4 ms·
Forewarning: I don't have WSJ, so I can only really comment on the title and get a little context from the comments. I've only used Lyft and Uber in NYC, but I
by aje404 11y ago
Forewarning: I don't have WSJ, so I can only really comment on the title and get a little context from the comments.
I've only used Lyft and Uber in NYC, but I use both frequently (or have; I was "scammed" by a Lyft driver and had a kafkaesque experience with Lyft's management trying to resolve the situation, since which I haven't used their services).
I almost always engage my drivers and try to get to know them. Frankly, I haven't noticed any difference whatsoever in their "friendliness". Topics range anyway to US politics, their home countries' politics, to their job, to their family, to whatever else. Almost all drivers will engage me (assuming their English is good). The only difference in engagement I've noticed is from Taxi drivers, who, of course, expect tips, and thus, I don't think there's much merit to the preconception that "they're nicer to me because they want my money!". Most people enjoy talking to others; when they're stuck in a car with someone for a half hour, they just might want to chat about life. I think it's that simple.
I've asked nearly every driver, with either Lyft or Uber, how they feel about either company, and they rarely have any complaints (and no, I don't think they suspect I'm auditing them or anything along those lines). At least in NYC, bear in mind that the vast majority of these guys are in some combination of:
1. Working for both Lyft and Uber (whenever they feel like it)
2. Driving as a part time gig
3. Coming from a Taxi gig, and thus, the grass is much greener regardless of whether either Lyft or Uber empirically "treats them better"
Just as well, I really can't imagine that customer treatment varies wildly between Lyft and Uber. All of these guys have horror stories about customers, just as us, as passengers, have horror stories about drivers.
So, I think, despite not reading the article, Lyft, via Logan, is likely just spewing marketing nonsense, and a lot of commenters leaning towards a particular company might want to rethink the bases for their conceptions.
- qq66 11y ago"no, I don't think they suspect I'm auditing them or anything along those lines" How can you be sure of this? When you're dependent on an organization for your paycheck, it's best not to say bad things about that organization, whether you actively suspect someone of being an auditor or not.
- aje404 11y agoThe same as I would when conversing with anyone else; it's generally obvious when someone you're talking to is putting on their political filter, no? I don't come out and ask things like "has either Uber or Lyft screwed you over?" (or any other inquiry of that nature), but plenty of peripherals come up in conversation. Granted, neither company is a paradise for a would-be driver. I'm sure they all have their complaints. It's essentially a customer-service position, and their have been plenty of threads on here discussing the downsides of either company. Regardless, again, many of them are content with their job, and the lifestyle it incurs. Most drivers I've spoken to are animated when talking about setting their own hours, "being their own boss", and many even are animated in discussing company politics or current events regarding them. Don't take my word for it, though, actually talk and get to know your drivers; an abstracted analysis or a news article isn't the best way to get an impression of the situation.
- cududa 11y agoI'm with you here - maybe OP's demeanor indicates they ARE inspecting them - just about every driver I ask in NY has some complaint. At least with uber, I know my profile has some certain designation (been using them since earliest days), and have had uber drivers ask me to pass on messages to "Mr. Travis" - so to me, that's weird that I'd regularly hear drivers complain and you don't
- alphast0rm 11y agoFYI: You can copy/paste the title into Google to get past the paywall. There's a also a bookmark script someone on HN made to do this automatically on-click but I don't use it personally.
- pbreit 11y agoI don't think SF or NYC are good proxies for other locales but it's quite different here in SF where both drivers and riders tend to favor 1 service. And Lyft appears to be competitive.
- jim-greer 11y agoIt's different in New York and San Francisco. Here it is much less common to drive for both. Lyft drivers and passengers tend to be younger, and are more likely to be talkative. In New York I really couldn't tell any difference.