Are Uber –Crooks?

It certainly looks like it.

I ride with Uber from time to time, so I didn't pick it up immediately. But after some months of no Uber, I questioned their R50 debit that had started appearing each month.

Getting help from Uber is not easy: They deliberately have no support phone number. Eventually, I got them to respond by email. It turned out that I was subscribed to Uber One. This is said to give some benefits to regular users.

I asked them to provide proof that I had subscribed. They couldn't.

I told them to cancel the subscription and give me a refund. When it came, the refund was only R50.

They notified me, “Please be advised that we've already refunded your Uber One subscription for the current month. However, your Uber One subscription for the previous months are not in active state [sic]. So we are unable to refund you for those months.”

I replied “If Uber owes me money, which it does, then failing to pay is a criminal offence (theft). Give me the names and ID numbers of your Directors so that I can lay criminal charges.”

They promptly said that they had closed the ticket and could not accept responses.

The R150 that Uber scammed from me is not much. But, considering how many thousands –possibly tens of thousands– they can be doing this to, it can add up to a considerable crime. I would hardly mind if it went to their underpaid drivers, which of course it doesn’t.

Moral: Check your bank account for unauthorised debits from Uber. But, preferably, don't use them. Why support crooks?

Odd Jobs:  Back to top

Santa overworks and underpays his elves: He is a sleigh-driver!

New on the Block, Movers and Shakers  Back to top

• The Collective, outside Sorbet in Benmore Gardens Shopping Centre – Bin to donate old clothes and create jobs. PBO#93005229. They collect, sort and redistribute second-hand clothing to disadvantaged women, who on-sell it - creating sustainable businesses.
• WinWin International, Ground in Riverclub Shopping Centre – Learning And Development: creating impactful blended learning and strategic communication solutions for over 20 years.
• Travel Connections, Shop 04A, Lower Level in Bryanston Shopping Centre – Travel agents. Lloyds agents. Member of the Bidvest Group of Companies, hence able to provide the best fares and rates through the group’s enviable buying power.
• Standard bank ATM, Upper Level in Bryanston Shopping Centre – Open 24 hours.
• Secret Flowers, Lower Level in Bryanston Shopping Centre – Extensive florist and plant shop in the atrium under the south stairs outside Checkers Liquor. They deliver. Flowers, Plants, Balloons, Wedding, Birthday, Valentine, Gift Hampers, Occasions, Corporate Events.
• Mugg & Bean On The Move near Riverclub Shopping Centre – At TotalEnergies Riverclub. Fast food and convenience Store serving the Total Garage forecourt.
• Telkom Bryanston Express, Shop 33, Upper Level in Bryanston Shopping Centre – Cell phones, upgrade, buy airtime, buy data, fibre, home internet.
• Canine & Co, Shop L11, Ground in Cambridge Crossing – Pet food and supplies. Treats, Toys, Pest Control, Grooming, Medicine & Supplements, Collars & Tags, Harnesses, Leads, Beds, Bowls, Pet Doors, Jackets, Leads, Carriers, Containment.
• Sprino Tea, Shop 12, Ground in Cambridge Crossing – Taiwan Bubble Tea in different flavours and yummy Treats: Dessert Tea, Fresh Squeezed Fruit Tea, Tea Latte, Milk, Black Tea, Green tea, special blends, toppings.
• Rain Telecom, Ground in Cambridge Crossing – Unlimited, 5G home wifi + mobile for 2 phones & the101 router free-to-use. Only on rain one.
• Statement Beauty, Ground in Cambridge Crossing – hair and beauty by Pash. Lashes, facials, Undos, weaves, cornrows, extensions, braids, Treatments, make-up, washes, relaxers, nails, permanent make-up..

Little Life Hack #5: Better, Shorter, Time on the Loo!

The Western toilet is a recent invention. For hundreds of thousands of years, our ancestors used to poo in a squatting position. You still find squatting toilets in the East.

Humans defecate best in a squat, due to a muscle in our lower body called the Puborectalis.

With Western toilets, our squat turned into a sit. This only partly loosens the muscle, making it harder to ‘go’.

Publicised in this hilarious video, the Squatty Potty puts your body into a squat on the toilet. This fully loosens the muscle to give you a more natural bowel movement.

This ingenious device is a small footstool. Don't want to buy or make one?  You can get the same effect by bending forward and putting your chest on your thighs. And/or a using pair of bricks under your feet.

Do you have a Life Hack to share?  Please e-mail us.

You Know You're in Africa when...

People give you limp handshakes (as a friend in Polokwane says, "like they are putting a dead rat into your hand").

You see, firm handshakes are an attempt to dominate, hence impolite.

In a Better Place?  Back to top

• Hey Gorgeous in Bryanston Shopping Centre – Beauty products and skin care. Was Upper Level.
• Harvey World Travel - Lloyds Travel, Shop 03A in Bryanston Shopping Centre – Travel agents. Lloyds agents. Was Lower Level.
• Riverclub Sports Massage Therapy in Riverclub Shopping Centre – Moved to Craighall.
• Amaris Nail Boutique in Riverclub Shopping Centre – Nails, waxing, massage. Pensioner Tuesdays 15% off. Wednesday mums & daughters R50 off. Champagne Fridays.
• Casalotti's Pizza Rapido at Total Riverclub in Riverclub Shopping Centre – Pizza (mini, regular, large), pasta, salads, beverages. Delivery. Was on the left of the Total garage, 99 Ballyclare Drive, off Coleraine Drive.
• WorkNViro in Thatchers Corner, Bryanston.
• Sammy Sweet Bakery, Shop 14 in Cambridge Crossing – Milk creamy shakes, deluxe tea, House flavour deluxe coffee, hot and cold beverages, cold drinks.

Thought for the Week:

The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat healthily, and lie about your age.

Festive Presents for you: Automated Excel Spreadsheets:

Software Africa's website has free spreadsheets for you:

• Bank Account Reconciliation,
• Vehicle Fuel Consumption,
• Rainfall, Water and Electricity Meter Readings,
• Quotation System (with Bill of Materials), and
• Toastmasters Speech Contest Certificates
• John Demartini Fast Savings Calculator.

There is Also Good News

What if someone told you that 2023 was the best year ever for global health, conservation and clean energy? And added that many places made incredible progress in economic and social justice?

You wouldn't believe it. Read any annual review and you'll see it's been a year of grief and disaster.

Imagine if you came home with your school report: an assortment of marks, ranging from good to bad. And then imagine if your parents ignored everything except the worst scores. No celebrations of success, no encouragement, just endless finger-pointing about the Fs. That would be abusive, not to mention the worst possible way to motivate you. And yet that's what the global media has been doing to us for the last 12 months.

Future Crunch is trying to set the record straight. This year, they found over 2,000 good-news stories, shared them in a weekly email, and squeezed in a TED talk. This is genuine, world-changing stuff. Millions of lives are improving. There are human rights victories, diseases eliminated, and falling emissions. Vast swathes of our planet are being protected and entire species saved.  Read the summary, "66 Good News Stories You Didn't Hear About in 2023", here.

Overheard at the Checkout

"I see in the news that the Border Management Authority is concerned about its image."

"If they just did their job, wouldn't that clear up any image problems?"