In some countries, it’s common to pretend your Uber driver is a family member to skirt the local airport’s no-rideshare rule.
Some people have had to fully commit to the bit and hug their Uber driver goodbye or promise to let them know when they landed to convince nearby officials of their fake family ties.
In a viral TikTok, a woman who landed in Guadalajara, Mexico, had to do just that.
Belle (@busy.belle) explains that she ordered an Uber to pick her up at the airport, and as her driver made their way to her, they told her to pretend they were related and sit in the car’s front seat.
The latter part is to not further raise suspicions since Uber passengers often sit in the backseat taxi style while people who know each other tend to sit together at the front to chat. The driver went on to explain that there were federal officials and police at the airport, so they wanted to avoid getting in trouble with them.
While some people may have found the request odd and potentially canceled the Uber ride, Belle was chill about it since this wasn’t the first time she’d experienced it.
“They do this in Costa Rica, too. I wonder what other countries they do this in. Like Uber’s not allowed but they can do it if they’re just picking someone up, like a friend,” Belle says.
One commenter explained that some airports do this to encourage people to take one of the airport taxis, but these can be significantly more expensive than a rideshare. Some people prefer rideshares because the app’s GPS tracking and mutual personal information make them feel safer.
The video has over half a million views and over 430 comments as of Tuesday morning.
@busy.belle ♬ original sound – Busy Belle
Turns out many commenters have had similar experiences.
“I had to hug my Uber driver goodbye in Puerto Rico bc the taxi people were watching. He even yelled to let him know when I landed to play the part,” the top comment, with more than 5,000 likes, read.
“Same in Ecuador! My Uber got pulled over the other day and he told me to tell the cop we were friends,” a person shared.
Others were curious how drivers who do multiple airport pickups don’t get caught.
“You think eventually the other taxi drivers would be like ‘mannn this guys got a LOT of family, this is his 6th relative today!’ Haha,” a viewer said.
Other viewers recalled that many airports had rules like this in the United States when rideshare apps first boomed in popularity. At least 10 of the 40 largest U.S. airports didn’t allow rideshares.
The Daily Dot reached out to Belle for comment via TikTok direct message and to Uber via email.