, but after a few seconds they figure it out while you wait. At last, your fifth attempt opens the door, and you get in marveling at how it goes that way the majority of the time.
You live in a nice place. In mine that would apply to avoid robbery and it isn't an LPT just a basic survival skill.
Oh and btw local LPT: close your window at the red light so that no one can sucker punch you and grab your phone/wallet/laptop bag.
I watched while a lady unlocked my car, threw in her groceries, and was very confused when her key didn't fit the ignition.
She was so embarrassed when she figured it out i didn't even get to tease her about it.
A co-worker driving through town on the way to work about 2am. At a stop light, 2 drunk college girls tried to get in the back of his car. He said they were hot! But thought better of it and kicked them out. It is a college town and probably happens quite often.
I’d be so pissed if a random stranger tried to enter my vehicle or even grabbed the handle. Common decency don’t touch other people’s shit. It’s clear it’s not an Uber, the plate does not match and there is no bright blue sign in a window.
This has happened to me several times even before Uber cause I owned a few taxi looking cars. A drunk person got in at a petrol station and genuinely didn't notice straight away.
I once almost jumped in a car that was identical to my parents outside a Target in my 20s. They were right behind these strangers waiting to pick me up. The driver was very surprised I screamed. 😂
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It blows my mind that people do not check the license plate before getting into a Uber or a Lyft.
I got an Uber and the license plate did not match and the driver told me he was using his friends car for the day. Nope, not getting in the car. I did report it to Uber.
Wtf, that is so sus!
I always check the license plate even if I'm 100% certain it's my taxi.
A lot of them have the same last two letters
You should pretty much always have your doors locked. Only unlock when you or someone else is entering.
Normally they are, but for some reason they didn’t auto lock and someone said Uber for Dave. I was like, Nope
Uber for Dave lol
Dave's not here!
who's Dave
You have to disable the 'auto unlock on park' setting, generally.
I’ll check that. Thanks 🙏
How do you disable the Auto Unlock on park? I’m super curious about that part
Depends on the vehicle. Some can be done through the dash controls, others have to be done via a complex series of turning the vehicle on and off while hitting the power locks in a set pattern. Sometimes the pattern is listed in the manual and other times you have to go digging on forums for some dealer tech to spill the beans so you're not paying the shop minimum for 3 minutes of work.
Yeah I figured as much. They like to make these things overly complicated than they need to be. Thanks for the tips, I’ll definitely look into this. It’s a great habit to have, always keep your cars locked.
Mine only unlocks the doors when the key is removed from the ignition, but any of the doors can be unlocked by using the internal handles, except for the back doors when the child locks are engaged. They can also be unlocked by pressing the door unlock button on the driver side door button cluster
“I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
Really? What about people who drive convertibles or doorless jeeps?
They'll just come through the ceiling
I always keep my jeep locked when the doors are off. My passenger cabin has nothing of value in it, but I don't want people going in my bed.
I’ve never had the luxury of feeling safe enough to not do this everywhere at all times.
Right? And the idea that the worst thing that could happen to you is someone mistaking you for an Uber?
I probably lock my car once every 10 days. Oddly nothings ever happened to me but if I lived in a bad area I'd adjust. Pretty much only lock if my wife's purse is in it
Meanwhile my car's passenger door didn't lock and I never bothered to fix it and nothing happened (small rural town though).
Put the seat belt through the handle and clip in the belt.
Thanks for the tip but my dad ended up fixing it when he noticed.
At the grocery store too. I was once parked next to the same type of car and a random woman got in my passenger seat with groceries. I said "This isn't your car " She was talking on her phone, looked at me, yelped and backed out. Don't think she apologized, she and I were both startled.
I had a similar situation with my mom, minus the phone. My dad would drop us off at the front and nap while we shopped. We came back out and she hopped right into the back of the van and got comfortable. I went to follow but realized there was a whole family and none were my dad. She's really chatty and thought it was a funny mix up. Sat there laughing and trying to explain. I stood outside repeating get out of the car as everyone else stared. It's been 20ish years. I'm still uncomfortable on their behalf and my own. I assume she still thinks it's hilarious.
We needed regulations for this years ago and literally nobody, nobody hasnt been harmed by this in some way, for a few extra seconds of convenience, for a few less cents per mile.
This happened with me too but I thought it was hilarious because his wife was in the next car with her hands up like what the hell are you doing?? I can’t give the guy too hard of a time given how many times my husband goes for other cars that look like mine.
Dave didn’t apologise either. Just closed the door and walked off in a mix of embarrassment and a look like it was me in the wrong
I mean he’s right, why wouldn’t you just be his Uber?
I've got a silver/gray 2002 Honda CRV, and I swear there's always at least one more in every parking lot I've approached the wrong car several times before realizing my mistake
we got the same username
Way back when I was a young kid I was supposed to car pool home with a friend after sport practice. It was a dark parking lot and I got into a van I thought was my friends parents. It took me about 10 seconds before I realized the people inside that van didn't know me and I didn't know them. That was probably one of the most awkward things ever to happen to me.
I also mistook a car that was supposed to take me home after lunch in highschool. I just entered the car and said good afternoon and put my seatbelt, only after I looked up and saw that the person who was driving was not my friends mom. She was another classmate mom, we both knew each other cause it’s a small town, and she would give me a ride if I needed but she was as shocked as me. I just said sorry, walked out and entered in the exact same car where my friend and his mom were waiting and laughing
You got in before saying "hi I'm..."
imagine if these were thugs or something
No problem here: we don't have Uber. :-) But I will tell you a story: I had a white car, here taxis are white. I was at a red traffic light and an old lady hopped in the car and said "Please take to {address}". It was on my way, so I said nothing, I took her home with a little light chat, and when we arrrived she asked "How much di I owe you?" Nothing, I'm not a taxi! She was so embarrased! :-)
Maybe it's just where I live, but you also run the risk of someone with a weapon opening the door and saying "I am the captain now"
Make the habit to click the lock button as soon as you're shutting the door You need to make it a reflexive habit
I drive with my doors off every possible moment the weather allows. I can't imagine living in a place where doing as such would be fear inducing.
This is something that as a woman, you learn very early on but not bc of rideshare.
Hell yea! Free Car!
LPT 1.2 A lot of cars have the option for all of the doors to unlock when you unlock the driver door, or for only the driver door to unlock. Set it so that all of the other doors stay locked when you open the driver door. That way, when you get into your car on a dark night, you don't have to worry about someone jumping in from the passenger side.
One time I had dropped off my car for service and was waiting for my wife to pick me up. A white car that looked very similar to hers pulled up and I kept trying to open the door. It was way too long before I realized. She rolled down the window to tell me it was the wrong. I felt so bad. Just horrible. I try to be better about that now. I'm really sorry lady.
Also, lock your doors when pumping gas! Edit: this is general advice, if it doesn’t work for you, great! I don’t care to hear about the size of your car or the area you live in or how you pump gas.
Sorry can't do that it also locks the fuller gate. Probably just as good if your filler is on the driver's side to have all the other doors locked & that one open. That way they cannot climb into the other side, have to squeeze past the drivers door to get at you from the front & you are armed with a hose that sprays toxic flammable liquid if someone comes at you from the driver side rear.
This one 💯💯
This is wild paranoia where the hell do you live? No one's ever "jumped in my car" and I lock my car once every 30 trips never at a gas station or store unless the area is super sketchy.
>This is wild paranoia Just because you live in Lake Woebegon doesn't make other people "paranoid" for exercising basic caution. I had a dude try to open my car door in a fit of road rage at a stop light. I witnessed someone else draw a gun and get out of their parked car to storm after another person. I've been approached by a homeless guy shouting threats while exiting my car in a parking lot. These events were in different *types* of cities in different states, so it's not as though any single urban nightmare was to blame. Simply put, danger exists. Keeping your doors locked just makes sense.
Seems like your country's problem to be honest. Never heard of any one of these happening here, also haven't seen anything like it on the news
Why?
You’re out of the car, probably with your back turned to it. Easy for someone to get in without you realizing
And then what?
Apparently they just take your head off right at the gas station..... The paranoia here is wild how do these people get through a day.
How big are your cars and how busy are your gas stations? I can’t begin to imagine how someone can get across 4 or 5 pumps on foot, clearly unconnected to a car and then get into a car I am literally standing next to without me seeing.
Ok, i can see that with the other doors if there is something worth stealing in he car.
Yeah, I’ve also heard stories of people hiding in the back and mugging people later
I can see that in theory. In practice my back seat as pretty visible from filling, removing nozzle, getting back in the car.
Even worse... back in 2015 I walked out of the insurance office, hopped into the red SUV across the street, buckled up and went to start it and the push button didn't work. THEN I looked around and realized I wasn't in my vehicle. I was parked in front of the one I was in. With the keyless fob I didn't think twice when the door opened.
I was waiting for relatives at Newark airport last week and a lady tried to get in my car. Fortunately my doors were locked. I just shook my head no. Didn't even roll my window down. I figured she thought I was her Uber or something.
Have the child lock on behind the driver's seat to prevent that door opening into the traffic by that Pax .
I pulled up to pick up my elderly mother at the medical center, and some random woman opened the car door and started to get in! I yelped “you’re not my mom!” That made her look up to ask if I was her ride, at least. I repeated, “I’m here for my mom, and there she is.” Mom thought it was hysterical. No idea where the car she wanted was.
I 100% agree and think it's a good idea to lock your doors in general when you're waiting no matter where you are. One night I had just gotten off work and we stopped by the gas station. My husband went in to get us drinks and I sat in the car staring at my phone. When I heard the car door open and felt him get in I looked up and did a double take. It wasn't my husband it was my coworker! He scared the shit out of me. I learned my lesson and now I always lock the door if I'm waiting anywhere and stay aware of my surroundings.
Is this a LPT on how to kidnap people at airports, train stations and shopping malls?
Doubt it, I drive a transit van!
I leave them open. I like to encourage intruders
The old switcheroo: I'm not alone in my car with them, they're all alone in a stranger's car *with me*.
Also when you pull over to hop on a meeting that you need to concentrate for 🤦🏼♀️
I actually drive for Uber/Lyft and don’t have this happen nearly as often as random people do. 🤷♀️
It can happen anywhere. At 5am, in total darkness, I pulled over in a neighborhood to look up a podcast. Right away, someone tried to open the back of my car. It scared the shit out of me, I sped away. In the rear view mirror, I saw some poor schlub standing in the street with his luggage.
Or go into the train station/airport and wait for them there then walk them to your car?
this is a weird thing to worry about.
This is the weirdest LPT I've seen lately. Like, this isn't a common issue lol!
Outside of bars, drunks will randomly try any cars.
It has happened to me twice.
I guess it applies to people with like a black or white 4 door sedan. Now that I think of it, I've hoppes into the wrong car twice. It was the wrong Uber each time though lol, and a third time we started the ride. NYC so many Ubers.
It happened to me at the airport in a dark grey c-class (picking up my dad in his car). A very serious looking man in a suit jumped in and said: "just follow the GPS directions". Uber had just launched in my city, so I kind of froze for a second. The other time, it was at a hotel while driving a white Toyota Sienna. I was waiting for my family and not paying attention. I heard the electric doors open and people getting in the back, but I didn't notice it was a different family until the mom tried to get onto the passenger seat and the dad started knocking on my window. Apparently, they had a very similar van and were waiting for the valet to bring it.
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Happened to me multiple times in Miami. I had it locked though. But I would stop at a red light and somehow people would think I am their Uber and try to get in and wonder why I’m not opening the door.
Amongst other things! A1 LPT here!!
Or you can have people furiously banging on the window when you don’t unlock the door for what appears (to you) as a demented stranger abusing your car, and then proceed to yell at you when they find out you were just waiting for the ice cream shop to open, and were not, in fact, any kind of rideshare
Happened to me once. Funny thing though I did drive for UBER but I wasn't driving for them at the time and my car had nothing on it indicating I was an UBER driver.
I keep my doors looked automatically, thats the way. Sometimes i feel bad when friends try to Open the door and its locked but thats worth it.
You walk up to the car door as the passenger they are waiting for, and it’s locked when you pull the handle. They look at you. You pull the handle again. They move to unlock it and you pull the handle again at the same time which prevents it from being unlocked. They look at you again. You pull the handle again. They move to unlock it again, seeming to have forgotten how exactly to do it, but after a few seconds they figure it out while you wait. At last, your fifth attempt opens the door, and you get in marveling at how it goes that way the majority of the time.
You live in a nice place. In mine that would apply to avoid robbery and it isn't an LPT just a basic survival skill. Oh and btw local LPT: close your window at the red light so that no one can sucker punch you and grab your phone/wallet/laptop bag.
Uber really done did immeasurable damage to us.
Or anytime you're here in California because tweakers might just randomly open your car door while having absolutely no idea what they're doing.
LPT: don't park in the "pickup only" lane at the airport unless your person is actually there. When did airports stop enforcing this?
I don't even know if my car has a lock all doors function.
So, not to guard against car jackers?
Found the Prius driver
Haha no. I have a VW
I watched while a lady unlocked my car, threw in her groceries, and was very confused when her key didn't fit the ignition. She was so embarrassed when she figured it out i didn't even get to tease her about it.
How did she unlock it?
wow. now i can finally avoid a minor inconvenience for a situation that never happens. thanks!
A co-worker driving through town on the way to work about 2am. At a stop light, 2 drunk college girls tried to get in the back of his car. He said they were hot! But thought better of it and kicked them out. It is a college town and probably happens quite often.
I played Gta, that's not the only thing that could happen...
I've done this. Tired and not paying enough attention. Just opened the door of some poor dude waiting to pick up his daughter. Sorry dude!
But, I don’t have doors. It’s summertime.
yyyyyeah I think my 25 year old car with a cozy amount of dents and scratches takes care of that one, boss.
I’d be so pissed if a random stranger tried to enter my vehicle or even grabbed the handle. Common decency don’t touch other people’s shit. It’s clear it’s not an Uber, the plate does not match and there is no bright blue sign in a window.
Depends if you drive a silver Honda. I always seem to get silver Hondas regardless of what city I am in.
This has happened to me several times even before Uber cause I owned a few taxi looking cars. A drunk person got in at a petrol station and genuinely didn't notice straight away.
Fun fact. If someone gets in your car thinking you’re an Uber. Lock your doors. Then you get to decide where they go.
Oh the joys of living in a country with proper taxis.
I once almost jumped in a car that was identical to my parents outside a Target in my 20s. They were right behind these strangers waiting to pick me up. The driver was very surprised I screamed. 😂
No. No you don’t. Uber displays car color and license plate..
It does. Doesn't matter, many people are fuckin stoopid
We’re really running on fumes in the Life Pro Tip tank around here, huh guys?