Imagine it’s Friday night, you’re out with your friends, and you have all been drinking- assuming you’re all 21. You decide to make the smart decision to call Uber instead of getting behind the wheel. Smart decision, but there are a few cons along with the pros.

Uber, if you didn’t know already, is a company where people can sign up to be drivers and pick up people in their own cars. It is through an application on your smartphone and you can pay with your credit or debit card on there.

Uber is very popular and most people have positive experiences but some aren’t as lucky. In December 2014, a Boston woman says she was kidnapped and raped by an Uber driver named Alejandro Drone. Some people, such as myself, don’t trust Ubers because of this. Thankfully, I never needed to use one. Since that case, Drone has been linked to five more rape cases dating back to 2006.

This company is very convenient, especially for people who live in a big city, but maybe they should be more cautious about who they hire.

I have also heard a few stories on YouTube where people claim they have been scammed by Uber drivers. The driver would take longer routes on purpose to raise the charge of the ride. There are such things are surge pricing or primetime pricing, which means it may cost more during the times when more Ubers are requested. That doesn’t mean going the longest route or driving around the customer’s destination to raise the price.

Now, I can’t say that it only happens with Uber because taxis try that too. Recently, while I was in New York, we had to catch a cab and our destination was not far at all. I’m sure the driver knew this because while driving on the highway, he would randomly drive extremely slow or even come to complete stops. Other than being annoyed that he kept slamming on the brakes, I realized how fast the meter would keep going.

Either way, this story is about Uber and I don’t want to bash the company so let’s talk about some of their positives.

Uber can be a reliable solution of trying to get somewhere when you don’t feel like driving or when you just don’t have a car. Instead of having to hail down a car and fight with someone else to get it, you can request an Uber just for you and it’ll come pick you up. They also have cheaper options such as UberPool where you can split the cost with someone else.

Another positive, you don’t have to worry about carrying cash. Ubers are paid through the app with a debit or credit card. Instead of fumbling around in your wallet at the end of the ride, you just get out of the car and go on about your day.

Many customers say that Ubers are much cleaner than taxis. Customers enjoy that they are clean, comfortable and they can play their own music. Uber drivers often carry auxiliary cords where customers can plug in their own music and listen to it.

Uber is a company that I can see lasting for a very long time, if they do a better job on screening their drivers and offer more training. One day, it could become the first option in most people's minds in terms of how to get where they’re going. Society could end up having Uber ranked higher than taxis.