Ah, New Years Eve. The ol’ NYE. That brilliant time where you drunkenly declare to your mates that you’re gunna “be better” in the new year. You’ll eat healthy. You’ll stop lurking so deep in your crush’s Instagram that you have to get out medical tools to make sure you don’t accidentally like something from two years ago.
STOP IT.
It’s the night where you’re either stuck at an amazing party that you don’t want to end ever, or you’re trying to get home from the fireworks, potentially elbowing a small child while trying to get out of the hoards of people – Christ almighty isn’t it past your bedtime, you minuscule screaming machine all het-up on sugar and sparklers?
Quickly cast your mind back to the very first hours of 2016, and that one person that dropped like $300 on an Uber home in Perth.
Sorry folks, but that’s absolutely going to happen again. Specifically between 12am and 3am, aka. the crucial hours where you’re between celebrating and smooching a cutie into the new year and about to have a full-blown tantrum in the middle of the city because you just wanna get home to your bed.
This year you can’t do the sneaky trick of booking an UberTaxi and dodging the insane price surges either, because the company has brought in surge pricing on that lesser-known option just in time for the festive season.
A spokesperson for Uber said today that the surge for UberTaxi is there to entice more licensed taxis to get out on the roads with an Uber account, and give users more options on ways to get around during the busy period.
So if you’re straying a while away from your house to ring in the new year, be aware that it might cost you a bit to get back if you can’t grab public transport, or walk home (in a group, pls).
Your best bet is to plan ahead – as much as that sounds like advice your parents would give you.
Figure out if anyone else is headed home your way and split a cab. Walk in a group (and stop past the kebab shop on the way maybe). Check out timetables for buses and trains. Or better yet, just stay home in bed and pretend it’s not happening.
If you are going to use Uber, please for the love of God check and double check how much your ride is gunna cost before you book it.
