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I am sorry this is not an RCCL question but I want to know about Uber. I am a single woman in her 60s who usually takes her vehicle to DFW International Airport, puts it in covered parking, it is new and don't want any hail damage on it. On the average, for a seven day cruise it costs me about $80-$100. Once in a while DFW will run a special for $55 for seven days, which I got for my August cruise.

 

I have friends that use Uber all the time and love it. I got a coupon for my first ride to DFW free. I would pay $20 to get home. What I am worried about is I have to leave at 4:30 a.m. to get to the airport and the whole idea of having these people drive to my house to pick me up in the dark bothers me. Obviously they would know I am leaving on a trip, won't know for how long, but I feel that I am opening myself up to having my house broken in to. I always ask for extra police patrols on my street while I am gone. Friends have suggested letting them pick me up somewhere else but that defeats the whole purpose of using Uber.

 

I am not asking if your house has been broken in to but do you feel this could be risk?

 

I guess I just want people who use Uber to voice an opinion.

 

Thanks, Candie

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Hey Candie,

 

As a frequent user of Uber and Lyft (for getting around town, but also when I travel/get into a car with luggage and go to the airport), I completely understand your concern.  I'd think of it this way, it's the same as hiring a cab, limo, or shuttle service.  Some person you don't know now knows you're out of town.  Is that a concern?  Sure, but it's no different than in other contexts, and should be personally weighed in the same way.

 

I live in a condo, so it's a bit easier for me, as I set the pickup area as the parking lot, not my actual address, so any drive only knows the building, not the unit.  Another trick is to in casual conversation, mention how you wish your son, spouse, parent, etc could go, but they have to stay behind this time, or mentioning a house-sitter.  Nothing is fool proof, but there are simple things to help reduce the risk that's taken anytime anyone knows your travelling (my letter carrier knows I'm not home right now, as my mail is held).

 

The risks are probably much greater with social media, as we love to tweet, Periscope, put up pics on Facebook, etc all having to do with the trip we're on.  I guess my point is, there are many vulnerabilities, and we have to do risk-benefit analyses of any decision like this, and take the most reasonable steps to mitigate said risks.

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My boss had planned to use uber for a trip to airport. What she ran into was there wasn't a uber available at the time she needed to leave to airport (around 5am) she had to pack up her car quickly and head to airport.

While this could happen, it's yet to happen to me.  I'd suspect this happened to your boss in a more rural area perhaps?  Even at odd times it seems there are plenty of Ubers around here.  In addition, I sometimes use Lyft, so in a situation where they might not be one (hasn't happened to me yet), there might be another.

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I also agree with the suggestion above to mention in casual conversation that your son/husband can't go with you and has to stay at home.

 

I would not hesitate to use Uber. However, leaving at 4:30 am does have some issues. There may not be many drivers available and Uber raises their prices during these times. I had to pay more than double on a Sunday morning in Boston to get to the cruise port because of that. I was very annoyed.

 

Solution: use Wingz. My son uses Wingz to get to and from DFW all the time. Wingz is similar to Uber but the differences are: they specialize in getting you to and from the airport (thus the name "Wingz"). You pre-arrange your ride a day or two ahead of time. Your driver confirms the ride shortly after you make the reservation. You will have a picture of the driver, the car make/model, the license plate all ahead of time. AND they will give you a fixed price quote that you can accept or decline when you make the reservation. I used Wingz to get from Houston Hobby to Galveston a while back and that 50 minute ride was almost half the cost of a cab ride and it was a much nicer vehicle.

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Thanks for all of your posts. I don't know whether I will use Uber. I have talked to several friends and they have had problems with them because of wanting to be picked up at 4 or 430 a.m. It seems Uber doesn't have a lot of drivers at that time. I looked on Uber's site and it does say that there can be a problem with early a.m. pick up. I only live about 5 miles from DFW so I am not rural. I just don't want to end up having to call a cab or rush around trying to get my car parked at the airport, if I am running late because Uber can't show up. 

 

I will probably park at the airport this time. Several friends are willing to take me but they all work and getting them up at 3:30 in the morning on a weekday just doesn't sit well with me.

 

I think I will try Uber when I have to be at the airport at a later time, like 7 a.m.

 

Thanks again, Candie

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I agree with Billy, any taxi driver would know you are not home.  Frankly, I think it's a bit paranoid to worry about that.  I would not hesitate to use Uber.

Without realizing it, we divulge more information on social media than we think.   Tell the world about your cruise when you return....not before you leave.  

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I love Uber and not only use it all the time in the US but I used it quite a bit in Europe this Spring and it worked great
I like Lyft a little more in the US now too.  Agree with everyone - I post my trip after I get back usually or several days

after I'm doing something

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I have my Facebook account set to private, so I'm less concerned about posting. An alarm system also gives me piece of mind. Further, my sister-in-law makes random posts and replies suggesting that she is house sitting, which adds a deterrent.

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I never post on Facebook until I get back from cruising and Las Vegas. I don't want anyone to know that I am gone. In fact, many times I don't post pictures to Facebook because you are still letting people know you travel.

 

I have my "home phone" always forwarded to my cell.....then if someone called the house number, I can answer and they would never know I am not at home.  

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Perhaps as you are driving away make fake phone call on your cell phone. Pretend you are calling someone in your house and say something like: "sorry to wake you but make sure I locked the door," or "I think i forget to let Cujo (Stephen King evil Rottweiler)in from the back yard, let him in so he doesnt wake the neighbors so early."

Driver doesnt need to know how long you will be gone anyway.

Good luck and have a good trip.

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Tonyb64, 

 

Love your post. My dog Tank is a 10 pound mini dachsund, but I could change his name to Cujo for my cruises. Unfortunately he lives better than I do when I cruise. He goes to a doggie daycare camp and is spoiled rotten, never crated and pretty much carried around, so he doesn't think he has legs.

 

Stoneman, what is this thing you call a HOME PHONE?

 

Candie

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Tonyb64, 

 

Love your post. My dog Tank is a 10 pound mini dachsund, but I could change his name to Cujo for my cruises. Unfortunately he lives better than I do when I cruise. He goes to a doggie daycare camp and is spoiled rotten, never crated and pretty much carried around, so he doesn't think he has legs.

 

Stoneman, what is this thing you call a HOME PHONE?

 

Candie

I think it was an E.T. reference and he meant "phone home." :)

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Tonyb64, 

 

Love your post. My dog Tank is a 10 pound mini dachsund, but I could change his name to Cujo for my cruises. Unfortunately he lives better than I do when I cruise. He goes to a doggie daycare camp and is spoiled rotten, never crated and pretty much carried around, so he doesn't think he has legs.

 

Stoneman, what is this thing you call a HOME PHONE?

 

Candie

 

 

Miss Candie....my "home phone" is the number that is listed in a Phone Book.   I know not many people even know what a phone book is but they are still available.....from the phone company.   I have my home phone number forwarded to my cell phone so if anyone should call my HOUSE home phone, the call is forwarded to my cell phone and they would never know that I am not at home...with my home phone number ringing.  

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Tonyb64, 

 

Love your post. My dog Tank is a 10 pound mini dachsund, but I could change his name to Cujo for my cruises. Unfortunately he lives better than I do when I cruise. He goes to a doggie daycare camp and is spoiled rotten, never crated and pretty much carried around, so he doesn't think he has legs.

 

Stoneman, what is this thing you call a HOME PHONE?

 

Candie

Dachshunds are cool. Between my Mom and my family we've had 5. My mom had a miniature tiger striped Dachshund appropriately named Tiger. He was a real tough guy and would try to bully my yellow Lab. The Lab put up with him for a long time until one day he just snapped at him and left  a hole in one of Tiger's ears. Tiger wasn't hurt but he stopped bullying my Lab after that.

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