---
title: "Drunk UK Student Accidentally Takes a $1,700 Uber Trip"
description: "After five hours of driving, the driver generously decided not to charge him."
date: "2020-03-06"
modified: "2020-03-06"
authors:
  - name: "Chris Tsui"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/chris-tsui"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/32487/drunk-uk-student-accidentally-takes-a-1700-uber-trip"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "News"
---

# Drunk UK Student Accidentally Takes a $1,700 Uber Trip

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2020/03/GettyImages-1201955861.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

As [problematic](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/24493/study-links-uber-and-lyft-to-increase-in-u-s-traffic-deaths>) as the [rideshare business](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/30028/californias-new-gig-economy-law-forces-uber-to-grow-up>) can sometimes be, one undisputed benefit of apps like Uber and Lyft is that they provide another alternative to [drunk driving](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/30486/new-bill-could-force-automakers-to-install-in-car-breathalyzers-to-prevent-drunk-driving>). While Ubering-while-drunk is undoubtedly safer than getting behind the wheel after a night of alcohol, it isn't entirely risk- or consequence-free, as one U.K. university student recently learned first-hand.

And if you're expecting some faith-in-humanity-busting story about a greedy driver taking advantage of an inebriated passenger, put your pitchforks down because this is the complete opposite of that.

According to [*Fox News*](<https://www.foxnews.com/auto/drunk-uber-1700-ride>), an anonymous engineering student at Newcastle University going by "James" ordered an Uber home after a night of drinking. Unfortunately, "James" accidentally entered an address in Norwich as his destination. For those unfamiliar with British geography, Newcastle to Norwich is a five-hour, 250-mile drive. After sleeping through most of the trip, the student awoke 250 miles away from home and faced with a bill for the British equivalent of $1,700—enough money for an [airline ticket](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/27804/airplane-passenger-with-horrific-pus-oozing-leg-wound-is-what-travel-nightmares-are-made-of>) to the other side of the world [(or farther, these days, thanks to coronavirus)](<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/04/airlines-slash-international-fares-in-bid-to-beat-coronavirus-downturn>).

![message-editor%2F1583510295361-newcastletonorwich.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1583510295361-newcastletonorwich.jpg>)
**Google Maps**

"When I woke up, I literally thought it was a dream," he said. "Surely I hadn't done this."

In a stroke of unparalleled customer service, however, the driver generously decided not to charge James when he realized what had happened. Deservedly so, the future engineer gave the [Uber](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/29166/alleged-uber-drivers-steering-wheel-oddly-falls-off-land-rover-while-passenger-records>) driver five stars and promptly took a train back home where he was reportedly later fined for not having a ticket. He also apparently missed his classes the next day although the report does not explicitly specify whether this was because of the whole Norwich debacle or...other reasons. Don't worry, James. I hated algebra too.

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## Author
Chris Tsui is *The Drive*'s former Reviews Editor and current freelance automotive journalist. He's based in Toronto.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/cltsuii/>)