Countless drivers in Virginia were faced with the inconvenience of massive overnight shutdowns on the highway due to winter weather earlier this week but one Uber passenger was faced with more than just a bit of frustration when he was slapped with a $600 bill after finally arriving home.
Andrew Peters of Richmond, Virginia, told WTOP that he "didn't really realize" how bad the situation was when he flew in from San Francisco on Monday night and caught an Uber from Dulles International Airport. Peters was stuck on the interstate for nine hours. When he arrived home he paid a $200 Uber bill, but then discovered the ride-sharing service had added $400 in additional charges.
Uber's website states that "heavy traffic may cause your trip to take longer than expected and to compensate your driver for the additional time, your fare may change" but Peters disputed the charge, prompting Uber to refund him on Wednesday.
"They were sorry to hear that I had ... so many problems with the app, and with the override, and with the highway and that they would love to issue me a full refund," Peters told WTOP.
In a statement, Uber Public Policy Manager Michelle Blackwell said that Uber had refunded Peters $600 "after this terrible ordeal and are so glad that he and his Uber driver got home safely."
Peters was willing to pay the original $200 base fee and the tip. As of Wednesday, $200 has been credited to his account, and Peters said Uber told him the $400 charge will be refunded in a few days, WTOP noted.
Peters was one of many drivers who found themselves agitated by the snowstorm shutdown of I-95. Highway closures on both directions due to multiple crashes caused by the winter weather led to extreme delays. Some people were stuck in standstill traffic for over 15 hours and were forced to spend the night in their cars.
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