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I'm frankly astonished at how bad Uber is at setting an image - or if they're not bad at it then they're terrible at deciding what image to set. I've never use

I'm frankly astonished at how bad Uber is at setting an image - or if they're not bad at it then they're terrible at deciding what image to set. I've never used them* but based on their reputation and depending on circumstances I think my preference order would be Lyft, taxi, public transportation, livery service, call friends to ask a favor, Uber, walk - and "walk" might move up the list depending on the weather and distance. * The one time I tried to actually use Uber they locked my account because the card on file was declined - it'd been replaced after the Home Depot breach. Their unlock policy appeared to be something like "send us a picture of the card," which wasn't going to happen since it had been shredded months before. The early press about their business practices had already started, so I wasn't that interested in pursuing unlocking either.

fennecfoxen 10y ago
> I've never used them I have, I continue to use them (anyone has better service and is less corrupt than the taxi cartels), and I still generally agree.
- uola 10y ago
  I don't really get the "taxi cartel" thing. Taxis aren't exactly brilliant everywhere so I buy the better service argument, but if you're concerned about corruption and cartels I don't see how a global company largely operating outside the law is better.
  - seanmcdirmid 10y ago
    It is more about a better deal and/or not getting ripped off (which the cartel is against) than about it being a cartel. It is amazing what Uber can do in a city like Manila. Taxis also never bothered upping their convenience game, because they thought they didn't have to.
    - akshatpradhan 10y ago
      Its about not getting ripped off. With Lyft/Uber you can escalate if you feel ripped off. With Taxi Cartel's, there's nobody to take your complaints. We feel ripped off whenever we've had to ask this of ourselves, "Gosh, we seem to have gone a longer route" or "Did he start the meter before I got into the car?" Side story: In Baltimore this happened to me. I got into a taxi and the driver starts asking me tons of questions. I'm politely answering and having conversation but I'm clearly not paying attention to the meter. We drove for 7-10 mins, 2-3 miles or so, and upon arriving to my destination is when I realized the cost was $30.
      - seanmcdirmid 10y ago
        > Its about not getting ripped off. I did mention Manila. And much of Thailand, and...well, Bali is pretty honest. Uber is a huge stress reliever in those places, where taxis can be outright dangerous! Forget about the US, I've been stuck at MNL at 2 AM in the morning and would kill for an Uber app (if it existed at the time). But I totally agree with your point. A convenient feedback mechanism is quite nice, along with a GPS based meter that shows the route taken.
        akshatpradhan 10y ago
        At the end of the day, Uber did go too far, "Schmidt and his client were being investigated by a secretive research firm, staffed by veterans from the CIA and the National Security Council, conducting an investigation on behalf of Uber’s top executives. As soon as the lawsuit was filed, those executives took an interest in Schmidt and his client, sending out operatives to dig up what they could find on Uber’s new antagonists."

fennecfoxen 10y ago

> I've never used them I have, I continue to use them (anyone has better service and is less corrupt than the taxi cartels), and I still generally agree.

uola 10y ago
I don't really get the "taxi cartel" thing. Taxis aren't exactly brilliant everywhere so I buy the better service argument, but if you're concerned about corruption and cartels I don't see how a global company largely operating outside the law is better.
- seanmcdirmid 10y ago
  It is more about a better deal and/or not getting ripped off (which the cartel is against) than about it being a cartel. It is amazing what Uber can do in a city like Manila. Taxis also never bothered upping their convenience game, because they thought they didn't have to.
  - akshatpradhan 10y ago
    Its about not getting ripped off. With Lyft/Uber you can escalate if you feel ripped off. With Taxi Cartel's, there's nobody to take your complaints. We feel ripped off whenever we've had to ask this of ourselves, "Gosh, we seem to have gone a longer route" or "Did he start the meter before I got into the car?" Side story: In Baltimore this happened to me. I got into a taxi and the driver starts asking me tons of questions. I'm politely answering and having conversation but I'm clearly not paying attention to the meter. We drove for 7-10 mins, 2-3 miles or so, and upon arriving to my destination is when I realized the cost was $30.
    - seanmcdirmid 10y ago
      > Its about not getting ripped off. I did mention Manila. And much of Thailand, and...well, Bali is pretty honest. Uber is a huge stress reliever in those places, where taxis can be outright dangerous! Forget about the US, I've been stuck at MNL at 2 AM in the morning and would kill for an Uber app (if it existed at the time). But I totally agree with your point. A convenient feedback mechanism is quite nice, along with a GPS based meter that shows the route taken.
      - akshatpradhan 10y ago
        At the end of the day, Uber did go too far, "Schmidt and his client were being investigated by a secretive research firm, staffed by veterans from the CIA and the National Security Council, conducting an investigation on behalf of Uber’s top executives. As soon as the lawsuit was filed, those executives took an interest in Schmidt and his client, sending out operatives to dig up what they could find on Uber’s new antagonists."