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Comment by aeontech | Hacker News Reader

If I need to work or nap or just think quietly, I just tell the driver upfront. Never had anyone take offense or bother me after that. Not sure why that needs to be automated.

People tend to talk out of social anxiety or the perceived need to entertain a passenger who looks bored. I do not think the majority of drivers talk as a mercenary plot to try to get a bigger tip - simple human sociability seems just as likely an explanation.

Also, Lyft’s “thing” from the very start was to be a more friendly ride, with drivers encouraged to offer bottled water/snack/phone charger and chat.

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> People tend to talk out of social anxiety or the perceived need to entertain a passenger who looks bored. I do not think the majority of drivers talk as a mercenary plot to try to get a bigger tip - simple human sociability seems just as likely an explanation.

Driving in circles for hours on end is not the most intellectually-stimulating occupation around. I entertained myself by talking to my passengers. Some of the things I learned turned into diaries that I originally posted at kuro5hin.org (RIP - reposted at http://www.taxiwars.org/ ).

Usually people were happy to talk back. Every so often people weren't interested in chatting, so I didn't talk to everyone.

I agree that just saying you want to work is totally acceptable and I've never had an issue, but I think it's naive to think driver's don't strike up a conversation, at least part of the time, as a way to build camaraderie and generate tips. This is a ubiquitous technique in the service industry and there's nothing wrong with it.

If Uber driver conversations were mostly tip-motivated then you would have seen an increase in the frequency of them when Uber introduced tipping a few months ago. I haven't observed that. Something like 80-95% of my drivers have started conversations.

It’s not just tips. It’s the 5 star rating.

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