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ghosttruck

Level 57 Taco Wizard
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DUNEDIN, Fla. - A Pinellas County man denies getting sick in a Lyft ride and is now on the hook for a steep cleanup fee.

Mark Castle is speaking out to warn others about a scam some are calling "vomit fraud."

"He took advantage and robbed me," Castle said. "That's what it is."

Castle recently uncovered a $100 fee on his statement following a 30-minute Lyft ride from downtown St. Petersburg to his home in Dunedin.

The driver submitted a picture showing what appears to be a small pile of vomit to Lyft, blaming Castle for the mess.

“It definitely made me feel very taken advantage of," Castle said.

Lyft says it investigated the incident and determined sufficient evidence in issuing a damage fee.

"We take damage disputes such as these very seriously. Lyft’s support team investigates each incident individually and makes a determination based on the evidence available."

While Lyft stands by the driver, the Better Business Bureau warns vomit fraud is on the rise.

 
Shysters are so damn imaginative. I believe that if you're hoping to actually profit, you would have to scam for more than $100. The smell of vomit costs more than $100 to completely kill. We're talking multiple trips to the detailer. Even then, the memory of that smell will linger for years. Decades, perhaps. Hell, it might even transfer to your next vehicle. Just doesn't seem like a profitable scam to me.

(A friend of mine drunk puked on my dashboard many years ago. I may still be a little bitter).
 
In related news.
[....]
Experts say that riding in the back seat of a ride-hailing vehicle is germier than a toilet seat and potentially more dangerous than sitting in front.

As millions of Americans embrace ride-hailing apps – and Uber gets ready to become a publicly traded company – the health and safety risks of back-seat riding are becoming clearer.

According to a study by insurance company Netquote, the average rideshare vehicle has about 219 times as many germs as the average taxi, which is cleaned regularly.

It's nearly three times germier than the average toothbrush holder and more than 35,000 times germier than the average toilet seat.

John Chung's recent Lyft ride probably qualified.

Chung, a Philadelphia-area resident, was visiting Cleveland on a business trip this month when he hopped into the back seat and discovered fingernail clippings and questionable residue.
[....]
The most germs on rideshare vehicles are on the window buttons and seat belts, according to the Netquote study. Door handles aren't as bad, though they're still far worse than door handles in personal vehicles.
[....]

This was not a large enough sample to be considered a valid study, but, still.

 
Uber, Lyft, any public transit for me is a no go.
Too high risk.
Walk, bike or drive.
Even drive friends with no wheels.
 
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