The Mystery of Why Uber Gave Me 77 Free Rides
August 31, 2017 2:46 PM   Subscribe

"For about two and a half years, Uber kept sending me free ride credits. I just went through my receipts and counted 77 free rides in total, averaging one every couple weeks. Then they suddenly stopped. All that time, I never knew why I was getting them — why look a gift horse in the mouth? — but once they stopped I put on my detective hat and did a little digging. I’m pretty sure I’ve solved the mystery."
posted by secretdark (17 comments total) 17 users marked this as a favorite
 
Guessed it when he got to the names.
posted by PMdixon at 3:07 PM on August 31, 2017 [3 favorites]


Took me a while to understand what a Referral Code was since I've never ubered.
posted by Metro Gnome at 3:39 PM on August 31, 2017 [1 favorite]


Hmm. In Toronto Uber doesn't let you choose your own code. It just assigns you one.
posted by dobbs at 3:52 PM on August 31, 2017


Let's see what happens with UBERDTF
posted by zippy at 4:53 PM on August 31, 2017 [7 favorites]


Mine is UBERSUCKS
posted by dubwisened at 5:06 PM on August 31, 2017


Took me a while to understand what a Referral Code was since I've never ubered.

Have you also never ecommerced? Because this concept is hardly unique to Uber.

PS: Uber is a disgusting, rancid company and nobody should use it.
posted by DarlingBri at 6:08 PM on August 31, 2017 [6 favorites]


I work with a guy who did some kind of online marketing magic with his Uber referral code and apparently has several thousand dollars worth of credits. He did the same with ubereats and told me that he didn't pay for a meal for more than six months.
posted by sevenyearlurk at 8:10 PM on August 31, 2017 [1 favorite]


I love these innocent little modern mysteries. My favorite is the "I can't log in when I stand up" reddit story. I wish there were a website that would have nothing but puzzles like this that involved some light googling and critical thinking.
posted by Emily's Fist at 9:26 PM on August 31, 2017 [13 favorites]


Emily's Fist: The 500 mile email
posted by Leon at 12:40 AM on September 1, 2017 [12 favorites]


> PS: Uber is a disgusting, rancid company and nobody should use it.

On the other hand, if the rides are on Uber's dime and the drivers are getting paid, I'm willing to give it a pass.
posted by at by at 1:30 AM on September 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


PS: Uber is a disgusting, rancid company and nobody should use it.

Not sure if this is true of you in particular but people who own or can drive cars should maybe take a seat with these righteous takes.
posted by Space Coyote at 10:58 AM on September 1, 2017 [3 favorites]


Not sure if this is true of you in particular but people who own or can drive cars should maybe take a seat with these righteous takes.

You mean the company that shit on female employees who brought forward problems with sexual harassment from managers? Or the company that illegally dug up a rape victim's medical files to discredit her? Or the company that evaded regulators by showing them phantom cars on their phones and only their phones? Or the company that tried to classify its employees as contractors in order to avoid labor laws?
posted by zippy at 11:21 AM on September 1, 2017 [9 favorites]


Taxi's aren't necessarily any better on the sexual assault, worker exploitation, etc.

If you don't have to use these services because you have a car or access to public transportation maybe take a seat with these righteous takes
posted by LizBoBiz at 11:43 AM on September 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


Does anyone really believe that Uber is special where sexism etc. is concerned?

I've worked in silicon valley for 22 years; the sexism/racism/ageism/... is exactly the same in every company I've worked at. (And I'm sure things are no better in any other part of this country.)

It's kind of like doping in pro cycling -- everyone knows how drug-infested pro cycling is. But do you really think there is no doping in the NFL/NBA/NHL etc.?
posted by phliar at 8:51 PM on September 1, 2017 [1 favorite]


Everyone knows about RISKS, right? It has lots of these fun little ordinary mysteries (along with many things that will scare you silly).

Is it a mailing list, or a Usenet group, or a website? All of the above.
posted by phliar at 9:09 PM on September 1, 2017


Emily's Fist: "I love these innocent little modern mysteries. "

A Story of Magic. When they get to the symptom in action I can't help but laugh at the absurdity.
posted by Mitheral at 10:28 PM on September 2, 2017


Here's an FPP a while back about a problem Medium had with a single Polish character.
posted by Chrysostom at 6:48 PM on September 18, 2017


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