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What's wrong with taxis? Genuine question. Won't a taxi cab get you to where you need to go just the same? They may not have an app, but you can probably use yo

by stryk 10y ago

What's wrong with taxis? Genuine question. Won't a taxi cab get you to where you need to go just the same? They may not have an app, but you can probably use your phone to call them.

SteveNuts 10y ago
Leaving the bar at 2:00am, trying to find a number for a cab company, calling their dispatch and communicate your location, then you hope the taxi actually shows up (you have no idea how long it will take, or if they actually will show up at all), being pressured to pay in cash because their credit card reader is "broken", and not knowing how much the total will be until you arrive... There's a huge list of reasons why Uber is nice to have, taxis and Uber are not even close.
- Markoff 10y ago
  where do you live that taxi companies don't have there yet apps? heck wet have already aggregators so you don't need bunch of apps so what's benefit for user? all i see at Uber is avoiding taxes and breaking competition by ignoring regulation which is why they are not that big in EU
- lactau 10y ago
  Are you still in 2004?
thatoneguy 10y ago
I'm no fan of Uber but taxis in Rome, Italy, at least, are the worst out of ~40 countries I've been to. And when you write the city to try and complain after photographing the taxi that ripped you off? They basically ask you fill out a novel. :-/
leovonl 10y ago
Nothing wrong, I'd love to use taxis. But I have a few conditions: * I want to call a driver and know if the ride was accepted, if the car is coming, how much time it will take for it to arrive, all in realtime... and specially, I want feedback if the ride is cancelled; * Not to be called names if the ride was too short; * Be able to rate the driver and know that anything I complained about would be taken seriously; * Pay a fair amount for a decent service. There are a number of taxi companies that are already doing apps and such. I think this is great. I have no such options where I live, therefore... Uber.
- malandrew 10y ago
  Your comment makes me wonder if pure taxi apps like flywheel even kick licensed taxi drivers off the app for having low ratings. It's entirely possible for someone to be a totally shitty driver but still not do anything that gets their licensed revoked by the commissioning authority because it's a purchased asset.
amorphid 10y ago
Calling a cab has always sucked for me in San Francisco. Often i couldn't reach a dispatcher, and when I did, they never committed to actually send a cab. Also, cabs are not cheap. These days, if I can't get an UberLyft, I take the bus or walk. I do not like cabs.
acalderaro 10y ago
Nothing is inherently "wrong" with taxi's, they're just inefficient. Just like there isn't anything "wrong" with encyclopedias, but why would you waste time looking in an encyclopedia/dictionary when you can just do a google search? That time has value, and if you choose to waste time, you're choosing to throw away money. That being said, taxis have an advantage of being available if people don't have a phone or it's uncharged. So there is a marginal, practical use for taxis, but by-and-large mobile ride sharing is more effective.
Markoff 10y ago
actually in plenty of countries you have taxi aggregator apps

by stryk 10y ago

What's wrong with taxis? Genuine question. Won't a taxi cab get you to where you need to go just the same? They may not have an app, but you can probably use your phone to call them.

SteveNuts 10y ago

Leaving the bar at 2:00am, trying to find a number for a cab company, calling their dispatch and communicate your location, then you hope the taxi actually shows up (you have no idea how long it will take, or if they actually will show up at all), being pressured to pay in cash because their credit card reader is "broken", and not knowing how much the total will be until you arrive... There's a huge list of reasons why Uber is nice to have, taxis and Uber are not even close.

Markoff 10y ago
where do you live that taxi companies don't have there yet apps? heck wet have already aggregators so you don't need bunch of apps so what's benefit for user? all i see at Uber is avoiding taxes and breaking competition by ignoring regulation which is why they are not that big in EU
lactau 10y ago
Are you still in 2004?

thatoneguy 10y ago

I'm no fan of Uber but taxis in Rome, Italy, at least, are the worst out of ~40 countries I've been to. And when you write the city to try and complain after photographing the taxi that ripped you off? They basically ask you fill out a novel. :-/

leovonl 10y ago

Nothing wrong, I'd love to use taxis. But I have a few conditions: * I want to call a driver and know if the ride was accepted, if the car is coming, how much time it will take for it to arrive, all in realtime... and specially, I want feedback if the ride is cancelled; * Not to be called names if the ride was too short; * Be able to rate the driver and know that anything I complained about would be taken seriously; * Pay a fair amount for a decent service. There are a number of taxi companies that are already doing apps and such. I think this is great. I have no such options where I live, therefore... Uber.

malandrew 10y ago
Your comment makes me wonder if pure taxi apps like flywheel even kick licensed taxi drivers off the app for having low ratings. It's entirely possible for someone to be a totally shitty driver but still not do anything that gets their licensed revoked by the commissioning authority because it's a purchased asset.

amorphid 10y ago

Calling a cab has always sucked for me in San Francisco. Often i couldn't reach a dispatcher, and when I did, they never committed to actually send a cab. Also, cabs are not cheap. These days, if I can't get an UberLyft, I take the bus or walk. I do not like cabs.

acalderaro 10y ago

Nothing is inherently "wrong" with taxi's, they're just inefficient. Just like there isn't anything "wrong" with encyclopedias, but why would you waste time looking in an encyclopedia/dictionary when you can just do a google search? That time has value, and if you choose to waste time, you're choosing to throw away money. That being said, taxis have an advantage of being available if people don't have a phone or it's uncharged. So there is a marginal, practical use for taxis, but by-and-large mobile ride sharing is more effective.

Markoff 10y ago

actually in plenty of countries you have taxi aggregator apps