Okay let’s be real, jumping into an unknown car in a strange country felt sketchy as heck last Tuesday. My last Uber back home felt easy, but trying this big international app? Total newbie nerves hit me.
First try was a hot mess
Landed in Bangkok late, tired as hell. Grabbed my phone, pulled up the app, tapped “book now.” Boom! Driver assigned fast. Name looked like Thai alphabet soup, car details listed… somewhere. Phone dinged – driver calling already! Spotted the license plate… then a totally different plate rolled up. My guts screamed “NOPE!”
So I canceled. Right there on the curb. Felt rude, but better rude than sketchy. Cost me a few bucks cancellation fee, whatever.
Got smart the second time
Next morning, coffee fueled and determined. Redownloaded that app. Actually created a profile picture – a clear headshot, not some sunset. Went digging in settings:
- Tapped privacy settings hard. Found the spot for emergency contacts. Added my sister and a buddy back home. Felt a tiny bit better.
- Saw that “share trip status” option. Game changer! Made sure it was turned ON before I booked anything else.
This time, booking took patience. Actually read the driver profile popping up – checkered blue shirt, 4.7 stars. License plate number? Memorized that first! Kepped refreshing the app like crazy.
Car pulls up. Okay, driver kinda matches the pic (wearing blue!). Looked through my own phone screen – yep, app shows the exact car model and color arriving. Big relief moment. Peeked at the license plate. Held my breath… Bingo. Matched the app completely.
The “mom nagging” steps kicked in
Inside the car, kinda cramped. Driver seemed fine, but still. Immediately tapped that “share trip” icon in the app. Text blasted my sister and friend: “Riding with Sombat, Toyota Corolla. Plate ABC123. Live tracking active.” Felt them watching the GPS dot. Not a private detail? Nah, location sharing only to those contacts.
Kept the app map pulled up the whole ride too. Paid attention to actual turns compared to the blue navigation line. Driver took a different street? Cross-referenced on Maps on my phone – okay, legit shortcut. Notified them.
Cashed out at the hostel. Did NOT swipe credit card blindly. Used the cash option the app offered at booking. Easy.
What actually works (learned the hard way)
So here’s the 6 steps I practiced that worked:
- Profile Pic Matters. Use a real face pic, not travel scenery.
- Lock Down the App Settings First. Set emergency contacts BEFORE needing them. Activate trip sharing PERMANENTLY.
- Verify Like Airport Security. Check driver photo and license plate MATCHES BEFORE unlocking that door.
- Share Like Mom Demands. Hit that share button the second you get in. Tell contacts who, what car, where tracking.
- Follow the GPS Dot. Keep the app map running. Eyes comparing screen to street = smart.
- Cash or Bust. Avoid card saves on the app. Cash payment at booking removes one worry.
Honestly? Felt like overkill at first. Felt kinda awkward asking the guy for the plate again. But awkward beats unsafe. Now? Trust the steps, not just the app name. Feels way less like a gamble.
