Uber cool!

[TAE]

Do you Uber? I sure do and I've done it in multiple cities and countries...frickin coool!

That said I tried to use it when I was in Italy and it was a no go...the locals in Venice had outlawed it....

I mean it frickin rocks for me getting to LAX...and whe I was in Czech where a lot of peeps don't speak English...the dude picked me up at the airport and took me directly to my hotel without having to speak a word of English....sweet.

So anyway...

I guess Uber has been a little sneaky working around dumb ass cities and countries that don't want to let em in because it effects the local Taxi drivers .....making them have to be competitive n all...the horror!

They've been using a software jack to mess with the authorities trying to mess with them when they are in an area they are not wanted in...It's called Greyball Pretty damn clever move in the chess game of let me in...no...no in for you game...Here's a link to the story

 

[mjbphotos]

Uber drivers get arrested in Cancun, too.

 

[andrushkiwt]

.....making them have to be competitive n all...the horror!

I don't Uber. But this is the rationale I don't understand... why do they fear being competitive? Seems healthy n all. Maybe I'm missing something

 

[Pinky]

why do they fear being competitive?

No business (in this thread, the taxi company) wants competition, this way they set the price and dictate the terms (ie - provide crappy service at whatever the asking price). Look up "monopoly" or "corporate trust".

 

[TAE]

No business (in this thread, the taxi company) wants competition, this way they set the price and dictate the terms (ie - provide crappy service at whatever the asking price). Look up "monopoly" or "corporate trust".

Exactly! Uber be making em honest and that's no fun when you're taking it in hand over fist...

 

[Bobbsy]

They keep sending me Facebook messages suggesting I become a driver.

It's a bit like the old Groucho Marx quote about not wanting to join a club that would have him as a member, I'm not sure I'd want a ride with a company that would hire me to drive!

 

[Pinky]

They keep sending me Facebook messages suggesting I become a driver.

It's a bit like the old Groucho Marx quote about not wanting to join a club that would have him as a member, I'm not sure I'd want a ride with a company that would hire me to drive!

I would be horrible at being a taxi driver.

ME: "Where to?"

THEM: "1332 Street Ave"

THEM: "I have to drop something off."

ME: "Yeah I don't give a fuck where you're going other than I need to get you there."

[silence]

ME: "You like Pink Floyd?"

[blasts Animals]

 

[andrushkiwt]

No business (in this thread, the taxi company) wants competition, this way they set the price and dictate the terms (ie - provide crappy service at whatever the asking price). Look up "monopoly" or "corporate trust".

obviously, Pinky. lol. I'll try to not be offended by that.

I'm saying, though, that they've taken it to the court level - whatever the national taxi organization, or what have you, is called. There is competition between yellow cab and green, and whoever else, so why against Uber? I'm assuming because they aren't certified drivers? I don't see a basis for their argument in court, is my whole point.

Let me rephrase that: I don't see what their argument would be.

 

[Pinky]

obviously, Pinky. lol. I'll try to not be offended by that.

I'm saying, though, that they've taken it to the court level - whatever the national taxi organization, or what have you, is called. There is competition between yellow cab and green, and whoever else, so why against Uber? I'm assuming because they aren't certified drivers? I don't see a basis for their argument in court, is my whole point.

Let me rephrase that: I don't see what their argument would be.

You can be offended. I really didn't know if you knew what a business's ulterior motives were based on the scant info you posted.

Their (only) argument is likely that it's "unfair". Meaning, they're dinosaurs in a quickly evolving world. Before smartphones, you would need radios and a dispatcher, and/or phones like those offered by Sprint and Nextel that act like walkie talkies. Coordination and insurance were the main service being offered by the taxi companies. Now it's automated and lower overhead means the cost goes down. Licensing to act as a cab driver isn't complicated. They just need a driver's license, and the business acting as the taxi service has to be registered (state or city, I forget). So the legal action is not based on some special skill or need taxi companies serve that is being undercut in a negative way by alternatives.

Airbnb gets a lot of push back as well. If there's an existing industry you best believe they won't go down without a fight when the new kid arrives in town. Since they're likely going to fade off into the sunset, taking legal action is their only last ditch, dying gasp recourse. In Upstate NY there's a taxi lobby actively working to keep Uber out. The grounds for their efforts are rooted entirely in the "it will run us out of business" argument. They'll be the first to say capitalism and free market are great/best while they're on top, then when capitalism hands them their coat they're the first to ask government to step in.

 

[andrushkiwt]

Since they're likely going to fade off into the sunset, taking legal action is their only last ditch, dying gasp recourse.

There we go. So, you believe the organized taxi services are on their way out? Don't they provide reliability and a sense of professionalism/quality? Yeah, yeah, insert joke here. But, really, I'd rather get a ride from a certified (not just driver's license) co. where the drive is his profession rather than the guy who is trying to make a couple bucks in between Call of Duty and the bar.

Nothing against COD - I was an avid player up until this here music site

 

[Pinky]

There we go. So, you believe the organized taxi services are on their way out? Don't they provide reliability and a sense of professionalism/quality? Yeah, yeah, insert joke here. But, really, I'd rather get a ride from a certified (not just driver's license) co. where the drive is his profession rather than the guy who is trying to make a couple bucks in between Call of Duty and the bar.

Nothing against COD - I was an avid player up until this here music site

Progress doesn't always go the way we all want.

 

[TAE]

There we go. So, you believe the organized taxi services are on their way out? Don't they provide reliability and a sense of professionalism/quality? Yeah, yeah, insert joke here. But, really, I'd rather get a ride from a certified (not just driver's license) co. where the drive is his profession rather than the guy who is trying to make a couple bucks in between Call of Duty and the bar.

Nothing against COD - I was an avid player up until this here music site

That's just because you don't know what you don't know.....It's not just that they are less expensive ( generally ) The ease and convenience of Uber world wide is far superior to a system that was developed before there was Television. No money changes hands, it's done online seamlessly , you don't need to tell the driver where you are going, he knows before he chooses to pick you up or not ( really helpful when you are in a country where you don't speak the language) It offers way more options as to who and what you get driven and prices them out in seconds... It's a no brainer waaaaay better system and service.

 

[Bobbsy]

Around my city, you get to be a cab driver by paying money to the local authority for a licence then getting a job with one of the two companies that owns the cars (and also pays for a licence to operate). There is little or no checking or training of driver and the licences are just a form of taxation. If I was a taxi driver here, I'd quit and use my own car for Uber.

However, for argument's sake, I have a LOT more sympathy for the drivers of black cab in London. To be allowed to drive one of those you first have to pass "the knowledge" which means learning the map of London in such detail that you're lucky to finish training in 2 years. They get no pay while they memorise every little street in the huge city (about 40x40 miles).

After that, you can only use the special London taxi which has to be one of the most comfortable vehicles to ride in.

What this means is that you're guaranteed to get a driver who knows exactly where to go and ride in a car that's guaranteed to have more leg space than anyone would ever need. You can also flag them down in the street--and, except at peak hours like pub closing--you usually see one within minutes.

For these reasons I have sympathy with the London cabbies objecting to Uber. They've put a lot of effort into becoming drivers and deliver a lot of bonuses to customers.

 

[Cheesehead1]

I've only used Uber once, but it totally kicked ass. The ride was there in no time at all. I would use it more, but when my son is home from college he is my taxi driver.

 

[andrushkiwt]

The ride was there in no time at all.

Surely that's something a normal cab can accomplish. There's nothing proprietary about being timely.

 

[andrushkiwt]

However, for argument's sake, I have a LOT more sympathy for the drivers of black cab in London. To be allowed to drive one of those you first have to pass "the knowledge" which means learning the map of London in such detail that you're lucky to finish training in 2 years. They get no pay while they memorise every little street in the huge city (about 40x40 miles).

Exactly my point. The big city cab drivers have more knowledge and a reputation for quality service.

 

[andrushkiwt]

No money changes hands, it's done online seamlessly , you don't need to tell the driver where you are going, he knows before he chooses to pick you up or not ( really helpful when you are in a country where you don't speak the language) .

This is something the cab market can surely adapt. If they are smart, they're working on this now. Again, nothing proprietary here.

My point is that having these individuals screened and passing some sort of exam is more likely to assure a safe, quick, quality ride. How you pay, etc, can be implemented; those features are years behind, I agree.

 

[Cheesehead1]

Surely that's something a normal cab can accomplish. There's nothing proprietary about being timely.

But for some reason where I live the cab companies can't. Unless you're at the airport or downtown they don't seem too motivated.

 

[Pinky]

Surely that's something a normal cab can accomplish. There's nothing proprietary about being timely.

It's all about numbers. There will be two, three, fifty times more Uber drivers available in a given area than the cab companies can staff. This is because there's a network of potential Uber drivers available. The Uber driver sees a nearby request come in (phone alerts you when a request within a certain distance from you comes in), then if they're free they select it and go pick the person up. The Uber driver can be home watching TV and the ride could be a block away.

It sounds like you should look up some info on Uber, as you don't seem to understand how it actually operates [this would also address some of your other points].

 

[andrushkiwt]

The Uber driver can be home watching TV and the ride could be a block away.

you don't seem to understand how it actually operates

... rather than the guy who is trying to make a couple bucks in between Call of Duty and the bar.

Nope, seems like I got it down pretty good. Replace C.O.D. with TV, however, and we're on the same page. thanks

Sheer volume of drivers wasn't a point anyone brought up until your last post. That's a new and separate argument. So, then, the issue is quality vs quantity. Would you rather have a ton of potentially terrible drivers with no experience or a smaller pool of highly knowledgeable folk? I'll take quality.