Night vs Daytime Driving - Which is Better? Part 3
Welcome to the final part of our 3-part series! Last week in Part 2, we discussed everything about tips: what causes passengers to tip, what to keep in your car to get those tips, and when to drive to maximize your tip income. We also covered how daily scheduling can be a benefit of daytime driving. If you missed it, check out the full article here. This week, we’re going to cover ratings and enjoyment. Read on to see how day and night drives affect them!
Which one helps your ratings go up?
Uber claims that you will receive better ratings at night, but many drivers’ experiences tell a different story. Nighttime rides can tank your ratings if the passengers are drunk and unruly. You could do everything right and they still might give you a low rating if something irrational sets them off. Many times, it could be their fault: they might drop their pin in the wrong place, and then blame it on you when you’re in the wrong spot. Daytime rides, on the other hand, tend to go more smoothly, which results in higher ratings.
Chances are you’re going to do some night driving, which means you should be aware of what to do—and what not to do—to maintain your ratings.
Things that Help Ratings:
Use your GPS, even if you already know the route.
This shows passengers that you’re taking the most direct route.
Keep your phone mounted.
Your passenger will feel unsafe if you’re holding it.
Don’t talk their ear off.
Match your passenger’s energy; one-word responses mean they don’t want to talk. Don’t try to tell them your life story. Ask how their day is going, and let them dictate the conversation from there.
If possible, text passengers instead of calling them.
Most passengers are younger and prefer to text. If you are driving and need to call rather than text, it’s okay. Try to only call them once. Multiple phone calls will make the passenger feel pestered and it will lead to low ratings.
Keep your car clean (especially windows) and maintained.
This is straightforward. Passengers like to ride in clean cars. Good thing Animo has you covered here! We clean our cars for you.
Don’t smoke in your car.
Most passengers hate the smell. And don’t use an overpowering air freshener to mask the smell either, because it could make passengers lightheaded. This is all in addition to the $100 Animo fee that’s imposed.
Balance day driving with night driving.
This will balance out your ratings and prevent you from only taking drunk passengers who are more prone to giving you a bad rating.
Things that Decrease Ratings:
Arguing with the passenger or complaining about their behavior.
Even if you are sure you are in the right, don’t get into it with the passenger. If you do argue with them, expect a one-star rating.
Taking an inefficient route.
Passengers could feel scammed if you don’t take the fastest route.
Unsafe driving.
If you are making sudden lane changes, running stop signs, speeding, driving aggressively, or doing anything of the sort, expect one star. Passengers don’t want to feel unsafe.
Talking too much.
If your passenger is giving off vibes that they don’t want to talk, then respect their wishes. No one likes to be drowned in unwanted conversation.
Which is more enjoyable?
What puts a person in a better mood: driving to work or driving to a bar? Most drivers agree that at night, passengers are more relaxed and in a good mood. As a result, you’ll be in a good mood too.
During the day, people tend to be more stressed out and pressed for time, so it’s doubtful they’ll take time to strike up a conversation with you or be polite. This doesn’t mean that you’ll encounter monsters during the day. You just might not find your rides as interesting and engaging. On the other hand, you should consider the likelihood of transporting a rowdy, drunk passenger; if you want to avoid this type, day driving is the best way to do that.
The bottom line: nighttime driving is more enjoyable because passengers tend to be in a better mood, but day driving has its perks too—in the form of no drunk passengers.
Which is safest?
With visibility low and drivers drunk, it’s no question that night driving is more dangerous. Statistics back this up too: accidents occur at night three times more frequently than they do during the day. While only a quarter of driving is done at night, over half of all driving deaths occur at this time. Your average low beam headlights light up the road 160-250 feet in front of you, while high beams light up 350-500 feet. A car traveling 60 mph takes over 200 feet to stop; even with your high beams on, there is little room for error.
All this is not meant to scare you away from night driving. Instead, it’s meant to caution you and inform you of the facts. If you’re going to be driving at night, here are some tips to follow that will make nighttime driving safer.
Dirty windows can cause glaring. Clean your windows inside and out once a week (Thanks Animo to taking care of this!)
Clean your headlights, taillights, and signal lights once a week (Thanks Animo to taking care of this!). Additionally, adjust your headlights to properly aim at the road. If they aren’t correctly aimed, this can cause problems for you and for other drivers.
Turn on your headlights when the sun is starting to set. This helps other drivers see you.
Increase the distance between you and the car in front of you.
Drive more slowly; it is harder to gauge the speed and distance of other cars at night.
Don’t have your high beams on when other cars are in front of you or passing you in the opposite direction. Your high beams will hinder their view of the road.
If an oncoming vehicle has their high beams on, look down at the right edge of the road to help guide your steering.
If you are tired, stop driving. If you need to get to a certain destination, eat a snack, drink water/coffee/tea, or turn on loud music to keep you alert until you get there. Tip: always keep a drink or a snack in your car for times like this.
Don’t drive drunk. Even one drink affects you.
Don’t smoke and drive. Cigarettes weaken night vision.
Conclusion
Where night driving wins:
More money
More tips
More enjoyable
Where day driving wins:
Safer
Easier to make a daily schedule
Better ratings
While each has its own merits, we think night driving will ultimately get you more bang for the buck. People tend to tip you more, and you won’t get caught in traffic as frequently, allowing you to rack up the miles and the pay. Not to mention the great surge pricings that occur at the late hours.
But don’t forget about day driving: it has its advantages too. If you’re looking to boost your ratings, the smooth daytime rides will help you get those coveted five stars. Plus, UberPool and LyftLine will propel your ride count to the bonus quotas.
Day or night, you can’t go wrong. Make an Animo reservation now and start earning!
