4 ms·

About 99% of times I've taken a taxi I've called a number, spoken briefly with a dispatcher, then waited for my taxi. I'd say about the same ease as an app, may

About 99% of times I've taken a taxi I've called a number, spoken briefly with a dispatcher, then waited for my taxi. I'd say about the same ease as an app, maybe easier in the rain. Trying to enter info on a touch screen while water falls from the sky can be a trial.

cortesoft 7y ago
That is not nearly as easy as an app... you have to talk to someone, you have to know where you are, and you have no information about how close they are. That is fine if that works for you, but the app is way easier for most people... which is why they have totally taken over most ride hailing business. If people agreed with you that calling a taxi is just as easy as calling an Uber or Lyft, those two would have never taken off.
- dawnerd 7y ago
  Uber/Lyft took off because they were MUCH cheaper than taxis for a while - plus taxi drivers kind of gave themselves a bad reputation. Seems we've come full circle.
  - MuffinFlavored 7y ago
    > plus taxi drivers kind of gave themselves a bad reputation. I think it is usually "people who can afford to go into a taxi do not like mingling with people who are only worth a taxi driver's salary". I don't think most would say many positive things about a person that is only worth $x/hr on the economic market (where $x/hr is a taxi driver's average wages). Whether it is due to lack of education / opportunity, I do not know.
- grawprog 7y ago
  I've never used uber or lyft, so I'm not sure how their apps work, but I keep my location turned off on my phone always, so I'm assuming the apps would have no way of knowing where I am without either turning it on or manually entering my location. Typically, I usually know where I am enough to give a cross street. I can't imagine getting an uber to a place where I couldn't describe my location. Every taxi place I've called, gives a wait estimate and generally tells me how far away the closest taxis are. The taxi companies here at least have actually released apps that let you call a taxi, track where they are generally many of the features uber and lyft's apps offer. To be honest, I don't trust taxi drivers much either, but they're regulated, they have cameras and they're accountable to somebody. The same can't really be said for uber/lift.
  - MuffinFlavored 7y ago
    > I've never used uber or lyft, so I'm not sure how their apps work What country are you in? I'm curious what percentage you are compared to working adults in your country because "never used Uber" in my social circle/area is very close to "living under a rock"
    - pests 7y ago
      Only 1/3rd of Americans have ever used a ride share app.
    - grawprog 7y ago
      Canada in Vancouver.
  - cortesoft 7y ago
    Sure, if you don't use location on your phone, and have a need to always know exactly how to describe where you are, you might not get as much a benefit from using Uber vs a taxi... but most people use their phone location and often don't know how to direct someone to where they are. I always find these sorts of threads interesting, because it is often someone arguing against some popular service by describing how they do things... but the way they do things is vastly different than 99% of people. Maybe taxis work better for you, but that is because you are pretty unique in how you operate.
    - ethanwillis 7y ago
      Are we seriously living in a world where most people can't read street signs and describe where they are? The popular service has offered convenience that seems to have withered most people's brains.
      - cortesoft 7y ago
        I bet when street signs were introduced, people said "Are we seriously living in a a world where people can't look around at landmarks and know where they are? They need to look at the name written down on a sign? These popular street signs offered convenience that seems to have withered most people's brains"
cortesoft 7y ago
As a side note, 99% of the times I have called a taxi, I end up with a very poor connection, having to repeat myself multiple times, talking to someone who makes it seem like helping me get a taxi is the last thing they want to be doing. They don't understand what I want, can't figure out where I am, and get angry at me when I have trouble hearing them on the crappy phone line.

cortesoft 7y ago

That is not nearly as easy as an app... you have to talk to someone, you have to know where you are, and you have no information about how close they are. That is fine if that works for you, but the app is way easier for most people... which is why they have totally taken over most ride hailing business. If people agreed with you that calling a taxi is just as easy as calling an Uber or Lyft, those two would have never taken off.

dawnerd 7y ago
Uber/Lyft took off because they were MUCH cheaper than taxis for a while - plus taxi drivers kind of gave themselves a bad reputation. Seems we've come full circle.
- MuffinFlavored 7y ago
  > plus taxi drivers kind of gave themselves a bad reputation. I think it is usually "people who can afford to go into a taxi do not like mingling with people who are only worth a taxi driver's salary". I don't think most would say many positive things about a person that is only worth $x/hr on the economic market (where $x/hr is a taxi driver's average wages). Whether it is due to lack of education / opportunity, I do not know.
grawprog 7y ago
I've never used uber or lyft, so I'm not sure how their apps work, but I keep my location turned off on my phone always, so I'm assuming the apps would have no way of knowing where I am without either turning it on or manually entering my location. Typically, I usually know where I am enough to give a cross street. I can't imagine getting an uber to a place where I couldn't describe my location. Every taxi place I've called, gives a wait estimate and generally tells me how far away the closest taxis are. The taxi companies here at least have actually released apps that let you call a taxi, track where they are generally many of the features uber and lyft's apps offer. To be honest, I don't trust taxi drivers much either, but they're regulated, they have cameras and they're accountable to somebody. The same can't really be said for uber/lift.
- MuffinFlavored 7y ago
  > I've never used uber or lyft, so I'm not sure how their apps work What country are you in? I'm curious what percentage you are compared to working adults in your country because "never used Uber" in my social circle/area is very close to "living under a rock"
  - pests 7y ago
    Only 1/3rd of Americans have ever used a ride share app.
  - grawprog 7y ago
    Canada in Vancouver.
- cortesoft 7y ago
  Sure, if you don't use location on your phone, and have a need to always know exactly how to describe where you are, you might not get as much a benefit from using Uber vs a taxi... but most people use their phone location and often don't know how to direct someone to where they are. I always find these sorts of threads interesting, because it is often someone arguing against some popular service by describing how they do things... but the way they do things is vastly different than 99% of people. Maybe taxis work better for you, but that is because you are pretty unique in how you operate.
  - ethanwillis 7y ago
    Are we seriously living in a world where most people can't read street signs and describe where they are? The popular service has offered convenience that seems to have withered most people's brains.
    - cortesoft 7y ago
      I bet when street signs were introduced, people said "Are we seriously living in a a world where people can't look around at landmarks and know where they are? They need to look at the name written down on a sign? These popular street signs offered convenience that seems to have withered most people's brains"

cortesoft 7y ago

As a side note, 99% of the times I have called a taxi, I end up with a very poor connection, having to repeat myself multiple times, talking to someone who makes it seem like helping me get a taxi is the last thing they want to be doing. They don't understand what I want, can't figure out where I am, and get angry at me when I have trouble hearing them on the crappy phone line.