Is Pooling About To Replace Dating Apps?

The taxi-network firm Uber has launched a new car-pooling system, letting strangers share group ride - and it’s fast being hailed as the latest dating fad.

UberPool allows passengers heading in the same direction to save on the standard taxi fare by jumping in with one another. Yes it might take slightly longer to get where you want to go, but it’s much cheaper and there are some other surprising benefits apparently, like LOVE!

It’s only a matter of weeks since it launched but it’s already been hailed ‘Tinder for passengers’ – well we don’t know about that and if in fact we’d want that label but with numerous strangers connecting in the back it might explain the service’s burgeoning popularity!

One driver who calls himself ‘Uber Cupid’ said, ‘Men and women – they can meet in my taxi and who knows what might happen? Two nights ago, I had
 two drop-offs that, in the space of the 20-minute drive, became just one...’

This all sounds very romantic-ish. The concept of a beautiful man or woman arriving, a clean car, you’re chatting and the time flies. Why wouldn’t you continue to get to know one another over a drink? And if that beautiful man or woman happens to not be so great you can always get out - so the possibilities seem very exciting.

Uber have been careful to highlight their ‘safety first’ message. Ahead of the launch, the company set up a safety checklist that pops up when you open the app. It allows you to track your car’s arrival, confirm the driver’s ID, then share your ETA’ with a friend. It even allows them to track your progress on a live map.

Drivers have also had their concerns writing to Uber to request that drivers be allowed to opt
out of the service if they’d prefer.

It’s hard to focus on potential issues here, so will you be giving it a go? Either way, it’s definitely better than a night bus.

Staying safe... Kristiana Wrixon, from charity the Suzy LamplughTrust, advises, ‘All ride-sharing apps involve safety concerns. A stranger could potentially learn things about you – where you live, whether you live alone. If you use them, try to buddy up with a friend and tell them when you’re leaving, where you’re going, what time you’ll arrive and ask them to check in with you at the other end.’

Stay safe out there Flirtify x