7 ms·

It's not he accessibility of ride-sharing services that is doing this, it is the ride-sharing services policy of artificially low pricing to facilitate rapid gr

by qyv 10y ago

It's not he accessibility of ride-sharing services that is doing this, it is the ride-sharing services policy of artificially low pricing to facilitate rapid growth that is responsible. Those $9 rides are not sustainable. When the prices go back up to sustainable levels we will see many of these benefits evaporate.

psiclops 10y ago
It's still safer and cheaper than a DUI* or worse. For many people, as long as it is convenient, those benefits are enough
jnordwick 10y ago
And like you know, all the other things he listed: > it's easy to call one from a crowded/loud place, you know how much it will cost, they don't use cash, they know where you are, and you don't have to give directions. p.s., why do people like you want to hate on ride sharing services so much? Is it just that nothing can ever be good enough in your mind?
- xirdstl 10y ago
  I upvoted you, but I think this needs reinforcement. These are very valuable considerations when getting a ride home after drinking. In my personal experience, you call a cab, and they may not even come. There's no repercussion for that with traditional taxi services. Uber may be subsidizing pricing now, but there is still a higher price point that provides additional value, particularly for those drinking. Reliability, convenience, and accountability -- these are the keys.
  - visakanv 10y ago
    All of these things are also huge for people who are disabled (deaf, mute, etc) and for people who are in foreign countries, and all sorts of other situations that most of us might not typically think of.
  - Klathmon 10y ago
    Don't forget about the cost estimates. Even if ridesharing services were the same price as a taxi, knowing roughly how much it will cost before I even call the thing is a huge plus, and knowing the route they will take me on is even better. I don't need to be constantly on the lookout to make sure my uber driver isn't trying to fuck me by running the meter going the wrong direction giving me some bullshit about how his way is faster and then when we get there the credit card machine is broken and the fare is 3x what you expected (which is already 2x what it was in your home area). With uber, if someone pulls that I know I can get a refund with a pretty good chance in success. I haven't ever had a taxi company call me back about anything, half the time the fucking taxi doesn't even show up.
- hmcdona1 10y ago
  It's not even just that. I'm not sure about everywhere in the country but in parts of Texas good luck depending on a cab to show up within even an hour+ time frame you called in for it to. Everyone here has cars so there are very few cabs and the service is poor because of it. I went to college in San Antonio and Uber was banned for about a semester or so after it became the norm. Too many people started drunk driving again. For all intents and purposes, you either found a designated driver or didn't go out. Many choose the illegal third option. No matter what the price, the fact that you CAN get a timely ride via ride sharing apps is a game changer here.
- qyv 10y ago
  > And like you know, all the other things he listed: >> it's easy to call one from a crowded/loud place, you know how much it will cost, they don't use cash, they know where you are, and you don't have to give directions. Subjective advantages which are not exclusive nor intrinsic to ride sharing services. They can be replicated by anyone in the industry if they are deemed as valuable to their business. I never denied they don't add value (for some), I'm saying that it is the hugely undercut pricing that is primarily driving this trend. > p.s., why do people like you want to hate on ride sharing services so much? Is it just that nothing can ever be good enough in your mind? Wow, generalize much? Who is "people like you" exactly? The answer to you question is pretty obvious if you put the snark aside: My problem is with the predatory pricing that companies like Uber are using. when I said their pricing is not sustainable that is exactly what I meant. In 5 years they will either be gone or will have raised their prices.
  - douche 10y ago
    Even at the prices charged by traditional taxi companies, the service and convenience provided by Uber or Lyft is such an order of magnitude better that they should be viable competition.
  - marcosdumay 10y ago
    You know, we have a few confounding variables and a clear effect. Where does your certainty that it's price, and not another variable that it comes from? (Yes, I acknowledge you have a problem with the predatory pricing. I understand you. Was it not against taxis, I'd have a problem too, it's just that I hate taxis more than I hate powerful companies messing with small people. Yet, that does not make it any clear that the change is mostly due to prices.)
- sleepyhead 10y ago
  > p.s., why do people like you want to hate on ride sharing services so much? Is it just that nothing can ever be good enough in your mind? What a strange way to respond to valid criticism. Flip this: why do people like you refuse to see these issues? No one is saying that the Uber experience, app, upfront pricing, etc. is the issue. I think everyone is positive to those innovations in the market.
nsnick 10y ago
It is not the cost of the ride, it is the fact that an Uber driver will actually show up. In many cities if you call a taxi company at 2am, no one will answer.
- maccard 10y ago
  I've booked cabs before going out (UK) and had the agree to meeting me at 2/3am at a specific locstion, and they just don't show sometimes. I've had one no show über driver, and when he didn't show another showed up in his place.
nix0n 10y ago
Uber hopes to keep fares at their current level by replacing human drivers with autonomous vehicles.

by qyv 10y ago

psiclops 10y ago

It's still safer and cheaper than a DUI* or worse. For many people, as long as it is convenient, those benefits are enough

jnordwick 10y ago

And like you know, all the other things he listed: > it's easy to call one from a crowded/loud place, you know how much it will cost, they don't use cash, they know where you are, and you don't have to give directions. p.s., why do people like you want to hate on ride sharing services so much? Is it just that nothing can ever be good enough in your mind?

xirdstl 10y ago
I upvoted you, but I think this needs reinforcement. These are very valuable considerations when getting a ride home after drinking. In my personal experience, you call a cab, and they may not even come. There's no repercussion for that with traditional taxi services. Uber may be subsidizing pricing now, but there is still a higher price point that provides additional value, particularly for those drinking. Reliability, convenience, and accountability -- these are the keys.
- visakanv 10y ago
  All of these things are also huge for people who are disabled (deaf, mute, etc) and for people who are in foreign countries, and all sorts of other situations that most of us might not typically think of.
- Klathmon 10y ago
  Don't forget about the cost estimates. Even if ridesharing services were the same price as a taxi, knowing roughly how much it will cost before I even call the thing is a huge plus, and knowing the route they will take me on is even better. I don't need to be constantly on the lookout to make sure my uber driver isn't trying to fuck me by running the meter going the wrong direction giving me some bullshit about how his way is faster and then when we get there the credit card machine is broken and the fare is 3x what you expected (which is already 2x what it was in your home area). With uber, if someone pulls that I know I can get a refund with a pretty good chance in success. I haven't ever had a taxi company call me back about anything, half the time the fucking taxi doesn't even show up.
hmcdona1 10y ago
It's not even just that. I'm not sure about everywhere in the country but in parts of Texas good luck depending on a cab to show up within even an hour+ time frame you called in for it to. Everyone here has cars so there are very few cabs and the service is poor because of it. I went to college in San Antonio and Uber was banned for about a semester or so after it became the norm. Too many people started drunk driving again. For all intents and purposes, you either found a designated driver or didn't go out. Many choose the illegal third option. No matter what the price, the fact that you CAN get a timely ride via ride sharing apps is a game changer here.
qyv 10y ago
> And like you know, all the other things he listed: >> it's easy to call one from a crowded/loud place, you know how much it will cost, they don't use cash, they know where you are, and you don't have to give directions. Subjective advantages which are not exclusive nor intrinsic to ride sharing services. They can be replicated by anyone in the industry if they are deemed as valuable to their business. I never denied they don't add value (for some), I'm saying that it is the hugely undercut pricing that is primarily driving this trend. > p.s., why do people like you want to hate on ride sharing services so much? Is it just that nothing can ever be good enough in your mind? Wow, generalize much? Who is "people like you" exactly? The answer to you question is pretty obvious if you put the snark aside: My problem is with the predatory pricing that companies like Uber are using. when I said their pricing is not sustainable that is exactly what I meant. In 5 years they will either be gone or will have raised their prices.
- douche 10y ago
  Even at the prices charged by traditional taxi companies, the service and convenience provided by Uber or Lyft is such an order of magnitude better that they should be viable competition.
- marcosdumay 10y ago
  You know, we have a few confounding variables and a clear effect. Where does your certainty that it's price, and not another variable that it comes from? (Yes, I acknowledge you have a problem with the predatory pricing. I understand you. Was it not against taxis, I'd have a problem too, it's just that I hate taxis more than I hate powerful companies messing with small people. Yet, that does not make it any clear that the change is mostly due to prices.)
sleepyhead 10y ago
> p.s., why do people like you want to hate on ride sharing services so much? Is it just that nothing can ever be good enough in your mind? What a strange way to respond to valid criticism. Flip this: why do people like you refuse to see these issues? No one is saying that the Uber experience, app, upfront pricing, etc. is the issue. I think everyone is positive to those innovations in the market.

nsnick 10y ago

It is not the cost of the ride, it is the fact that an Uber driver will actually show up. In many cities if you call a taxi company at 2am, no one will answer.

maccard 10y ago
I've booked cabs before going out (UK) and had the agree to meeting me at 2/3am at a specific locstion, and they just don't show sometimes. I've had one no show über driver, and when he didn't show another showed up in his place.

nix0n 10y ago

Uber hopes to keep fares at their current level by replacing human drivers with autonomous vehicles.