7 ms·

Ahh - the comment from the person with the multi-car garage, the tesla and the range rover. Walk me through what folks without good car / transit access should

Ahh - the comment from the person with the multi-car garage, the tesla and the range rover. Walk me through what folks without good car / transit access should be using? If cab companies are "essential" then uber is essential and preferred to cab companies in many markets. A lot of folks on HN seems to be approaching this whole situation from the I have a ton of money, can work from home, have a car mental model.

dbancajas 6y ago
> ation from the I have a ton of money, can work fr is uber cheaper than cabs/public transpo w/o the VC subsidy? 15 years ago there was no uber and people were able to get by using public transpo.
- nerfhammer 6y ago
  the idea that uber loses money on rides because of "VC" needs to die. uber is not VC funded anymore and hasn't been for a long time now. uber loses money on every ride because uber loses money overall because it spends a lot of money on other projects, not because the marginal cost/benefit of each ride is negative.
  - dbancajas 6y ago
    If they spin off the ride sharing part of the company how much are they earning? do you know?
    - mqnfred 6y ago
      The ridesharing line of business has been profitable for at least a year from what I can tell. The plan was for it to cover all the other costs by EoY 2020, incl. HQ expenses and other bets like Eats.
- Reubend 6y ago
  Centuries ago, people got by with horses. Does that mean that cars aren't essential? Ridesharing services allow for an unprecedented level of mobility for those who don't already own cars.
  - dbancajas 6y ago
    You could say the same for taxis. If uber cost 100$/ride you wouldn't be claiming it is unprecedented. It will die because no one wants to pay for it with the real cost: livable wage + proper car insurance.
economicslol 6y ago
>have a car mental model. I suspect buying a reasonable used compact car is much more financially prudent than using Uber as you means of transportation. Maybe the calculus flips in a dense city like NYC but there's no way people who commute every day with Uber are doing so for cheaper than actually owning a car.
- tjr225 6y ago
  Buying a reasonable used compact car probably costs around 2000$ minimum. And a 2000$ car, no matter how nice, has the potential to require much more $$$ in maintenance when things start breaking. Believe it or not, there are people out there who don't have $2000 and these people are also the same ones who can't get anyone to lend them money.
  - economicslol 6y ago
    This is not some let them eat cake thing, frankly I think people with your pov are actually the ones saying that. How much would it actually cost to commute 20-30 minutes to and from work in an Uber? $40 a day? More? Let's just say its 40 and you strictly commute during the week so that's $200 a week or 800 a month. Even with bad credit or no credit you would be able to save for a car rapidly. The $2000 car would only take 10 weeks to pay for fully in cash and the savings of 800$ per month could easily cover maintenance. My point is if you can afford to use Uber as your sole means of transportation you can surely afford your own car and the people who can't are using subways or Buses. It's pretty simple, people who are struggling aren't using Uber very often.
    - KptMarchewa 6y ago
      Why are you so focused on the "sole means of transportation"? Before COVID I've used Uber and the likes around twice a month - when using public transportation was unfeasible, like going to the airport with heavy luggage. Using public transportation and supplementing it with Uber was definitely most reasonable solution.
      - 6y ago
aguyfromnb 6y ago
>A lot of folks on HN seems to be approaching this whole situation from the I have a ton of money, can work from home, have a car mental model. You think poor people are using Uber to get around?
- kikokikokiko 6y ago
  No, they are the ones driving it. And now they will be out of their job.
dang 6y ago
Please don't cross into personal attack. Your comment would be fine without the first sentence. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
andyjohnson0 6y ago
> Ahh - the comment from the person with the multi-car garage, the tesla and the range rover. I think you have me mistaken for someone else. I don't have any of those things. Not even close.

dbancajas 6y ago

> ation from the I have a ton of money, can work fr is uber cheaper than cabs/public transpo w/o the VC subsidy? 15 years ago there was no uber and people were able to get by using public transpo.

nerfhammer 6y ago
the idea that uber loses money on rides because of "VC" needs to die. uber is not VC funded anymore and hasn't been for a long time now. uber loses money on every ride because uber loses money overall because it spends a lot of money on other projects, not because the marginal cost/benefit of each ride is negative.
- dbancajas 6y ago
  If they spin off the ride sharing part of the company how much are they earning? do you know?
  - mqnfred 6y ago
    The ridesharing line of business has been profitable for at least a year from what I can tell. The plan was for it to cover all the other costs by EoY 2020, incl. HQ expenses and other bets like Eats.
Reubend 6y ago
Centuries ago, people got by with horses. Does that mean that cars aren't essential? Ridesharing services allow for an unprecedented level of mobility for those who don't already own cars.
- dbancajas 6y ago
  You could say the same for taxis. If uber cost 100$/ride you wouldn't be claiming it is unprecedented. It will die because no one wants to pay for it with the real cost: livable wage + proper car insurance.

economicslol 6y ago

>have a car mental model. I suspect buying a reasonable used compact car is much more financially prudent than using Uber as you means of transportation. Maybe the calculus flips in a dense city like NYC but there's no way people who commute every day with Uber are doing so for cheaper than actually owning a car.

tjr225 6y ago
Buying a reasonable used compact car probably costs around 2000$ minimum. And a 2000$ car, no matter how nice, has the potential to require much more $$$ in maintenance when things start breaking. Believe it or not, there are people out there who don't have $2000 and these people are also the same ones who can't get anyone to lend them money.
- economicslol 6y ago
  This is not some let them eat cake thing, frankly I think people with your pov are actually the ones saying that. How much would it actually cost to commute 20-30 minutes to and from work in an Uber? $40 a day? More? Let's just say its 40 and you strictly commute during the week so that's $200 a week or 800 a month. Even with bad credit or no credit you would be able to save for a car rapidly. The $2000 car would only take 10 weeks to pay for fully in cash and the savings of 800$ per month could easily cover maintenance. My point is if you can afford to use Uber as your sole means of transportation you can surely afford your own car and the people who can't are using subways or Buses. It's pretty simple, people who are struggling aren't using Uber very often.
  - KptMarchewa 6y ago
    Why are you so focused on the "sole means of transportation"? Before COVID I've used Uber and the likes around twice a month - when using public transportation was unfeasible, like going to the airport with heavy luggage. Using public transportation and supplementing it with Uber was definitely most reasonable solution.
    - 6y ago

aguyfromnb 6y ago

>A lot of folks on HN seems to be approaching this whole situation from the I have a ton of money, can work from home, have a car mental model. You think poor people are using Uber to get around?

kikokikokiko 6y ago
No, they are the ones driving it. And now they will be out of their job.

dang 6y ago

Please don't cross into personal attack. Your comment would be fine without the first sentence. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

andyjohnson0 6y ago

> Ahh - the comment from the person with the multi-car garage, the tesla and the range rover. I think you have me mistaken for someone else. I don't have any of those things. Not even close.