Chatty drivers can be a real pain. If you have ever been in a taxi ride where your driver won’t shut up, then this news will come as a blessing to you. Sometimes, people take taxis to avoid the sanity of not concentrating on traffic. We probably just want some peace and quiet and maybe get some work done too. If you are someone that is too polite to point blank tell your driver to zip it, Uber has heard your silent prayers and is doing something about it. Some people have actually been lobbying for the Quiet Mode for a while now, and Uber has finally listened.
I’ve always wondered if @Uber tinkered with the idea of a ‘quiet mode’ to let drivers know that you don’t want to have a conversation. It would be perfect for trips back home after a long/stressful day.
— Avi Prasad (@TheAviPrasad) September 29, 2018
There should be a “quiet mode” on @Uber where the app lets the driver know that I havent had any coffee yet so I aint trying to talk.
— Trevon Mendez (@TrevonMendez) August 20, 2018
This new Uber feature will now let you request a quiet driver that will not say anything to you. You can enjoy some peace and quiet on your next Uber ride. The cab-hailing service is now rolling out new upgrades to the premium Uber Black service. The feature, referred to as a “Quiet Car” mode, is available for Uber Black rides only. Keep in mind that these rides mostly cost two to three times as much as the UberX ride.
You can select your luxury ride preference in the Uber mobile app. These cars are usually posh like a Mercedes or a BMW. First, you need to confirm your destination and select the Uber Black SUV or just Uber Black. You can then go to the preference for “conversation” and then select either “Quiet Preferred” or “Happy to Chat” or just leave it with no preference.
Once you select the quiet mode, the drivers know not to engage in any conversation with you during the trip. There is always a possibility of the driver flouting the mode, so Uber already made some provisions. Uber Black riders can also now access premium phone support with live agents to inform them that your driver is not honouring your preference.
Uber has also now included a new feature in the Uber Black category. You can now request the driver helps with your luggage and choose a preferred car temperature. There is now an “extended pickup period” option too which gives riders five minutes to get their Uber Black before they start getting charged. It can also give you an extra 15-minute option for the driver to wait before cancelling the ride. The new Uber Black features have now debuted in Canada and 35 cities in the United States. However, plans are ongoing to expand the feature.
On the Uber X or Uber Pool, riders only have two minutes before they can cancel a ride or they will get charged for cancelling.
Social media users are already commenting on the new feature. Here are some of Twitter users’ posts about it.
People bashing the “quiet mode” option on Uber are hilarious. No one is forcing you to use it and honestly, some people (like me) prefer to sit in silence. I don’t enjoy small talk and most of the time I’m uncomfortable chatting with drivers especially when they veer off on-
— AorticInkwell @ Phoenix Fan Fusion (@aorticinkwell) May 17, 2019
Can I get a quiet mode for everyone and not just my Uber driver
— not a cop (@slevenmcdichael) May 17, 2019
somebody turned my uber on quiet mode and now i just sit in silence pic.twitter.com/bwFIjEaFUC
— (@enchantedmeg13) May 17, 2019
uber has a quiet mode to keep the driver from talking to you.. i feel like that’s only fair if the drivers can quiet mode you back pic.twitter.com/wTfREiLsjt
— kc ️ (@queerlybelovedx) May 16, 2019
I personally feel like quiet mode is more awkward than politely telling your Uber driver you’re not in the mood for conversation.
Are they at least allowed to say hello?
Can we treat them like humans and not robots and just tell them in person? https://t.co/PW6uE0u6Y4
— AttackingTucans (@Tyler_Sederwall) May 17, 2019