4 ms·

The black cabs are under more stringent regulation than minicabs or uber - they are the safer ride. Not sure what's too hard to understand about that. As they

The black cabs are under more stringent regulation than minicabs or uber - they are the safer ride. Not sure what's too hard to understand about that. As they say: once you've been surge priced (by uber), you never go back (to uber) None of this is intended as an anti-uber rant, I simply think they're failing to deal with the primary issue: regulations and real service are not just for breakfast.

dasil003 10y ago
Although I have to say the regulation is no guarantee. I actually had to catch a cab from Earl's Court to Kew Gardens because District Line had issues. I got in and told the driver, an elderly man, my destination of Victoria Gate, Kew Gardens. First red flag, he wasn't sure where that was. Second red flag, he pulls out a paper map book, like the kind I haven't seen for 10 years. Third red flag he doesn't even know which lane to exit the roundabout to go towards Kew. I proceeded to watch on my smartphone how he went completely the wrong way and added 20 minutes to the trip getting stuck in heavy traffic. I'm well familiar with The Knowledge, and I can tell you without a doubt, someone lent this old codger his black cab. Whatever idiot cabbie did that did far more damage to the cause of the traditional black cabs than anything Uber could ever do.
- askyourmother 10y ago
  Whereas a friend borrowing his friends car and phone for uber would be an improvement?
  - yalooze 10y ago
    Google Maps and a profile photo you can see on your phone without having to squint at the little image in the front of the black cab, I'd say yes.
  - Karunamon 10y ago
    The difference being instant feedback. The low ratings one would garner by doing this with Uber would probably lead to the irresponsible driver getting booted, where with a traditional cab, the complaint process is significantly more involved.
  - dasil003 10y ago
    Yes because with Uber you know what you're getting. I'm not sure if you're familiar with London black cabs, but as far as I know they are the most expensive taxis in the world, and they justify the expense by citing their training, knowledge and expertise. Short of that all you're getting is a tight turning radius (admittedly quite useful in London).
austinjp 10y ago
Heh :) Fair enough. I guess the "primary issue" differs depending on one's perspective. The black-cab drivers are highly concerned about loss of business, and personally I think they're addressing this concern in the wrong way. I guess time will tell. No doubt that black-cab regulation is stringent, although I'm unconvinced that they're the safer ride. I have no way of determining if my black-cab driver has a history of unpleasant behaviour. Uber's rating system gives me some hint toward that -- although of course it is less than perfect. Regarding price-surging... surely we've all been there, and yet still gone back to Uber another time?

dasil003 10y ago

Although I have to say the regulation is no guarantee. I actually had to catch a cab from Earl's Court to Kew Gardens because District Line had issues. I got in and told the driver, an elderly man, my destination of Victoria Gate, Kew Gardens. First red flag, he wasn't sure where that was. Second red flag, he pulls out a paper map book, like the kind I haven't seen for 10 years. Third red flag he doesn't even know which lane to exit the roundabout to go towards Kew. I proceeded to watch on my smartphone how he went completely the wrong way and added 20 minutes to the trip getting stuck in heavy traffic. I'm well familiar with The Knowledge, and I can tell you without a doubt, someone lent this old codger his black cab. Whatever idiot cabbie did that did far more damage to the cause of the traditional black cabs than anything Uber could ever do.

askyourmother 10y ago
Whereas a friend borrowing his friends car and phone for uber would be an improvement?
- yalooze 10y ago
  Google Maps and a profile photo you can see on your phone without having to squint at the little image in the front of the black cab, I'd say yes.
- Karunamon 10y ago
  The difference being instant feedback. The low ratings one would garner by doing this with Uber would probably lead to the irresponsible driver getting booted, where with a traditional cab, the complaint process is significantly more involved.
- dasil003 10y ago
  Yes because with Uber you know what you're getting. I'm not sure if you're familiar with London black cabs, but as far as I know they are the most expensive taxis in the world, and they justify the expense by citing their training, knowledge and expertise. Short of that all you're getting is a tight turning radius (admittedly quite useful in London).

austinjp 10y ago

Heh :) Fair enough. I guess the "primary issue" differs depending on one's perspective. The black-cab drivers are highly concerned about loss of business, and personally I think they're addressing this concern in the wrong way. I guess time will tell. No doubt that black-cab regulation is stringent, although I'm unconvinced that they're the safer ride. I have no way of determining if my black-cab driver has a history of unpleasant behaviour. Uber's rating system gives me some hint toward that -- although of course it is less than perfect. Regarding price-surging... surely we've all been there, and yet still gone back to Uber another time?