The longest Uber trip ever recorded in South Africa spanned between Cape Town and Durban via Bloemfontein. We’re not sure who this dedicated driver was, nor if the passenger knew that aircraft have been a viable form of travel for nearly a century now.
But these long, seemingly unnecessary Uber trips aren’t as rare as you may think. Just ask Kenneth Bachman a resident of New Jersey, USA.
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According to CBS, Bachman last week paid more than US$1600 (R19 000) for an Uber trip from a frat party at West Virginia University back home to the east coast of the country.
Sorry, US$1635.93 to be exact.
And he doesn’t remember ordering the Uber.
“Basically, I kind of just blacked out. The last thing I remember was being at the bar, and then I just woke up in the Uber next to an older dude telling me I was an hour out from Jersey,” Bachman told the outlet.
The trip itself, from Morgantown, WV, to Gloucester County, NJ, is 495km. Google suggests taking a bus would be the most efficient commute if you’re without a car, but even that would be an eight hour trip. It’s also a nice 106 hour walk if you’re not completely hungover.
But to make things even worse, he ordered an UberXL — usually slightly more expensive, more expansive version of the ride hailing service.
Nevertheless, this incident does beg the question: should you install anti-stupid decision apps on your device for these kind of moments? Or should Uber perhaps ask users if they’re serious when ordering road trips?
We’re not sure, but at least Bachman got back home safe and sound, albeit will a much thinner credit card.
