So when your Uber ride shows up do you get in the front seat like a friend or in the back seat like a customer?
Backseat just like in a taxi.
Son in LA uses Uber, Lyft and (to a lesser extent) Sidecar all the time. DH & I’ve used Uber about a half dozen times mostly taking advantage of the first time & referral freebies with friends. Always prompt, clean & polite… unlike the taxis here!
As for the insurance, I think it’s more of an issue for the drivers of the lower end “UberX” than the customers.
https://support.uber.com/hc/en-us/articles/202347808-In-the-US-what-insurance-is-available-if-there-s-an-accident-
My kids use it. D2 was in London going to an airport, the driver got a bit lost, so D2 promptly told him that he wasn’t to charge her for extra time.
My kids use it in N. Va and D.C. a lot especially if they want to indulge and not drive. They love it. Note: they are grown men, not really “kids”. LOL.
That was my thought when the car pulled up - front or back seat?! I opened the back door and said, “I don’t know what is appropriate- is it ok if I sit in the back?” - my driver said, “it’s really your choice - back is fine!”. So that’s what I did. 
Do think it’s true that it is a plus that many times people are uber-ing with another person - so not alone.
What do cabs charge per mile? My Uber receipt shows that I was charged $1.20/mile - so my 13+ mile trip came to about $18. There was a $1 “safe rides fee”:
What Is The Safe Rides Fee?
From the beginning, we’ve always been committed to connecting you with the safest rides on the road.The Safe Rides Fee is a fee added to uberX fares on behalf of drivers (who may pay this fee to Uber) in cities with uberX ridesharing. This Safe Rides Fee supports continued efforts to ensure the safest possible platform for Uber riders and drivers, including a Federal, state, and local background check process, regular motor vehicle checks, driver safety education, development of safety features in the app, and more. For complete pricing transparency, you’ll see this as a separate line item on every uberX receipt.
In the U.S., the Safe Rides Fee is always $1 USD. In Canada, it is $1 CAD.
We use Uber a lot. It’s usually considerably less expensive for a ride to the airport than a taxi. My kids are big uber fans as well. You do have to make sure not to use Uber at crazy times like in the middle of a snowstorm, when the prices can rocket. Of course you have to option not to accept an offer.
Funny! That’s exactly when one of my friends used them. She was in Boston, waiting for the subway to get to the airport, realizing that the subway wasn’t working. She headed up to the street and saw someone getting out of a car. She approached the car and asked how much they wanted to take her a a few miles. It was a lot, but well worth it to her, so she could make her flight.
I’m a little leery, both from a safety and and an insurance standpoint.
My 15yo D uses it in Boston. Usually she takes the T but occasionally needs to get somewhere quickly to or from school or a friends house and does Uber. I like the fact that she never has to worry about having money to pay for the fare, i can see where she is and where she is going, and I know who her driver is. My neice takes it on the weekends to get home from nightclubs and bars and a friend who travels all over the world uses it almost daily where ever he is (if it is available). Everyone raves about it. The cars are clean, you know how long it will take for the ride to get to you and you know the cost. As Nrdsb4 menationed you do need to be careful about surge pricing.
Uber isn’t offered everywhere and that’s why many of us parents in non-city areas don’t use it. My daughter in DC uses is pretty often. It just started in my one’s sons college town but he walks or uses public buses. We used it when visiting our daughter and it was easy and efficient. She said that because you review the ride and the driver can review you, it keeps everyone on the up and up. I liked how no money changes hands, makes for a much quicker ride.
Walkinghome, I didn’t know that the driver can rate you! I better check my rating!!! 
Looks like this is how you get your score: http://valleywag.gawker.com/whats-your-uber-score-find-out-and-help-us-see-how-ub-1679896144
If I am in a city with Uber…I use it. I have used it all over the US and in Europe with no problems. My S uses it in DC all of the time.
I use Uber often because it is way more convenient than a cab, but I only use the Uber “black car” service, which is about the same price as a cab but has licensed commercial drivers. I wouldn’t use the random-person-on-the-street drivers any more than I would hitchhike (though I hitchhiked constantly as a teenager).
Last time I used a cab I started to get out without paying because I’m so used to the Uber system!
I don’t live in a big city but I do use Uber when I am in a city and cant walk. My nephew referred me so I started Uber with a free ride. I’ve been pleased with the service and didn’t think the fares were out of line with a cab or a car service. I did have a problem one time–I had a new driver (she told us it was her second day). She relied on the GPS and when a road was closed she ran into trouble. We were visutors to the area but even we knew she was on the wrong track. I used my iPhone map to get her on the right track. Our fate was really high–I filed a complaint and described what happened and I got a 60%?refund within 24 hours.
We use Uber sometimes when we travel, and our daughter in DC loves it. Our one stipulation is that she doesnt take the cheap Uber X, it seems it is not covered as well for insurance purposes.