We’re our most vulnerable when we’re drunk. Uber knows this. They know that when we’re borderline blackout in the wee hours of New Year’s Day, we’d sell an organ for a safe ride home. So they throw some seemingly arbitrary price multiple on our screens and since the only thing on our minds at that point is Totino’s Pizza Rolls, we accept without resistance.
Our own Cass Anderson knows this all too well, as he got probed by the Uber’s price surging schlong on New Years Eve in bumblefuck Florida.
Cass’ bill was peanuts in comparison to the Canadian bro who made the 30 mile trip from Southwood Community Centre in Mill Woods to North Edmonton with some friends after partying the New Year away.
Matt Lindsay agreed to surge pricing that was 8.9 TIMES the normal rate and the half hour trip was extended as Lindsay requested the driver make a couple stops in between to drop off friends.
20 minutes after Lindsay was dropped off, he got an email from Uber that indicated his bill was $1,114.71.
Let that sink in a bit. Lindsay spent more money for a 30 mile trip that he would for a roundtrip plane ticket to another continent.
Lindsay told Edmonton’s CBC News that Uber agreed to cut his bill in half–to a modest price of $557.
Insane. Martin Shkreli uses this same price gouging tactic and become America’s most hated man. Uber uses it and we just take the beating with a smile on our faces.
WELL NOT ANYMORE! I’M GOING ON STRIKE!
*looks out window to see it drizzling*
*requests Uber*
*sees 3x surge pricing*
*looks out window again, notices it stopped raining*
*confirms Uber anyway*
I’m a mindless sheep slowly being led to slaughter.