Uber drivers can game the app and play chicken with riders to receive the cancellation fee, but the company says fraudulent activity like this is rare.

I suspect my partner and I played chicken on two occasions while visiting Melbourne earlier this month.

Uber has community guidelines which prohibit gaming the app. Credit:Fairfax Media

On the first occasion the driver drove past us and continued driving through the Melbourne CBD. The driver told us he would drive past again but parked up the street.

When we began walking up to the car he cancelled the ride. My partner was charged $10, which has since been refunded.