Posts: 650
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2011
Reputation:
8
Uber (private taxi service)
06-10-2012, 06:25 PM
Uber = how to live in LA without a car. It makes car services actually usable other than going to the airport.
Posts: 9,980
Threads: 0
Joined: Jul 2009
Reputation:
0
Uber (private taxi service)
06-10-2012, 07:15 PM
I think Tim Ferriss is an angel investor in this.
Posts: 2,261
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2011
Reputation:
29
Uber (private taxi service)
06-10-2012, 07:33 PM
It's great. Can usually get a car on there even when getting a normal car is hard in NYC. Often get escalades or similar comfortable cars.
Only thing that annoys me is I can't see the cost of the ride when booking.
"A flower can not remain in bloom for years, but a garden can be cultivated to bloom throughout seasons and years." - xsplat
Posts: 5,900
Threads: 0
Joined: Jan 2011
Reputation:
183
Uber (private taxi service)
06-10-2012, 09:00 PM
Looks to be about 25% more expensive than Yellow Cab. If you're balling it or got a broad with you I can see using it.
"...so I gave her an STD, and she STILL wanted to bang me."
TEAM NO APPS
TEAM PINK
Posts: 5,900
Threads: 0
Joined: Jan 2011
Reputation:
183
Uber (private taxi service)
06-10-2012, 09:43 PM
I thought cabs were expensive, but that's because I'm a cheapskate.
Still, I haven't had a car for a while. I spend a couple hundred bucks a month on getting around, which is a bargain compared to making car payments, insurance, gas, DMV costs, etc...
"...so I gave her an STD, and she STILL wanted to bang me."
TEAM NO APPS
TEAM PINK
Posts: 6,749
Threads: 0
Joined: Sep 2011
Reputation:
146
Uber (private taxi service)
06-10-2012, 11:12 PM
The fares are not to bad. Way cheaper then traditional hired cars.
This is a smart idea I am kicking myself for not starting it up. I had all these ideas back in the day for car related ventures but felt gas prices would make the business toxic in the long run.
But. In the long run it will be interesting how it pans out. These share services can hit rough patches sometimes as has been seen with the bike programs that started up in spots like DC, London, Toronto. They will eventually have to incorporate something else so its not just to rely on user fees.
Rolling with a crew in a spot like NYC or LA and tryna ball the fuck out this service would be a must.
Posts: 323
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2011
Reputation:
2
Uber (private taxi service)
06-13-2012, 07:01 AM
I don't get it ? Why not just phone up and book a cab, if you want a nice car just phone up what round here we call an executive cab service and get a flashier car. I used a normal min cab company in shoreditch a few weeks ago and it was an S-class Merc.
Posts: 6,695
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2011
Reputation:
146
Uber (private taxi service)
06-13-2012, 06:28 PM
I dated a girl for a few weeks in DC who would only use these. She didn't go into the details, but apparently a few cabbies tried to take advantage of her. This is a big problem in DC with taxis (or so I hear), plus she is the type of girl to get into a cab when she's already way too drunk anyway. Cab was literally there in 2 minutes at my place and all she did was hit a button on her app. She liked the added "security" of knowing who her cab driver was going to be beforehand too.
Vice-Captain - #TeamWaitAndSee
Posts: 5,050
Threads: 0
Joined: May 2011
Reputation:
74
Uber (private taxi service)
07-05-2013, 04:39 AM
I mentioned Uber in my NYC data sheet. It is invaluable when going to/from the airports.
Because they have fixed Rates on these stretches the driver is as interested as you in getting there fast.
During a slow part of the day a taxi driver won't mind getting you stuck in a jam just to see his fare ticking.
Posts: 331
Threads: 0
Joined: Jun 2013
Reputation:
6
Uber (private taxi service)
07-05-2013, 10:10 AM
Uber was my killer closer one night.
I live in Manhattan, she was a Thai girl living in Brooklyn. She texted before the date that she was not coming home with me, which I assessed as a shit test so I just pushed forward.
We met at a bar and the rain started - 'look at that!' level rain. In NYC it is *impossible* to hail a cabin in an even moderate level rainfall.
Towards the end she was puzzling how to get back to Brooklyn, I pull out Uber and (it shows the available cars in your hood driving around on a street grid like a video game). I tell her I am going to take Uber home and she can join me, I will still respect her wishes.
She shit tests again, trys to get me to get one car for her and another for me. I dismiss this and Uber my car. 5 minutes later car pulls up and she is done - she hops in car with me, back to my place.
Her resistance lasts 10 minutes at my apartment, then next morning the rain is gone and she walks to the subway.
Posts: 4,877
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2008
Reputation:
112
Uber (private taxi service)
07-05-2013, 10:36 AM
Sidecar is another player in this area. I had the idea of using Sidecar or Lyft to meet girls, when you have a few hours to kill. These programs encourage the driver to treat the passengers like friends and not their boss.
Posts: 1,447
Threads: 0
Joined: Feb 2012
Reputation:
4
Uber (private taxi service)
07-05-2013, 03:13 PM
well I can develop (pay someone to develop) this program. say you requested a ride on the app. It will show up to all registered drivers. (with location info). who ever tabs it first gets the customer. maybe I will charge 10~20 %.
The problem is, all drivers have to be registered? (private taxi is illegal right?), how about insurance?
Transporting human involves more legal problems...I think I'd rather use this for food delivery.
Posts: 1,151
Threads: 0
Joined: Nov 2011
Reputation:
6
Uber (private taxi service)
07-15-2013, 05:49 PM
I cant see lyft gaining any ground in any Tier 1 city. There's only a small handful here in chicago. I doubt the city or cab drivers know about it but once they do watch out
City going to stop that in a heartbeat and if they dont expect cab drivers to side swipe them all day.
Posts: 2,153
Threads: 0
Joined: Apr 2012
Reputation:
23
Uber (private taxi service)
07-15-2013, 05:52 PM
Same distance comparison of Uber x vs. LA Yellow cab from the other night
Uber X: $18 tip included
Taxi: $19 + $4 tip = $23
taxi driver wanted to scam me by trying to take the freeway assuming I'd do it to "save time" but it was a scam
Posts: 981
Threads: 0
Joined: Mar 2011
Reputation:
17
Uber (private taxi service)
07-15-2013, 06:06 PM
I used this pretty extensively when I went to Boston awhile back and highly recommend it. You can rate drivers right after your trip and the cars are in much better shape than any yellow cab you'll ride in. In my experience the drivers were really quick too.
Posts: 4,074
Threads: 0
Joined: Sep 2010
Reputation:
56
Uber (private taxi service)
07-15-2013, 06:14 PM
Just used it for the first time in DC last week...it's really slick.
Posts: 4,877
Threads: 0
Joined: Aug 2008
Reputation:
112
Uber (private taxi service)
09-22-2014, 10:49 AM
I now recommend NOT using Uber, and using Lyft instead, where available.
Main reason: Uber has 5-10x as many users as Lyft, while many of the drivers drive for both services simultaneously. This leads to Uber having higher wait times, and higher prices because surge pricing happens much more frequently on Uber. Virtually every time I've checked, the Lyft wait is 1-2 minutes while Uber's is five.
Lyft is:
Cheaper (rarer surge pricing)
Faster to arrive
Less shady - there are many instances of Uber engaging in shady behavior, and I try to avoid rewarding companies who do that.