My Experience In South Florida Was Chilling For An Adult. Here’s Why Parents Should Never Let Their Kids Ride Alone… ADT Security Nightmare…Incompetence…
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher | BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — Uber Rapes. Uber Deaths. Uber Amputations. Uber Injuries. We write about criminal activity, accidents, and problems involving UBER all the time. But not until today did I fully understand just how dangerous and incompetent UBER (NYSE: UBER) is as a company. That is until I was stranded on the side of I-95 fearing each approaching semi would by my death.
It should have been a simple ride. Thanks to weather issues, I landed this morning at FLL although my car was left at PBI. I pre-booked UBER to speed up the pickup, and within 15 minutes of landing, I was on my way. That is until I heard a loud thud just after my UBER driver of a Mustang Mach-E got onto I-95 northbound from 595. It seems he hit something which led to a flat tire. He pulled over to the right shoulder for what I thought would be a quick fix, but turned out to be an example of UBER nightmares.
My driver didn’t speak English. That’s only an issue in this story because he had no way to communicate what he was doing — or not doing — to seek assistance. Siri was of little translational help, only at one point making out the words “tow truck.” Within a minute, it was clear to me that the driver was not hitting a magic button that would summon UBER help. In fact, I learned over the next 90 minutes: UBER offers no help and I was on my own.
UBER OUTSOURCES EMERGENCIES TO ADT, WHICH SEEMS INCOMPETENT.
My first attempt for help was hitting the “Uber Safety” button in the Uber app. I assumed that UBER’s safety team was top-notch and would have a replacement vehicle on its way to me in moments. Not the case. I was connected to Claudia in the ADT (NYSE: ADT) “Uber Help Center” in Dallas. Uber has contracted out “safety” to ADT — a company with people who can barely determine whether Bubbie hit “4” too many times on a keypad in her condo or if they need to call out SWAT. Claudia was either incompetent, poorly trained, or following UBER rules that are so incredibly ill-conceived that an attorney will undoubtedly subpoena ADT’s training policies and procedures in an injury or death lawsuit that will be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. As I stood on the side of I-95 with cars and trucks whooshing by, Claudia said she could only call police for help but couldn’t arrange for another vehicle to get me off the side of a major Interstate because “you would have to deal with Uber and I work for ADT and I have no way of taking to them. But I’ll send you a link.”
To put it another way: I could have called 911 or *FHP and it would have been more helpful than getting help from “Uber Help.”
Sign up for the BocaNewsNow.com nightly newsletter and breaking news email alerts. Completely free. Unsubscribe at any time.
Follow us on Google News
Predictably, the link Claudia sent didn’t work. I texted her multiple times to ask for assistance…each response seemed to be created by AI. Claudia ultimately called again to say she had called Florida Highway Patrol and they would eventually show up. She said there was still nothing she could do to get me off of the highway.
“Please ask the police if they can give you a ride,” she said and wrote, above. Seriously. UBER wants police to act as UBER.
UBER’S “RIDE IN PROGRESS” CENTER IS A LIABILITY.
While Claudia’s link did nothing, I found the “ride in progress” help button in the UBER App. After AI-interaction, a phone tree, and several minutes on hold, I ended up with Andrea in an UBER call center. Andrea was also a special sort of problem. In the span of a 35 minute phone call — much of it with me spent on hold — she repeatedly told me that she couldn’t send anyone to take me to a safe location because I wasn’t in a safe location.
UBER WON’T TAKE YOU TO SAFETY IF YOU’RE NOT ALREADY SAFE
Consider that. If you are in an UBER vehicle that has a problem in an unsafe area — like on I-95 — UBER will not do anything to get you off of I-95. You’re on your own. Now consider if it’s your kid — maybe your teenage daughter at night. She has to fend for herself on the side of an Interstate because UBER — which promotes safety — isn’t safe at all. Using UBER’s logic, if someone is being raped and manages to send a message to UBER, UBER won’t do anything until the rape is over and the rapist flees. Because UBER believes it’s unsafe to get involved.
I went in circles with Andrea, at one point asking her if she really thought it made sense to tell a customer standing on the side of I-95 that Uber won’t help because it’s not a safe location. “You just admitted that you know I’m in an unsafe place,” I said to her — assuming the call was being recorded. “If I get killed by a truck while I stand here, do you really want it to come out that I was struck just after UBER admitted to knowing that I’m in an unsafe location and offering no help?”
Andrea told me not to threaten her with statements like that and that I shouldn’t be yelling. I explained it wasn’t a threat and that I wasn’t yelling, I was trying to speak over the sound of traffic on I-95 where I was stranded because of UBER.
After nearly 45 minutes, an exceptionally nice FDOT Road Ranger showed up but immediately identified another problem. Like many EV’s, the driver’s Mach-E had no spare. There was nothing he could do other than wait a few minutes to slow traffic as I executed an ironic backup plan.
LYFT TO THE RESCUE
Thankfully the LYFT app is set up in a way that you can request a driver to meet you on the side of an Interstate. That’s how I ultimately got myself out of this situation and I am thankful to LYFT — and driver Aldo — for the assist. But as thankful as I am for LYFT, I am shocked by this dark side of UBER. No one should ever be put in a position where they are stuck in a dangerous location because of UBER. Uber should not be outsourcing emergency requests to a residential burglar alarm company. If UBER thinks it’s dangerous to rescue a stranded passenger, then UBER should create a “response squad” in each market that is paid “hazard pay” by UBER to keep its customers safe.
We asked UBER for comment. No response was received as of 3:55 p.m. Friday.
I took a Lyft from PBI (as it will always be known) in 2024 and it was broadsided in Boca Raton. I later learned that the Lyft vehicle was uninsured.
Should be interesting what the Uber charge will look like
Only a dumbass calls Uber instead of a licensed taxi company. You get what you pay for.
Had an incident with Uber going to FLL last month. To make a 5am flight, I had a 3am pick up in Delray Beach. The Uber driver spoke no English and had difficulty operating the gate code at my complex.
He then proceeded to ignore the directions on the Uber nav until I screamed at him. He begrudgingly got on 95 and then start driving maniacally, drifting left and right through all lanes.
Around Palmetto he collided sideways with another car. Fairly low impact. He began cursing in Creole and wanted to pull over to assess the damage to his car. On 95. In the dark. I went crazy and insisted he continue to FLL, and he did so but drove 50 the rest of the way, repeating that his car was, “All f’ed up.” It was fine. One of many scratches on an already beat Jeep Compass.
I reported it to Uber safety. They were responsive, refunded my ride, and had their insurance company contact me and annoy me about signing a claim release multiple times per day.
Uber is one bad problem after another. Drivers are horrible and the company is worse. I’m glad you’re okay but you just proved why no one should trust Uber as a company.