10 ms·

I have to say, it kind of blows my mind that someone could not see the difference in user experience between a bus and an Uber/Lyft... Even in the absolute best

I have to say, it kind of blows my mind that someone could not see the difference in user experience between a bus and an Uber/Lyft... Even in the absolute best case scenario for the bus, where there's a perfect bus route from where you are now to your destination and there's a bus leaving exactly when you get to the stop, Uber/Lyft is still clearly better, and that best case scenario for the bus almost never occurs.

jsprogrammer 10y ago
I've never seen an Uber/Lyft vehicle I could stand in.
- mtone 10y ago
  But standing in a bus is part of the worst case scenario.
  - dalke 10y ago
    Really? Sometimes I want to stand. Buses are also great if you have a stroller. Or are in a group. Most buses (at least where I live) are wheelchair accessible. From a utility standpoint, if I have to stand then there are 30 or more others in the same bus. That corresponds to 20+ individual cars. The high density lines go every 10 minutes, with an accordion bus. Assuming worst-case standing is frequent then there's something like 60+ people, meaning that one bus is equivalent to at least 40 cars. Bearing in mind there's already other street traffic. In other words, the worst case scenario for a bus means that the worst case scenario for the alternative leads is more street congestion.
    - adrianN 10y ago
      You can also have self-driving busses, you know.
      - dalke 10y ago
        Well, yes. But that's not really tied to the thread is it? I mean, the self-driving bus is going to follow a given route, and not have most of the advantages that throwaway287391 sees in Uber/Lyft. BTW, I don't know how much you use the bus, but the driver does more than just drive. People ask "is this the bus to X?", or "could you let me know when I've reached Y?" If someone is running for the bus, the driver will sometimes wait a bit. (I've done all of the above.) I've been on a bus where the side door didn't close. The driver didn't notice it, and started driving away. The passengers told the driver of the problem, who stopped the bus and closed the door manually. The driver also kicks off people who are too disruptive. Or wait until the cyclist mounts a bike on the front bike rack before getting into the bus. You wouldn't want an automated bus driving away with someone's bike on it, but without the person inside, would you?
gkya 10y ago
I can easily see the difference, but I am no lord or duke, and thus not be bothered if sometimes my voyage is a bit uncomfortable. It's (edit: I meant public transport in general) cheaper, better for the environment, more social, certainly more secure than a random multinational company, quicker than any other option besides the motorbike, and helps free the roads for emergencies like ambulances carrying ill or wounded people. Now if infrastructure where you are is sub par, that's an infrastructure problem, not a defect of the medium. Edit: I really want to add that I detest uber and the like for attempting to kill local businesses replacing them with lower quality cheaper services.
- jonknee 10y ago
  > I really want to add that I detest uber and the like for attempting to kill local businesses replacing them with lower quality cheaper services. Uber in no way replaces local businesses with lower quality cheaper services. In most markets it is replacing corrupt monopolies with a higher quality product. In the other markets it is just a higher quality product.
  - gkya 10y ago
    Please give examples.
    - prodigal_erik 10y ago
      Uber has never told me to wait an hour for a car that doesn't show up. If an Uber driver were to pad my bill by taking a bad route, I could complain and get a price adjustment. Uber always accepts credit card payments.
    - jonknee 10y ago
      Uber actually shows up, most cab companies I have used don't. Uber cars are cleaner and have working air conditioning / heat If you have a problem you just give the trip a bad review and someone follows up and actually does something about it (typically a refund) You get emailed a receipt with everything you need to get reimbursed by your company instead of handed a blank card that you have to fill out yourself and hope your company believes. In many markets there are a lot more Uber cars than taxis so it is much quicker to find one. You don't have to hassle over paying with a credit card, no "the machine is broken" excuses. Etc etc. I would never ride in a taxi again if there was Uber everywhere I went. Without question.
franciscop 10y ago
I am lucky enough that the bus stopped at my home door and at my University door that passes every 5 minutes and costs €0.60 ($0.66). It is also kind of a social experience in Spain, since many times I would meet people from the University and chat up with them (also I am in an large student group that I started so I know a lot of people). The buses are normally really lively and just fun to ride. Lastly I am happier knowing that I am using a not-so-contaminating bus instead of my large old car, and that in doing so I am helping even if a bit to make public transportation use more common. While this is not so convenient, making me happier about this is for sure part of the user experience. Also I realize that it's a drop in the bucket, but every bit matters. But the truth is that it comes down to price vs technology. Right now the price of taxi (or Uber) doesn't make economic sense for students or Spain, and the technology is not there yet in terms of automation and parking is a major issue here. So bus is more convenient for many people. Also it frees up a lot of time if you would drive instead (which is also a major point for me taking up the bus) as I would read in the train or review some notes. Edit: I also have to point out that once I took a bus in USA and it was probably one of the worst experiences in my life in transportation; it smelled like s*, people were staring rudely at us all the time while filling many more seats for no reason at all, it was super slow in a really bad street, the bus came really late and the driver was totally unhelpful and just plain rude.

jsprogrammer 10y ago

I've never seen an Uber/Lyft vehicle I could stand in.

mtone 10y ago
But standing in a bus is part of the worst case scenario.
- dalke 10y ago
  Really? Sometimes I want to stand. Buses are also great if you have a stroller. Or are in a group. Most buses (at least where I live) are wheelchair accessible. From a utility standpoint, if I have to stand then there are 30 or more others in the same bus. That corresponds to 20+ individual cars. The high density lines go every 10 minutes, with an accordion bus. Assuming worst-case standing is frequent then there's something like 60+ people, meaning that one bus is equivalent to at least 40 cars. Bearing in mind there's already other street traffic. In other words, the worst case scenario for a bus means that the worst case scenario for the alternative leads is more street congestion.
  - adrianN 10y ago
    You can also have self-driving busses, you know.
    - dalke 10y ago
      Well, yes. But that's not really tied to the thread is it? I mean, the self-driving bus is going to follow a given route, and not have most of the advantages that throwaway287391 sees in Uber/Lyft. BTW, I don't know how much you use the bus, but the driver does more than just drive. People ask "is this the bus to X?", or "could you let me know when I've reached Y?" If someone is running for the bus, the driver will sometimes wait a bit. (I've done all of the above.) I've been on a bus where the side door didn't close. The driver didn't notice it, and started driving away. The passengers told the driver of the problem, who stopped the bus and closed the door manually. The driver also kicks off people who are too disruptive. Or wait until the cyclist mounts a bike on the front bike rack before getting into the bus. You wouldn't want an automated bus driving away with someone's bike on it, but without the person inside, would you?

gkya 10y ago

I can easily see the difference, but I am no lord or duke, and thus not be bothered if sometimes my voyage is a bit uncomfortable. It's (edit: I meant public transport in general) cheaper, better for the environment, more social, certainly more secure than a random multinational company, quicker than any other option besides the motorbike, and helps free the roads for emergencies like ambulances carrying ill or wounded people. Now if infrastructure where you are is sub par, that's an infrastructure problem, not a defect of the medium. Edit: I really want to add that I detest uber and the like for attempting to kill local businesses replacing them with lower quality cheaper services.

jonknee 10y ago
> I really want to add that I detest uber and the like for attempting to kill local businesses replacing them with lower quality cheaper services. Uber in no way replaces local businesses with lower quality cheaper services. In most markets it is replacing corrupt monopolies with a higher quality product. In the other markets it is just a higher quality product.
- gkya 10y ago
  Please give examples.
  - prodigal_erik 10y ago
    Uber has never told me to wait an hour for a car that doesn't show up. If an Uber driver were to pad my bill by taking a bad route, I could complain and get a price adjustment. Uber always accepts credit card payments.
  - jonknee 10y ago
    Uber actually shows up, most cab companies I have used don't. Uber cars are cleaner and have working air conditioning / heat If you have a problem you just give the trip a bad review and someone follows up and actually does something about it (typically a refund) You get emailed a receipt with everything you need to get reimbursed by your company instead of handed a blank card that you have to fill out yourself and hope your company believes. In many markets there are a lot more Uber cars than taxis so it is much quicker to find one. You don't have to hassle over paying with a credit card, no "the machine is broken" excuses. Etc etc. I would never ride in a taxi again if there was Uber everywhere I went. Without question.

franciscop 10y ago

I am lucky enough that the bus stopped at my home door and at my University door that passes every 5 minutes and costs €0.60 ($0.66). It is also kind of a social experience in Spain, since many times I would meet people from the University and chat up with them (also I am in an large student group that I started so I know a lot of people). The buses are normally really lively and just fun to ride. Lastly I am happier knowing that I am using a not-so-contaminating bus instead of my large old car, and that in doing so I am helping even if a bit to make public transportation use more common. While this is not so convenient, making me happier about this is for sure part of the user experience. Also I realize that it's a drop in the bucket, but every bit matters. But the truth is that it comes down to price vs technology. Right now the price of taxi (or Uber) doesn't make economic sense for students or Spain, and the technology is not there yet in terms of automation and parking is a major issue here. So bus is more convenient for many people. Also it frees up a lot of time if you would drive instead (which is also a major point for me taking up the bus) as I would read in the train or review some notes. Edit: I also have to point out that once I took a bus in USA and it was probably one of the worst experiences in my life in transportation; it smelled like s*, people were staring rudely at us all the time while filling many more seats for no reason at all, it was super slow in a really bad street, the bus came really late and the driver was totally unhelpful and just plain rude.