4 ms·

While I understand and support that Uber must comply with local laws and that it is unfair to taxi drivers who paid 200k or whatever for a license (which is the

While I understand and support that Uber must comply with local laws and that it is unfair to taxi drivers who paid 200k or whatever for a license (which is the case in most EU countries), I do would like to see Uber push for modernization because that will not happen with those local cab drivers. In countries where Uber is allowed, I can pick between a nice, clean car with a friendly driver or an old crappy vehicle with a grumpy, smelly driver. In Hong Kong UberX are mostly new Teslas driven by people who speak some English, while the local cabs are so old and decrapped I do not understand how they even are allowed on the road. And those are not exceptions. In Spain, where Uber is no more, I get in to cars, the drivers swear in Spanish (they do not speak English mostly) that the drive is too short, burps and then drives off. Again no exception: it happens only to us already a lot and we are polite people (maybe we should not be?). After that experience you have no recoarse to complain: with Uber you tap in the app and even get some or all money back. And drivers under a certain score drop off. With regular taxis it is fuck you very much for your money. So banning Uber is nice and all and logical but then the gov should at least demand of taxis to offer the same level: hell their prices are much higher than Uber as well in almost all instances, so even if we do not mention that all the rest should be at the same level. I know they cannot and that is why Uber breaking the law is needed; that is a sad thing. The client is king and that has been lost by traditional cabbies in Europe a long time ago.

soVeryTired 10y ago
> hell their prices are much higher than Uber as well in almost all instances I mean, that's kind of the point. If customers want to be picked up in shiny Teslas that's ok. But it's only fair that they pay the actual cost of the ride. At present, Uber riders are being subsidised to the tune of $2bn per year [0]: that's a deeply anti-competitive business practice. [0] https://ftalphaville.ft.com/2016/12/01/2180647/the-taxi-unicorns-new-clothes/ https://ftalphaville.ft.com/2016/12/01/2180647/the-taxi-unic...
- tluyben2 10y ago
  Yes, that is why I say besides. If Ubers were more expensive than normal cabs I would still use Uber. However then I agree Uber would die as most people use it probably for the cheap prices.
  - Mithaldu 10y ago
    > that is why I say besides http://i.imgur.com/rUfz6aU.png http://i.imgur.com/rUfz6aU.png ??? Also, if taxis were to ratchet luxury up to uber levels, their prices would need to rise a lot as well, making the exercise rather useless. Laws over here demand certain safety, inspection and insurance standards. Stuff that is important. Demanding luxury would be very stupid.
    - tluyben2 10y ago
      Sorry, I say that somewhere else in this discussion. I am, personally, not concerned with pricing but I know that most people are. And I do find that unfair; they should not benefit from loopholes and shortcuts, however I do find the pressure on licenses good; those shouldn't really exist anymore. > Stuff that is important. Demanding luxury would be very stupid. You think it is for safety or just paper pushing? Because I'm sure in most countries it is sold as safety but it is really a bureaucratic exercise nothing to do with safety. If it is for safety, of course that comes first. I highly doubt it is (seeing that normal cabbies drive like maniacs in cars where the seatbelts do not actually work a lot of the time while they still have the official license) or that you know for sure that it is or even attributes to safety at all.
      - Mithaldu 10y ago
        > You think it is for safety Yes. I cannot look up the actual regulations for Italy, since i don't speak italian, but i know that the licenses at least require a written test. I also know that in Germany for example the regulations are extremely strict. I expect the italian ones to fall somewhere between the us and german regulations. E: http://www.italy.army.mil/visitor_transportation.asp http://www.italy.army.mil/visitor_transportation.asp states about taxis: "Taxi drivers must be properly licensed and insured and their vehicles inspected for safety." > seeing that normal cabbies drive like maniacs in cars where the seatbelts do not actually work a lot of the time while they still have the official license In Italy?
Markoff 10y ago
apparently you never heard of taxi apps which provide pretty much same experience as Uber while working with licensed taxi drivers BTW not sure why should taxi driver in Spain speak English
- icebergonfire 10y ago
  > not sure why should taxi driver in Spain speak English Because it is embarrasing to have a tourism-based economy and at the same time to be proud of not speaking any English, which is highly likely to be at least one of the common languages you are going to share with the customer. Disclaimer: I am a native spaniard. If you are going to visit Sevilla for Semana Santa, you better have some Spanish under your belt because it's highly unlikely anyone around you speaks anything else.
- tluyben2 10y ago
  I have but they work not at all like the Uber app: the ones I tried, in Spain anyway, are awful and buggy. Which one(s) are you talking about? >not sure why should taxi driver in Spain speak English for many reasons I would find obvious (economic etc) but besides that: given the choice between someone with and without multiple languages the better service is multiple, so sure, does not have to but overall it helps.
  - RobertoG 10y ago
    Well.. maybe you should learn some Spanish, after all, you are in Spain. Do a lot of Uber drivers in your city speak Spanish or Chinese?
    - tluyben2 10y ago
      I speak Spanish, lived there for 10 years. That's again not the point; it is extra service. And most Spanish people I meet agree people need to learn English by the way; you do not? It would not be too weird to ask for a basic grasp of English in a 'united Europe'. Or pick a language; German, French, Spanish, but something we all 'speak'. It would help, but that's another discussion.
Doctor_Fegg 10y ago
> In countries where Uber is allowed, I can pick between a nice, clean car with a friendly driver or an old crappy vehicle with a grumpy, smelly driver Or a train, or a bus, or a hire-bike (or your own bike). Taxis aren't the only competition for many Uber journeys - pretty much anywhere in London, for example. Given that governments often invest heavily in trains, buses and bike-hire schemes, which all in their own way contribute to more liveable cities, there is an additional incentive not to let Uber dump on the wider transport market.

soVeryTired 10y ago

> hell their prices are much higher than Uber as well in almost all instances I mean, that's kind of the point. If customers want to be picked up in shiny Teslas that's ok. But it's only fair that they pay the actual cost of the ride. At present, Uber riders are being subsidised to the tune of $2bn per year [0]: that's a deeply anti-competitive business practice. [0] https://ftalphaville.ft.com/2016/12/01/2180647/the-taxi-unicorns-new-clothes/ https://ftalphaville.ft.com/2016/12/01/2180647/the-taxi-unic...

tluyben2 10y ago
Yes, that is why I say besides. If Ubers were more expensive than normal cabs I would still use Uber. However then I agree Uber would die as most people use it probably for the cheap prices.
- Mithaldu 10y ago
  > that is why I say besides http://i.imgur.com/rUfz6aU.png http://i.imgur.com/rUfz6aU.png ??? Also, if taxis were to ratchet luxury up to uber levels, their prices would need to rise a lot as well, making the exercise rather useless. Laws over here demand certain safety, inspection and insurance standards. Stuff that is important. Demanding luxury would be very stupid.
  - tluyben2 10y ago
    Sorry, I say that somewhere else in this discussion. I am, personally, not concerned with pricing but I know that most people are. And I do find that unfair; they should not benefit from loopholes and shortcuts, however I do find the pressure on licenses good; those shouldn't really exist anymore. > Stuff that is important. Demanding luxury would be very stupid. You think it is for safety or just paper pushing? Because I'm sure in most countries it is sold as safety but it is really a bureaucratic exercise nothing to do with safety. If it is for safety, of course that comes first. I highly doubt it is (seeing that normal cabbies drive like maniacs in cars where the seatbelts do not actually work a lot of the time while they still have the official license) or that you know for sure that it is or even attributes to safety at all.
    - Mithaldu 10y ago
      > You think it is for safety Yes. I cannot look up the actual regulations for Italy, since i don't speak italian, but i know that the licenses at least require a written test. I also know that in Germany for example the regulations are extremely strict. I expect the italian ones to fall somewhere between the us and german regulations. E: http://www.italy.army.mil/visitor_transportation.asp http://www.italy.army.mil/visitor_transportation.asp states about taxis: "Taxi drivers must be properly licensed and insured and their vehicles inspected for safety." > seeing that normal cabbies drive like maniacs in cars where the seatbelts do not actually work a lot of the time while they still have the official license In Italy?

Markoff 10y ago

apparently you never heard of taxi apps which provide pretty much same experience as Uber while working with licensed taxi drivers BTW not sure why should taxi driver in Spain speak English

icebergonfire 10y ago
> not sure why should taxi driver in Spain speak English Because it is embarrasing to have a tourism-based economy and at the same time to be proud of not speaking any English, which is highly likely to be at least one of the common languages you are going to share with the customer. Disclaimer: I am a native spaniard. If you are going to visit Sevilla for Semana Santa, you better have some Spanish under your belt because it's highly unlikely anyone around you speaks anything else.
tluyben2 10y ago
I have but they work not at all like the Uber app: the ones I tried, in Spain anyway, are awful and buggy. Which one(s) are you talking about? >not sure why should taxi driver in Spain speak English for many reasons I would find obvious (economic etc) but besides that: given the choice between someone with and without multiple languages the better service is multiple, so sure, does not have to but overall it helps.
- RobertoG 10y ago
  Well.. maybe you should learn some Spanish, after all, you are in Spain. Do a lot of Uber drivers in your city speak Spanish or Chinese?
  - tluyben2 10y ago
    I speak Spanish, lived there for 10 years. That's again not the point; it is extra service. And most Spanish people I meet agree people need to learn English by the way; you do not? It would not be too weird to ask for a basic grasp of English in a 'united Europe'. Or pick a language; German, French, Spanish, but something we all 'speak'. It would help, but that's another discussion.

Doctor_Fegg 10y ago

> In countries where Uber is allowed, I can pick between a nice, clean car with a friendly driver or an old crappy vehicle with a grumpy, smelly driver Or a train, or a bus, or a hire-bike (or your own bike). Taxis aren't the only competition for many Uber journeys - pretty much anywhere in London, for example. Given that governments often invest heavily in trains, buses and bike-hire schemes, which all in their own way contribute to more liveable cities, there is an additional incentive not to let Uber dump on the wider transport market.