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The Uber propaganda here in this thread is insane. Taxi’s maybe have been shit but that does not in anyway justify Uber breaking the law to conquer the market (

The Uber propaganda here in this thread is insane. Taxi’s maybe have been shit but that does not in anyway justify Uber breaking the law to conquer the market (btw, now that they’ve done that, they’ve also turned to shit because it was unsustainable). Perfect may be the enemy of good but we shouldn’t excuse companies using endless VC money and law breaking to achieve something that’s marginally better for consumers. Obviously there are some exceptions to this in the comments but generally, in modern countries where the taxi firms aren’t run by literal mafias and killing people, we should condemn Uber’s behaviour.

charlieyu1 4y ago
I would take Uber lobbyists over taxi lobbyists in Hong Kong any day. Manipulating the number of taxi licenses so the current license are worth millions of HKD, holders get rich just by letting hundreds of licenses to drivers who don’t earn much after rent, while also being pawns of CCP? I don’t think people would really like them.
hourago 4y ago
Uber is well known for paying to manipulate on-line discourse. The amount of propaganda just adds to my grievances towards the company.
yieldcrv 4y ago
My observation is that nearly every municipality had a taxi service with negative press, isolated in local news under different taxi brands, and in municipal court filings. This being about local taxi that bent the law to become entrenched themselves. Whereas any incident with Uber is international news. Makes it harder for me to elevate Uber’s issues as being as egregious as presented. I recognize their flaws, I also recognize the market need which still remains. So sure, make a better one thats more compliant. When I and others point this out we’re not giving Uber a pass. Just assigning a weight to the problems.
- wolverine876 4y ago
  > This being about local taxi that bent the law to become entrenched themselves. Can you give an example? I've never heard of that. They usually lack any power at all. > nearly every municipality had a taxi service with negative press Everyone seemed satisfied in my experience. I did see Uber's talking points everywhere on social media - how terrible taxis were. Unforunately, taxis lacked the money to run their own information campaign.
  - yieldcrv 4y ago
    Ask actual individuals, take taxis yourself, ask people that try to be their own driver. Not everything is about an information campaign but factors in common pain points from consumers.
    - wolverine876 4y ago
      I have taken more taxis in more cities than you imagine. Thousands, I would guess. I've talked to many cab drivers and rideshare drivers about this exact issue: IME most think Uber/Lyft screw them, that cabs were better as their fate was in their hands (and they didn't have to provide a car!), but as Uber/Lyft control access to rides (the only real value they provide), the drivers have no choice. Uber/Lyft also use corruption to get free use of our public commons - the streets that they clog - while with cabs it was fairly distributed in free market bidding for the public resource (i.e., medallions).
      - kortilla 4y ago
        > I have taken more taxis in more cities than you imagine. Thousands, I would guess. Thousands? That’s daily commute level which puts you in one of the extremely rare locations that had a semi functional cab system. You don’t understand how miserable the cab system was (and generally still is) in most of the US because you lived in an aberration. > Uber/Lyft also use corruption to get free use of our public commons - the streets that they clog Not even on the top 10 of concerns surrounding Uber for the 95% of the population who don’t live in a super dense city. Also, it’s not free use because the drivers pay the same road taxes we do. They just aren’t double taxed without the medallion system.
wolverine876 4y ago
I've taken many, many taxis with barely a problem. They weren't (and aren't) shit at all to me.
simonbarker87 4y ago
I won’t use Uber. It’s terrible and far worse than my experience with taxis. I’ve also said here before that many UK cities had better taxis systems before Uber but was shouted down. The only way Uber could compete was unprofitably undercutting the local market with a worse service. Just because SF needed a new taxis system doesn’t mean they had to inflict it on the rest of the world. You want to get to the airport for 5AM tomorrow morning? Good luck getting an Uber, they won’t let you book ahead and if you want to hail at the time they will cancel on you 4 times. I’ve never had this issue with a taxi company and have got a pre booked taxi to time critical things a lot of times in my life. But yeh, they have an app (weren’t even the first though) so HN loves them.
- azinman2 4y ago
  At least in the US you can pre-book. I’m no Uber fan but I haven’t experienced this cancelation you mention.
  - alasdair_ 4y ago
    Sadly, especially for a prebooked car for a 4am pickup in the suburbs (to the airport), their prebooking doesn’t mean much.
  - lesstyzing 4y ago
    You can “prebook” an Uber but they explicitly state that they will only try and find you a car automatically at that time, not guarantee one/arrange a driver in advance. So it’s basically just automating the “find me an Uber” button press. At least this is how it works in the UK.
    - andrewingram 4y ago
      Yup, I’ve had exactly this issue, so I always end up going with a local minicab service for early morning airport flights.
- bogota 4y ago
  I mean “inflict it on the rest of the world” come on. They wouldn’t be selling if you weren’t buying. Uber categorically provides a better service than taxis in almost all places and provides a far safer experience in others. But once again it’s likely some self righteous first world person’s opinion who has no context for how other countries function. Par for the course on HN.
_8j50 4y ago
I agree with you except with the marginally better part. Their service is profundly revolutionary. It isn't lack of capital or brains that prevented the taxi indistry before and after uber to provide the same service but beneficial to their interests. After all these years they are not even trying to compete with Uber they just want things to go back to the way they were where consumers are taken advantage of or discriminated against. Like it or not, Uber is more accessible to all types of consumers not just the ones drivers think will tip the most, they have better background checks and uniform and scrutinized safety controls and providen a viable primary or secondary income to drivers. The local laws and regulations should get out of the way and enable what uber is trying to do with or without Uber. The livelihood of taxi drivers is not the law's problem, the well being od consumers and the economy however is. An outdated business model should not be put on a respirator by politicians. I am of the opinion that traditional taxi system with medallions and all that should be done with. Anyome who provides consumer transportation can compete fairly with Uber and pals.
- wolverine876 4y ago
  > After all these years they are not even trying to compete with Uber they just want things to go back to the way they were Who are you describing? Can you name anyone? > where consumers are taken advantage of I've never felt taken advantage of in a taxi. I know Uber pushes this all the time, but can you give examples? I know with Uber or Lyft they collect data on me such as where I am and where I go. > or discriminated against Is there any evidence that it's better with ridesharing apps? I mean evidence, not the same claims long made by Uber.
  - jonnybgood 4y ago
    As a POC and for many of my POC friends in NYC Uber was a god send. The discrimination is real.
    - SamoyedFurFluff 4y ago
      Also a POC and never had an issue with NYC taxis.
cyanydeez 4y ago
Their business was defacto to ignore local laws. And you'll find libertarians as a advocate of that business model.
- zbird 4y ago
  A lot of folks here seem to be confusing breaking the law in the name of justice and social progress (e.g. Rosa Parks) vs the blatant corruption of companies like Uber. At least the Uber VPs knew they were corrupt.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
lawgimenez 4y ago
In my country we used to have Uber but they pulled out maybe 4-5 years ago. I wish they have stayed, because now we only have one and it is driving the price way up high due to lack of competition.
RONROC 4y ago
The Uber propanaganda is always insane on HN. Where do you think these people work? TLDR; Their parents are proud of them, let's not fuck that up for them.
- zbird 4y ago
  Indeed. And many may have joined not knowing the real workings of the company; heck, the same situation could also be true for many of us now. But to continue defending the company even after knowing the facts is certainly a thing to marvel at.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
sfifs 4y ago
Maybe it is "marginally better" where you come from. Uber and their ill have always been always parity priced or more expensive in the markets I have lived in. The killer value proposition is the car actually turns up in a timely manner and actually takes passengers to where they want to go. Taxis often simply were eother not available to call, rarely showed up even if called and would often refuse to go where passengers want. Uber and its competitors literally makes it possible to live in the cities i live in without owning a car because even if you regularly commute by public transport, for those occasions where you need a car, you know you will get one reliably. In the past that was not an option and you would have to own a car. Hopefully a good reminder to not extrapolate personal experiences or propaganda of the circle one may be a part of to the whole world.
- jackson1442 4y ago
  The best part about Uber/Lyft imo is that I know exactly how much I'll be charged before I even request it. Taxis you get to do a bunch of math that depends on factors like traffic but in the rideshare apps you can decide if the ride is worth it. If taxis could replicate this more ethically, I would switch in a heartbeat.
  - klabb3 4y ago
    They don't always stick to it. From LAX airport, it was showing an initial price of say $30, and then "looking for drivers" spinner goes on for 2-3 min. Then they "found" one that is more expensive, say $45, which you can accept to get "faster" service. Hint: you will have to wait ages to get that initial price, if at all. Uber has become much more shitty AND much more expensive in the last years. Same with Lyft. I have a tingly feeling Lyft and Uber has struck a deal behind the curtain to not tread on each other, or fix prices.
  - thn-gap 4y ago
    I once took an Uber who didn't follow the directions of the app properly, missing some turns, resulting in unnecessary cycles. This resulted in the fare being higher than initially stated. When I reported this to Uber, showing the trace in the map, they said the final price was still within the range stated (it was not), and nothing happened.
jjmorrison 4y ago
In the modern country of America taxi firms are run by literal mafias... Like actually.
- lesstyzing 4y ago
  They’re not.
aunty_helen 4y ago
>Obviously there are some exceptions to this in the comments but generally, in modern countries where the taxi firms aren’t run by literal mafias and killing people, we should condemn Uber’s behaviour. hehe love it. In the first world, ... How about this, I want to arrive at an airport, walk out the front, check a number plate and put my suitcases in the boot knowing that if anything happens I'm not going to be risking 10k worth of stuff. Oh officer, it was a yellow car that said taxi on the side, you think you'll find my stuff? In Germany, Berlin of all cities, I had my bagage held to ransom by a taxi driver who "forgot" to start the meter and then decided the 250m we drove was worth an extra 10eur on top of the 15eur trip. So sorry this is more Uber propaganda, but for the ~1000 Uber reciepts I have in my inbox, I've had few and only little problems. And a lot of these are from a city where people do go missing if they get in the wrong taxi. Do I love Uber? No. They're sometimes shit. Surge pricing, allowing drivers to pick up a trip and then just cancel, 6 minute arrival timers that are actually 10 minutes away, wait fees from the first minute onwards, grumpy covid mask reminder emails even though I'm always wearing a mask, reissuing fees when they adjust the price and holding extra money on my card until it's all cleared. But touch wood, I've never been in a crash in an Uber, I have in a taxi (single car, solely the drivers fault), even though it's a 20:1 ratio for journeys I've taken. Edit: 1051 trips according to my inbox
- mccorrinall 4y ago
  If you’re in germany, use the mytaxi (freenow) app and pay in the app. https://apps.apple.com/de/app/free-now/id357852748?l=en https://apps.apple.com/de/app/free-now/id357852748?l=en
  - aunty_helen 4y ago
    Dear Daniel, Thank you very much for your message. The driver is registered at the responsible office and will be blocked in this case. Unfortunately we can't do anything about the price, because we are only a mediator and have no influence on price. Best regards from Hamburg von FREE NOW Support Agent Passenger & Driver Care Intelligent Apps GmbH Grosse Elbstrasse 273, 22767 Hamburg
- 4y ago
joe_the_user 4y ago
Ex-taxi driver, Taxi’s maybe have been shit but that does not in anyway justify Uber breaking the law to conquer the market (btw, now that they’ve done that, they’ve also turned to shit because it was unsustainable). Literal or not, taxi companies really are as a rule something akin to local Mafiosos. They break the law all the time. The extent to which Uber screwed over it's drivers and to an extent risked the safety of it's riders bothers me. That Uber flouted local regulations intended to keep taxis services in the hands of local politicos' scumbag friends bothers me not in the least. And as Uber rose, lots of drivers would drive both taxis and Uber, with each having advantageous and disadvantageous. And I also remember finally checking tire pressure on a cab I'd been paying to use for a bit - random amounts between 10 psi to 40 psi with half the tires bald. Taxi companies are filth and I laugh to hear any of them out of business. Sure Uber isn't much better but the point is Uber vs local Taxi company isn't a fight where people should be routing for a side. Tossing bottles at both sides, sure but not taking a side.
- blobbers 4y ago
  Appreciate the driver insight here! We often play off “the good old days” before tech took over industry X. Nice to know history isn’t all roses and sugar in reality.
  - joe_the_user 4y ago
    I should admit that I drove for only a month but I also have known quite a few longer-time drivers. And in my defense, the industry was setup so most people stayed for that short time and only a few people, who actually bought their cabs, stayed for longer, literally ate and slept in their cars and made a chunk of money over, who knows, five years but also quit but in better shape financially (and worse shape physically, I'm sure).
    - zasdffaa 4y ago
      Was in an uber once, driver told me he did 14 hour days and was very happy with the money he was making. From memory, 4k £ (UK) though maybe I misremember. 14 hour days, eh? I didn't ask if he thought that was safe. Uber should never let that happen but clearly they were ok with it, or with carefully not looking.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
onphonenow 4y ago
I’d support anyone who broke the sf taxi cartel. For all the high minded rhetoric folks spew about how the regulations protected the consumer - it was a clear cartel - racist, poor service, insultingly bad in fact. The fact that govt agencies and departments bent over backwards to support this garbage is all you need to know about the peoples representatives
- jeltz 4y ago
  There is a world outside SF. Some places had great taxis, others had awful and most somewhere inbetween. Uber used the same underhanded tactics in all places.
JumpCrisscross 4y ago
> Uber propaganda Propaganda is idealistic. It runs counter to its audience’s real-world experience. To the degree anyone is propagandising, it is those condemning Uber. Uber’s supporters, not of all of it, but certainly of its raison d’être, have practical, real-life experiences to sustain their arguments. The other side, condemning Uber, evokes moral outrage. Not making a concluding argument for either side. But would hold back on the accusation that one side or the other is serving corporate or populist propaganda.
LatteLazy 4y ago
>Taxi’s maybe have been shit but that does not in anyway justify Uber breaking the law to conquer the market Why not? MLK (and Im sure others before him) said you have a duty to disobey unjust laws. The law should conform with what is right, not just be followed blindly. If uber can improve outcomes and do no net harm then good luck to them and anyone else in a similar situation.

charlieyu1 4y ago

I would take Uber lobbyists over taxi lobbyists in Hong Kong any day. Manipulating the number of taxi licenses so the current license are worth millions of HKD, holders get rich just by letting hundreds of licenses to drivers who don’t earn much after rent, while also being pawns of CCP? I don’t think people would really like them.

hourago 4y ago

Uber is well known for paying to manipulate on-line discourse. The amount of propaganda just adds to my grievances towards the company.

yieldcrv 4y ago

My observation is that nearly every municipality had a taxi service with negative press, isolated in local news under different taxi brands, and in municipal court filings. This being about local taxi that bent the law to become entrenched themselves. Whereas any incident with Uber is international news. Makes it harder for me to elevate Uber’s issues as being as egregious as presented. I recognize their flaws, I also recognize the market need which still remains. So sure, make a better one thats more compliant. When I and others point this out we’re not giving Uber a pass. Just assigning a weight to the problems.

wolverine876 4y ago
> This being about local taxi that bent the law to become entrenched themselves. Can you give an example? I've never heard of that. They usually lack any power at all. > nearly every municipality had a taxi service with negative press Everyone seemed satisfied in my experience. I did see Uber's talking points everywhere on social media - how terrible taxis were. Unforunately, taxis lacked the money to run their own information campaign.
- yieldcrv 4y ago
  Ask actual individuals, take taxis yourself, ask people that try to be their own driver. Not everything is about an information campaign but factors in common pain points from consumers.
  - wolverine876 4y ago
    I have taken more taxis in more cities than you imagine. Thousands, I would guess. I've talked to many cab drivers and rideshare drivers about this exact issue: IME most think Uber/Lyft screw them, that cabs were better as their fate was in their hands (and they didn't have to provide a car!), but as Uber/Lyft control access to rides (the only real value they provide), the drivers have no choice. Uber/Lyft also use corruption to get free use of our public commons - the streets that they clog - while with cabs it was fairly distributed in free market bidding for the public resource (i.e., medallions).
    - kortilla 4y ago
      > I have taken more taxis in more cities than you imagine. Thousands, I would guess. Thousands? That’s daily commute level which puts you in one of the extremely rare locations that had a semi functional cab system. You don’t understand how miserable the cab system was (and generally still is) in most of the US because you lived in an aberration. > Uber/Lyft also use corruption to get free use of our public commons - the streets that they clog Not even on the top 10 of concerns surrounding Uber for the 95% of the population who don’t live in a super dense city. Also, it’s not free use because the drivers pay the same road taxes we do. They just aren’t double taxed without the medallion system.

wolverine876 4y ago

I've taken many, many taxis with barely a problem. They weren't (and aren't) shit at all to me.

simonbarker87 4y ago

I won’t use Uber. It’s terrible and far worse than my experience with taxis. I’ve also said here before that many UK cities had better taxis systems before Uber but was shouted down. The only way Uber could compete was unprofitably undercutting the local market with a worse service. Just because SF needed a new taxis system doesn’t mean they had to inflict it on the rest of the world. You want to get to the airport for 5AM tomorrow morning? Good luck getting an Uber, they won’t let you book ahead and if you want to hail at the time they will cancel on you 4 times. I’ve never had this issue with a taxi company and have got a pre booked taxi to time critical things a lot of times in my life. But yeh, they have an app (weren’t even the first though) so HN loves them.

azinman2 4y ago
At least in the US you can pre-book. I’m no Uber fan but I haven’t experienced this cancelation you mention.
- alasdair_ 4y ago
  Sadly, especially for a prebooked car for a 4am pickup in the suburbs (to the airport), their prebooking doesn’t mean much.
- lesstyzing 4y ago
  You can “prebook” an Uber but they explicitly state that they will only try and find you a car automatically at that time, not guarantee one/arrange a driver in advance. So it’s basically just automating the “find me an Uber” button press. At least this is how it works in the UK.
  - andrewingram 4y ago
    Yup, I’ve had exactly this issue, so I always end up going with a local minicab service for early morning airport flights.
bogota 4y ago
I mean “inflict it on the rest of the world” come on. They wouldn’t be selling if you weren’t buying. Uber categorically provides a better service than taxis in almost all places and provides a far safer experience in others. But once again it’s likely some self righteous first world person’s opinion who has no context for how other countries function. Par for the course on HN.

_8j50 4y ago

I agree with you except with the marginally better part. Their service is profundly revolutionary. It isn't lack of capital or brains that prevented the taxi indistry before and after uber to provide the same service but beneficial to their interests. After all these years they are not even trying to compete with Uber they just want things to go back to the way they were where consumers are taken advantage of or discriminated against. Like it or not, Uber is more accessible to all types of consumers not just the ones drivers think will tip the most, they have better background checks and uniform and scrutinized safety controls and providen a viable primary or secondary income to drivers. The local laws and regulations should get out of the way and enable what uber is trying to do with or without Uber. The livelihood of taxi drivers is not the law's problem, the well being od consumers and the economy however is. An outdated business model should not be put on a respirator by politicians. I am of the opinion that traditional taxi system with medallions and all that should be done with. Anyome who provides consumer transportation can compete fairly with Uber and pals.

wolverine876 4y ago
> After all these years they are not even trying to compete with Uber they just want things to go back to the way they were Who are you describing? Can you name anyone? > where consumers are taken advantage of I've never felt taken advantage of in a taxi. I know Uber pushes this all the time, but can you give examples? I know with Uber or Lyft they collect data on me such as where I am and where I go. > or discriminated against Is there any evidence that it's better with ridesharing apps? I mean evidence, not the same claims long made by Uber.
- jonnybgood 4y ago
  As a POC and for many of my POC friends in NYC Uber was a god send. The discrimination is real.
  - SamoyedFurFluff 4y ago
    Also a POC and never had an issue with NYC taxis.

cyanydeez 4y ago

Their business was defacto to ignore local laws. And you'll find libertarians as a advocate of that business model.

zbird 4y ago
A lot of folks here seem to be confusing breaking the law in the name of justice and social progress (e.g. Rosa Parks) vs the blatant corruption of companies like Uber. At least the Uber VPs knew they were corrupt.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

lawgimenez 4y ago

In my country we used to have Uber but they pulled out maybe 4-5 years ago. I wish they have stayed, because now we only have one and it is driving the price way up high due to lack of competition.

RONROC 4y ago

The Uber propanaganda is always insane on HN. Where do you think these people work? TLDR; Their parents are proud of them, let's not fuck that up for them.

zbird 4y ago
Indeed. And many may have joined not knowing the real workings of the company; heck, the same situation could also be true for many of us now. But to continue defending the company even after knowing the facts is certainly a thing to marvel at.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

sfifs 4y ago

Maybe it is "marginally better" where you come from. Uber and their ill have always been always parity priced or more expensive in the markets I have lived in. The killer value proposition is the car actually turns up in a timely manner and actually takes passengers to where they want to go. Taxis often simply were eother not available to call, rarely showed up even if called and would often refuse to go where passengers want. Uber and its competitors literally makes it possible to live in the cities i live in without owning a car because even if you regularly commute by public transport, for those occasions where you need a car, you know you will get one reliably. In the past that was not an option and you would have to own a car. Hopefully a good reminder to not extrapolate personal experiences or propaganda of the circle one may be a part of to the whole world.

jackson1442 4y ago
The best part about Uber/Lyft imo is that I know exactly how much I'll be charged before I even request it. Taxis you get to do a bunch of math that depends on factors like traffic but in the rideshare apps you can decide if the ride is worth it. If taxis could replicate this more ethically, I would switch in a heartbeat.
- klabb3 4y ago
  They don't always stick to it. From LAX airport, it was showing an initial price of say $30, and then "looking for drivers" spinner goes on for 2-3 min. Then they "found" one that is more expensive, say $45, which you can accept to get "faster" service. Hint: you will have to wait ages to get that initial price, if at all. Uber has become much more shitty AND much more expensive in the last years. Same with Lyft. I have a tingly feeling Lyft and Uber has struck a deal behind the curtain to not tread on each other, or fix prices.
- thn-gap 4y ago
  I once took an Uber who didn't follow the directions of the app properly, missing some turns, resulting in unnecessary cycles. This resulted in the fare being higher than initially stated. When I reported this to Uber, showing the trace in the map, they said the final price was still within the range stated (it was not), and nothing happened.

jjmorrison 4y ago

In the modern country of America taxi firms are run by literal mafias... Like actually.

lesstyzing 4y ago
They’re not.

aunty_helen 4y ago

>Obviously there are some exceptions to this in the comments but generally, in modern countries where the taxi firms aren’t run by literal mafias and killing people, we should condemn Uber’s behaviour. hehe love it. In the first world, ... How about this, I want to arrive at an airport, walk out the front, check a number plate and put my suitcases in the boot knowing that if anything happens I'm not going to be risking 10k worth of stuff. Oh officer, it was a yellow car that said taxi on the side, you think you'll find my stuff? In Germany, Berlin of all cities, I had my bagage held to ransom by a taxi driver who "forgot" to start the meter and then decided the 250m we drove was worth an extra 10eur on top of the 15eur trip. So sorry this is more Uber propaganda, but for the ~1000 Uber reciepts I have in my inbox, I've had few and only little problems. And a lot of these are from a city where people do go missing if they get in the wrong taxi. Do I love Uber? No. They're sometimes shit. Surge pricing, allowing drivers to pick up a trip and then just cancel, 6 minute arrival timers that are actually 10 minutes away, wait fees from the first minute onwards, grumpy covid mask reminder emails even though I'm always wearing a mask, reissuing fees when they adjust the price and holding extra money on my card until it's all cleared. But touch wood, I've never been in a crash in an Uber, I have in a taxi (single car, solely the drivers fault), even though it's a 20:1 ratio for journeys I've taken. Edit: 1051 trips according to my inbox

mccorrinall 4y ago
If you’re in germany, use the mytaxi (freenow) app and pay in the app. https://apps.apple.com/de/app/free-now/id357852748?l=en https://apps.apple.com/de/app/free-now/id357852748?l=en
- aunty_helen 4y ago
  Dear Daniel, Thank you very much for your message. The driver is registered at the responsible office and will be blocked in this case. Unfortunately we can't do anything about the price, because we are only a mediator and have no influence on price. Best regards from Hamburg von FREE NOW Support Agent Passenger & Driver Care Intelligent Apps GmbH Grosse Elbstrasse 273, 22767 Hamburg
4y ago

joe_the_user 4y ago

Ex-taxi driver, Taxi’s maybe have been shit but that does not in anyway justify Uber breaking the law to conquer the market (btw, now that they’ve done that, they’ve also turned to shit because it was unsustainable). Literal or not, taxi companies really are as a rule something akin to local Mafiosos. They break the law all the time. The extent to which Uber screwed over it's drivers and to an extent risked the safety of it's riders bothers me. That Uber flouted local regulations intended to keep taxis services in the hands of local politicos' scumbag friends bothers me not in the least. And as Uber rose, lots of drivers would drive both taxis and Uber, with each having advantageous and disadvantageous. And I also remember finally checking tire pressure on a cab I'd been paying to use for a bit - random amounts between 10 psi to 40 psi with half the tires bald. Taxi companies are filth and I laugh to hear any of them out of business. Sure Uber isn't much better but the point is Uber vs local Taxi company isn't a fight where people should be routing for a side. Tossing bottles at both sides, sure but not taking a side.

blobbers 4y ago
Appreciate the driver insight here! We often play off “the good old days” before tech took over industry X. Nice to know history isn’t all roses and sugar in reality.
- joe_the_user 4y ago
  I should admit that I drove for only a month but I also have known quite a few longer-time drivers. And in my defense, the industry was setup so most people stayed for that short time and only a few people, who actually bought their cabs, stayed for longer, literally ate and slept in their cars and made a chunk of money over, who knows, five years but also quit but in better shape financially (and worse shape physically, I'm sure).
  - zasdffaa 4y ago
    Was in an uber once, driver told me he did 14 hour days and was very happy with the money he was making. From memory, 4k £ (UK) though maybe I misremember. 14 hour days, eh? I didn't ask if he thought that was safe. Uber should never let that happen but clearly they were ok with it, or with carefully not looking.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

onphonenow 4y ago

I’d support anyone who broke the sf taxi cartel. For all the high minded rhetoric folks spew about how the regulations protected the consumer - it was a clear cartel - racist, poor service, insultingly bad in fact. The fact that govt agencies and departments bent over backwards to support this garbage is all you need to know about the peoples representatives

jeltz 4y ago
There is a world outside SF. Some places had great taxis, others had awful and most somewhere inbetween. Uber used the same underhanded tactics in all places.

JumpCrisscross 4y ago

> Uber propaganda Propaganda is idealistic. It runs counter to its audience’s real-world experience. To the degree anyone is propagandising, it is those condemning Uber. Uber’s supporters, not of all of it, but certainly of its raison d’être, have practical, real-life experiences to sustain their arguments. The other side, condemning Uber, evokes moral outrage. Not making a concluding argument for either side. But would hold back on the accusation that one side or the other is serving corporate or populist propaganda.

LatteLazy 4y ago

>Taxi’s maybe have been shit but that does not in anyway justify Uber breaking the law to conquer the market Why not? MLK (and Im sure others before him) said you have a duty to disobey unjust laws. The law should conform with what is right, not just be followed blindly. If uber can improve outcomes and do no net harm then good luck to them and anyone else in a similar situation.