A woman is going viral on TikTok after calling out another trend she says has taken over her Uber rides this winter. The cars, she argues, are way too hot. Kayla Caputo (@kay_caputo) filmed the video from the back seat of an Uber, bundled in a winter coat as she vented about the cold. She appeared visibly uncomfortable while recording. "Fighting for my life in every Uber this winter bc who actually drives in an 80 degree car???? It’s sick. I’m sick," she wrote in the text overlay of her clip. "I always have to roll down the window. We’re bundled up, please stop with the hot Ubers, it’s an epidemic, and we’re all pukey bc of it." It’s unclear whether Caputo raised the issue with the driver directly. But the post clearly resonated online. As of Saturday, the video racked up more than 560,100 views before being deleted. Why Is My Uber So Hot? There’s no single reason so many Uber rides feel overheated, but a few common factors tend to come up. One of the biggest is cost. Running air conditioning, especially for long stretches in city traffic, can chip away at fuel efficiency or battery range. For drivers trying to maximize earnings, that tradeoff adds up. Some choose to run the A/C lightly or not at all. Driver comfort is part of it, too. The temperature that feels fine up front doesn’t always feel the same in the backseat, especially when passengers are layered up in winter clothes. Some drivers would rather crack the windows than run the A/C, even if riders wish they’d do the reverse. Heavy traffic, frequent stops, and extreme temperatures make it harder for any vehicle to cool down quickly. Heat builds fast, especially with more than one passenger in the car. Mechanical issues can also factor in. After all, not every car’s A/C system is running at full strength, and some drivers may delay repairs if the system still works well enough for them and allows them to keep making money. Uber does require vehicles to have functioning climate control. But how that system gets used can vary from ride to ride. Viewers Agree With Uber Rider’s A/C Complaint Commenters who watched Caputo’s clip said they could relate to the struggle, with some even sharing their own tricks for staying cool during Uber rides. "Bought a personal fan. Game changer," one woman said. "Cause sometimes even rolling the window down doesn’t cut it." "That’s why I always request cool as a preference bc I hate the heat, especially in an enclosed car lol makes me physically sick," another chimed in. Others reassured her that she wasn’t the only one who felt some Uber drivers crank the heat too high. "Omg it’s terrible! I was in an Uber last weekend, and it said 85 [expletive] degrees," one woman recalled. "The entire 30min drive." "I never understand why people have their cars so hot when the standard temp for indoors is 70 degrees?" another wondered. "A hot car = instantly car sick," a third added. Then, some viewers defended the toasty temperatures, either because they drive that way themselves or don’t mind when others do. After all, it’s not their own car being critiqued. "Not me always driving around with my heat full blast," one viewer admitted. "I am alwaysss cold though." "I immediately turn my heat up to 90 degrees as soon as I start my car in the winter," another shared. "I need the heat to fully [soak] into me so I can survive the cold when I have to get out." "Buy your own car," a third person quipped. Motor1 has reached out to Caputo via a direct message on TikTok and to Uber through email. We will update this story if either party responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
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