Surge pricing refers to the method Uber uses to adjust prices during times of high demand. If there are more people in a certain area requesting Uber rides than there are available Uber drivers, Uber will increase the prices of rides for that area. They do this with what's called the “surge multiplier.” Essentially, they take the price of the ride and multiply it by a number. This could be as low as 1.25 or even as high as 4 (not unheard of during very busy nights like New Year’s Eve). While surge pricing can be annoying, the whole point of it is to balance the demand for rides with the supply of drivers. When the price goes up, some riders will choose to wait, which brings prices back down. Additionally, drivers will flock to the surge area from other parts of the city, which will also help to bring the price back down. If you encounter a surge, your best bet is to either wait until things have calmed down or just walk a few blocks to get away from where the surge is happening.