The epidemic of UberX/Lyft usage in our cities has led to the unfortunate trend of people jumping into the backseat of any idling vehicle that they think should be their ride home. Check the make and model, people.

As Valleywag reports, Uber's growing popularity in New York, and the general aggressiveness of the populace there, has helped fuel the trend, though it's happening all over. Best line from one SUV-owner (the GPS on his dash seems to encourage the mistake): "Are you Uber? Well can you just be, can we go?"

And, yes, it's just one of the many little etiquette issues that have arisen out of the popularity of ride-sharing.

Uber and Lyft have already inspired a number of real world idiosyncrasies beyond a seamless spending habit. Drunk riders do-si-do between cars outside a bar until they stumble into the one that matches their app. Customers pretend they're doing important business on their phone before sheepishly sliding into an e-hailed carriage. My personal contribution is bouncing from street corner to street corner like a pinball, staring at the little car avatar on my screen to predict where it will stop.

Everyone ought to know this by now, but you should go up to the passenger's side window of the car approaching and confirm that this is the car you hailed before hopping in.

Also, if you're not a privacy freak, uploading a photo to Uber will help drivers recognize you. And this is for you all you Prius-drivers out there: You might want to consider sticking a "NOT UBER" sign on your dash.

Below, some of the Twitter evidence of this (potentially dangerous) new phenom.

[Valleywag]

Previously: Uber Charged People $300 to $500 To Get Out Of Outside Lands Mess
Could Uber Be Bigger Than Facebook Someday?