Anonymous
Post 06/05/2025 10:51     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My girls started at 13 and are now 18 and 21 and it's been fine.
But I grew up in NYC taking cabs at a young age and that was way more dangerous. At least with Ubers the driver's name, car and route are known.



I also grew up in NYC taking the subway and cabs alone since I was 10. And I will never let my girls take an Uber. Get outta here, “more dangerous.”


Why is that?

DP. Taxi drivers have to go through stricter background checks- fingerprinting, review of criminal history. Also, you could easily see who's driving and the cars are inspected regularly. Rideshares, on the other hand, have looser rules and rely on you to check the driver yourself. There's a higher risk of impersonation. More reports of safety issues with ride shares.


There are now like 10000x more ride share rides than taxis…so not sure if your reports are nominal or per capita.

Uber drivers also do background checks…I don’t think taxi companies are doing anything much more these days.

I do agree you need to ensure the license plate and the driver match the Uber profile.

I have never checked a taxi’s picture once driver…you hail one and get in and hope it isn’t the Deniro character from Taxi Driver.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2025 10:27     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My girls started at 13 and are now 18 and 21 and it's been fine.
But I grew up in NYC taking cabs at a young age and that was way more dangerous. At least with Ubers the driver's name, car and route are known.



I also grew up in NYC taking the subway and cabs alone since I was 10. And I will never let my girls take an Uber. Get outta here, “more dangerous.”


Why is that?

DP. Taxi drivers have to go through stricter background checks- fingerprinting, review of criminal history. Also, you could easily see who's driving and the cars are inspected regularly. Rideshares, on the other hand, have looser rules and rely on you to check the driver yourself. There's a higher risk of impersonation. More reports of safety issues with ride shares.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2025 08:15     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
I have 16yo b/g twins. Recently had son take one when we were in a last-minute bind and I was nervous about it. He is 6ft and easily could pass for 19/20 so I told myself he wouldn’t give off the “vulnerable” vibe that might attract attention from someone sketchy. I would 100% not let DD ride in an uber without at adult.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2025 08:10     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My girls started at 13 and are now 18 and 21 and it's been fine.
But I grew up in NYC taking cabs at a young age and that was way more dangerous. At least with Ubers the driver's name, car and route are known.



I also grew up in NYC taking the subway and cabs alone since I was 10. And I will never let my girls take an Uber. Get outta here, “more dangerous.”


How would an Uber be more dangerous than a taxi? It’s inconceivable that a system that knows the identity of a driver would be more dangerous than a random car that picks you up on the side of the street.

Anonymous
Post 06/05/2025 06:10     Subject: Re:What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:I hate that this is reality, but I feel more comfortable letting my DS use Uber than my DD. My DS is 14 and is 5'9", at least 120 lbs and rides public transportation to/from school. He is attentive and knows the city pretty well. My DD, on the other hand, is only 12 and has always been tiny so looks even younger than her age. She also doesn't pay close attention to her surroundings and might not speak up if something is wrong. She may only ever be allowed to ride in an uber if she's with friends and maybe only once she's 15 or 16.

I take Ubers alone quite frequently (I travel for work a lot) and I've never had an issue.


This. I let my 16 yr old daughter take ubers as long as she's with at least one friend. I see that for the most part, most parents in her circle of friends have the same rule. The boys are different. They're allowed to go alone.
Anonymous
Post 06/05/2025 01:28     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
13/14 but I don’t think they’ve ever needed to take one alone.
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2025 22:03     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My girls started at 13 and are now 18 and 21 and it's been fine.
But I grew up in NYC taking cabs at a young age and that was way more dangerous. At least with Ubers the driver's name, car and route are known.



I also grew up in NYC taking the subway and cabs alone since I was 10. And I will never let my girls take an Uber. Get outta here, “more dangerous.”


Why is that?
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2025 22:02     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:You’re cool with some random man knowing where your young daughter lives? Honestly what are parents even bothering to do for their kids anymore or is it all outsourced?


There are a lot of "random man' that know where your kid lives. Anyone who works at their school. Bus drivers. Mailman. Amazon drivers. Any parents of teammates. Probably any parents of classmates.

Knowing where your daughter lives is not a well guarded secret.

Why would that concern you so much?
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2025 21:41     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:My girls started at 13 and are now 18 and 21 and it's been fine.
But I grew up in NYC taking cabs at a young age and that was way more dangerous. At least with Ubers the driver's name, car and route are known.



I also grew up in NYC taking the subway and cabs alone since I was 10. And I will never let my girls take an Uber. Get outta here, “more dangerous.”
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2025 21:38     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:Agree with DH.


+1. My DH thinks it’s fine. I say absolutely never.
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2025 19:50     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why are you asking about ubers and not taxi's?


Yeah, it's OT but I hate how "uber" has totally replace for-hire rides of all kinds. I've seen people standing on a corner watching taxi after taxi go by while waiting for their hailed ride. Seems so dumb. But then I live in the city; I guess if I were going home to Fairfax or something I might think I deserve to ride in a new Corolla over a banged-up old Crown Vic.


Because in Montgomery county caps are very rare!
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2025 19:49     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Does it matter if they are girls or boys? My husband does not want our daughters to take an Uber ever. He even gets nervous when I do it solo. He makes me text him the uber info before I get in.

I think given how busy life is our kids (girls and boys) will need to eventually take Ubers as teens. Obviously not young young kids but by 13 I would be fine with it.

Never. For either gender. Suck it up until they are old enough to drive themselves. Use the money you would've wasted on uber to buy a used car for them.


Not every kid learns to drive ( mine because of a medical reason) I can not drive my college age kid everywhere so they uber. ( woman) Never been a problem
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2025 19:48     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:Agree with DH.

+1
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2025 19:48     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
I monitor the full Uber Teen ride from my phone real time. I call my DC once she gets in the car, and tell her to turn on the speaker phone function. I then tell her to not hang up just keep the speaker on so I know when you are arriving, so the driver hears that conversation.
Anonymous
Post 06/04/2025 19:47     Subject: What age will you let your kids take Ubers?
Anonymous wrote:You’re cool with some random man knowing where your young daughter lives? Honestly what are parents even bothering to do for their kids anymore or is it all outsourced?


Yes because if you let your teen take an uber 1-2 times a year you add “outsourcing” parenthood.