Uber drivers are getting creative in asking for tips, and passengers don't know how to respond

A big change has recently come to Uber: tips for drivers.

After a legal settlement in April over certain labor practices,Uber drivers now have the freedom to solicit tips from passengers. (While the company has never strictly prohibited tipping, the company has now made it clear that tips are OK).

Of course, there's no way to tip a driver from within the Uber app. So tip jars and signs are starting to pop up in Uber rides. In some case, they can be pretty creative:

The Gothamist reported that the Independent Drivers Guild, an association of NYC Uber drivers, which Uber agreed to acknowledge as legitimate in May, is pushing to make tipping an option in-app.

If Twitter is any indication though, some riders still don't realize that gratuities are not included in the price of their Uber.

And many seem confused by the tipping jars now surfacing on their rides.

Others have simply ridiculed or seem upset by the notion of tipping their Uber driver.

Worrisomely, if enough customers find the tip jars or signs soliticting gratuity too intrusive, they could give their drivers lower ratings. For drivers, that's especially cause for concern. If their rating dips to 4.6 or lower, they may be singled out for additional training or be removed from the platform entirely.

Some riders even offer that they would rather have the option to tip in-app, calling the makeshift tip jars awkward.

For a company that prides itslef on offering an experience that's "hassle-free", Uber's separate cash tipping system is not ideal.

For now, riders and drivers who would rather give and receive tips in-app can turn to Uber's competitor, Lyft.