Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve.
Perhaps you’ll make a wise decision and put on a pair of perfectly worn-in sweatpants and lounge in bed with a bottle of champagne all to yourself. Or, you might be out, struggling to get a drink at that $200 open bar because, duh, everyone is trying to get their money’s worth at the exact same time. Your fair-weather party friend who never drinks will ask you to take her home early, which you totally knew would happen because she’s never been able to hang. The sequins will fall off your dress and, on top of all that, good luck getting an Uber home.
In a blog post today, Uber is giving everyone a heads up that tomorrow night is going to be a total shitshow. They are expecting more than 2 million rides in a 24 hour period and yes, surge pricing will be in effect.
They did, however, offer a few tips on how to avoid standing in the cold with your heels in your hand contemplating whether or not the 4x surge charge is worth it.
On New Year’s Eve, everyone is looking for rides at exactly the same times. We expect the highest demand—and fares—between 12:30 and 2:30 AM. For the most affordable rides, request right when the ball drops at midnight or wait until later for prices to return to normal
And here’s a handy chart for those of you who are visual learners:
Uber also explains how to get a fare quote so you don’t wake up shell-shocked by a $120 receipt on a three-mile ride, and suggest splitting the fare with friends (or new friends ifyouknowwhatImean) to mitigate the cost.
So guys, either have your ride planned ahead of time, don’t go anywhere more than six blocks from your home, or prepare to deal with whatever bullshit that will inevitably come from a New Years Eve Uber experience. Chin up, though—because an overpriced Uber still costs less than a DUI or a night spent sleeping in a 24-hour McDonalds.
Image via Getty. H/t via The Telegraph