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Every article like this, there are comments like yours. Yet, I've taken a taxi many times, and nearly every time it was: call #, request taxi, "okay, 15 minutes

Every article like this, there are comments like yours. Yet, I've taken a taxi many times, and nearly every time it was: call #, request taxi, "okay, 15 minutes", 15 minutes later taxi arrives, we drive to destination, pay by CC. I've had a problem exactly once: I caught a taxi at the airport in Denver, CO, and like most airports, the pricing plan from the airport is different than to the airport (which is priced like a normal ride). Upon arrival at the destination, the cabbie didn't want to honor that agreement — "how would I make money if I charged that much?" — which, had I not been in shock from hearing about the stupidest remark I'd ever heard, I should have really told him exactly how he should make money. But that was once, out of probably dozens of experiences. I've had far more trouble with, say, … airlines. I've taken Lyft/Uber too, and honestly, it just isn't much different? The wait is about the same (relative to location, that is, less in crowded city centers). The difference is the ordering: with Lyft/Uber it is by app instead of by call. Slightly nicer, admittedly (can drop the pin, no need to understand often poor quality audio) but both apps absolutely murder cell batteries.

reedciccio 5y ago
Uber is the same app anywhere in the world. Lyft is the same all over the US. You don't have to memorize or discover different ways to call a cab in all the places you're traveling to. That's the main advantage I see.
yupper32 5y ago
Well since articles more often have comments like mine, maybe you're in the minority of locations that have a decent taxi service? Last time I took a taxi, it was on the East coast and it took an hour for someone to show up. I called 3 times to the dispatch and each time they said 10min. Then the car showed up and they said the CC machine was broken and I had to pay in cash. I didn't have cash. Then suddenly the CC machine was fine and I finally was able to get my ride.
graeme 5y ago
I was kicked out of a taxi once in Montreal when the driver heard I was going to the airport. Fortunately he did so by a cab stand so I got another quickly but it was jarring. Had cab machines have “broken” electronic payment terminals more times than I can count. There is on local taxi company that’s always excellent, Atlas Taxi. But other than them had real lousy experiences in the pre uber days. And very hard to get an invoice for tax purposes even if you paid by card.
astrange 5y ago
Japan and London are the only places I've had taxi rides that don't feel like being kidnapped. When they actually show up.

reedciccio 5y ago

Uber is the same app anywhere in the world. Lyft is the same all over the US. You don't have to memorize or discover different ways to call a cab in all the places you're traveling to. That's the main advantage I see.

yupper32 5y ago

Well since articles more often have comments like mine, maybe you're in the minority of locations that have a decent taxi service? Last time I took a taxi, it was on the East coast and it took an hour for someone to show up. I called 3 times to the dispatch and each time they said 10min. Then the car showed up and they said the CC machine was broken and I had to pay in cash. I didn't have cash. Then suddenly the CC machine was fine and I finally was able to get my ride.

graeme 5y ago

I was kicked out of a taxi once in Montreal when the driver heard I was going to the airport. Fortunately he did so by a cab stand so I got another quickly but it was jarring. Had cab machines have “broken” electronic payment terminals more times than I can count. There is on local taxi company that’s always excellent, Atlas Taxi. But other than them had real lousy experiences in the pre uber days. And very hard to get an invoice for tax purposes even if you paid by card.

astrange 5y ago

Japan and London are the only places I've had taxi rides that don't feel like being kidnapped. When they actually show up.