(way...) OT: Uber sucks...IMO

[MattTuck]

This is why Uber is so interested in autonomous driving.

Instead of paying the driver (and I've heard it is more like 10-20% of the fare that UBER keeps), they'll pocket the whole fare themselves.

Of course, the economics of running a transactional business with very low fixed costs (because the drivers own and maintain the cars) are quite different from running a high fixed cost business where you have to own or lease the cars, are quite different.

Will be interesting to see if they can make the transition.

[eippo1]

Took a taxi recently in Boston and asked him to let me out of the cab because he was driving like a complete nut. Instead he gunned it onto the highway onramp because we were there anyway. Was not pleased and said so, but refrained from raising my voice due to the fact that I had a few beverages in my system and did not want to let any lack of inhibition get in the way.

Booked it through the curbed app, so left a pretty scathing review.

[hokoman]

Originally Posted by ptourkin

Here in San Diego most of them drive for both.

I have used Juno (the NYC version of Uber and Lyft) and all the drivers are connected to all 3 apps - all their phones/ipads are on their dashboard. You have drive for all of them if you want to stay busy and make money - from what I've been told. Juno takes a smaller cut from the drivers and that is the reason why I use it when I need to. I only take cars in Brooklyn/Queens. If I am in the city, the train is typically faster to get around.

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by ptourkin

Here in San Diego most of them drive for both.

+1 Seattle & Spokane

I have had good experiences with Lyft...

sometimes it get weird when they start sharing how they became drivers....middle aged career guys, lost good paying job....can't find new job...etc.

[velotrack]

Originally Posted by doomridesout

Gig economy scams both consumers and workers... Cui bono?

Gig economy techies want us to live an existence of owning nothing, perpetually feeding the meter with unclear results- this goes for the drivers and the riders alike- fully fungible, efficient to replace. The Wal-Mart mentality of "if it breaks, get a new one" as applied to human relations. It svcks.

Uber's got plenty of regular dumb corporate problems, but the root, IMO, is a business model predicated on disruption as good per se.

totally agree.

[SoCalSteve]

Originally Posted by OtayBW

Data point of 1: used Lyft to get to the airport today at 4:15 am. No problem....

I've been told (by Uber drivers) that part of the problem is that on a ~$10 fare, the driver only gets ~$3.00 so there is incentive for them to just blame the passenger for being in the wrong place, cancel the ride, and charge a $5.00 fee. And there really is no one to communicate with to clear it up. If you're lucky, they'll issue $5.00 in Uber credit.

I'm done with this garbage.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Respectfully, there are a couple things wrong with this. First off, the Uber and/or Lyft Driver has no idea where they are going until after they pick you up and start the ride. Could be 3 blocks or 25 miles. The driver has no incentive to cancel the ride on this basis.

Secondly, this is from the Uber website regarding cancellation fees:
Cancellation Fee: $5 fee if you cancel two minutes after requesting, or if you take 5 minutes or longer to come out to the driver.

Lastly, this is a known issue with the Uber app ( probably has more to do with your location and cell-gps service ) but the app gets the pickup location wrong at times. You have to be very vigilant and make sure you have the correct address for the driver. Also, sometimes you can just put in a hotel or other poi and it may take the driver to a different street that the hotel-poi is also on. I’ve actually called the driver and navigated him/her to me if I feel they are lost or have it wrong.

It’s definitely not a perfect system. Lyft is far superior to Uber. And sometimes it’s just easier and more convenient to hop in a cab.

I know all this because I spent 3 months car-less in Los Angeles. Uber and Lyft were used all the time and me being who I am ( nosey and in the transportation field for 35 years ) I asked them a lot of questions.

[redir]

Hmmm interesting. I'm pretty much on the opposite side of the spectrum. I'll probably never take another dirty filthy cab again. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about Uber. In fact I was in San Diego a few months ago and used Uber every day with no issues. Knock on wood...

[echelon_john]

Probably 100 Uber rides in the last six months; had one where the guy drove like a maniac, but flawless other than that. I've had many, MANY worse cab rides in Boston, New York, San Francisco...

[buddybikes]

Was driven to airport - driver decides to take all back roads (getting lost) when the toll road was wide open. We ended up in a dead end once

Coming home, driver chatting about how few weeks earlier she totaled her TDI as she was in left lane passing everyone

Will I use that or lyft again, sure, limo's (even group ones) are massively too expensive as well as taxis for any long distance.

Think there is a hybrid model out there that have little more screening of their drivers.

[raygunner]

Uber's standards have fallen. It seems they let anyone with a pulse and a crappy car drive for their service.

I'm no auto mechanic but some of the cars driving around with "Uber" placards appear dirty & unsafe.

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by SoCalSteve

Respectfully, there are a couple things wrong with this. First off, the Uber and/or Lyft Driver has no idea where they are going until after they pick you up and start the ride. Could be 3 blocks or 25 miles. The driver has no incentive to cancel the ride on this basis.

Disagree, based on the comments of several drivers this week. Whether you believe the driver has incentive to cancel rides or not, it occurs; it occurs regularly, and is acknowledged by a lot of drivers.

Secondly, this is from the Uber website regarding cancellation fees:
Cancellation Fee: $5 fee if you cancel two minutes after requesting, or if you take 5 minutes or longer to come out to the driver.

I have learned not to even make the call to Uber until I am at the actual, correct pickup spot - so, so much for my taking too much time to arrive. Hells bells - I believe that you could figuratively stand immediately outside of Uber corporate headquarters, and a driver would have a gripe about not being able to find you. So, 'blame the victim' doesn't wash with me...

Lastly, this is a known issue with the Uber app ( probably has more to do with your location and cell-gps service ) but the app gets the pickup location wrong at times. You have to be very vigilant and make sure you have the correct address for the driver. Also, sometimes you can just put in a hotel or other poi and it may take the driver to a different street that the hotel-poi is also on. I’ve actually called the driver and navigated him/her to me if I feel they are lost or have it wrong.
It’s definitely not a perfect system. Lyft is far superior to Uber. And sometimes it’s just easier and more convenient to hop in a cab.

I know all this because I spent 3 months car-less in Los Angeles. Uber and Lyft were used all the time and me being who I am ( nosey and in the transportation field for 35 years ) I asked them a lot of questions.

I don't need three months nor some kind of 'pedigree' (?) in the transportation field to figure out when I'm being hosed. Apparently, I don't seem to be unique in coming to these conclusions, either. I'm sure there are plenty of good folks trying to eek out a living with Uber, but to me, they are a POS organization that has a cockamamie excuse for everything. I'm done with them, and I will certainly not be an apologist for them.

[Sewere]

But it's not like that everywhere.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by Avispa

The guy was going 60 on a 35 zone! Insane...

I got out of a taxi (with no working shock absorbers) years ago in San Francisco, after a hair raising ride from the airport.

The tip I gave the driver? "You are no Mario Andretti." If I could have reported him, I would have.

And I did report an Uber driver once. Felt bad doing so...he was a newbie, but he was such a poor driver. Stopping in the middle of intersections, driving 10 below a 30 MPH speed limit...yikes!

[unterhausen]

Originally Posted by MattTuck

This is why Uber is so interested in autonomous driving.

I have done a decent amount of work in autonomous robots and I'm pretty hostile to the idea of an autonomous car. Then today I found out the worst grad student I ever worked with is working in autonomous vehicles. All I have to say is, we're gonna die.

I had one good ride with uber, but then when I really needed them in France it didn't work out. Had to take my stuff via the bus. That wasn't much fun.

[72gmc]

I don’t use Uber because of their founder and their BS business model. I do use Lyft on business trips, so I’m probably a hypocrite.

The Ubers that coworkers called for us in Paris defied the stereotype. A new 7-series BMW one ride, a new S-class Mercedes another ride, drivers in suits, very courteous service.