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I recently moved to NYC and the taxis have been a godsend--though (somewhat comically) the drivers are aware they're operating a lower-cost business. My friend

I recently moved to NYC and the taxis have been a godsend--though (somewhat comically) the drivers are aware they're operating a lower-cost business. My friend recently got in a taxi and the cabbie immediately asked how much she thought the fare would be. She said "I'm not sure, maybe $15?" The Cabbie turned off the fare meter and said, sure, $15 it is. The reality is that uber and lyft are just not actually competitive in NYC. And rather than wait around for a lyft coming from god knows where, through manhattan traffic, it really is easier to just walk outside and stick your hand up. It can be much, MUCH cheaper, too. When I was in SF, Lyft wanted $72 to go from SOMA to Lower Haight--not what I would consider acceptable.

dfadsadsf 5y ago
Let me fix it for you > The reality is that uber and lyft are just not actually competitive in Manhattan < 90st if you need to go to Manhattan/Brooklyn. In most of New York taxis are nowhere to be found and they often refuse to leave Manhattan/Brownstone Brooklyn. Another big thing is that it's not big deal to walk to Ave to flag a taxi if you are young, healthy and it's not pouring rain (there are no taxis on streets) but imaging if you have limited mobility or have to carry heavy bags. Uber/Lyft is godsend in those cases.
- MAGZine 5y ago
  If either of those cases, you could always, you know, pick up the phone and call. But agreed. I think in ¬Dense Manhattan, Uber and Lyft have been a nice improvement service-wise, at least as far as a guarantee you know a ride is coming, and no hassles about payment and/or source/destination.
ryan_lane 5y ago
Your friend was stolen from. The cabbie isn't running the meter because they know the price was going to be less than $15. It also means they won't take a credit card for that ride, because the ride was illegal and it requires the meter to supply the price. It's funny to me that you see this anecdote as something that reflects well on the taxi industry in NYC.
- MAGZine 5y ago
  I don't think it reflects well, I'm merely pointing out that taxis are cheaper than ubers and lyfts, and they know it. In fact, I frequently offer taxis flat-rate to a destination if its busy and uber/lyft are at capacity. It's can be a nice feature about taxis, though agreed my friend was taken advantage of in this scenario.
  - ryan_lane 5y ago
    Taxis are usually not cheaper than ubers and lyfts. In very specific situations they may be cheaper, but on the whole they're not. What you're describing isn't a feature of taxis. It's illegal, unless the city has determined that a flat rate must be used (like to/from the airport). This actually is a feature of uber/lyft, though. They show you a flat rate up-front, prior to calling a ride.

dfadsadsf 5y ago

Let me fix it for you > The reality is that uber and lyft are just not actually competitive in Manhattan < 90st if you need to go to Manhattan/Brooklyn. In most of New York taxis are nowhere to be found and they often refuse to leave Manhattan/Brownstone Brooklyn. Another big thing is that it's not big deal to walk to Ave to flag a taxi if you are young, healthy and it's not pouring rain (there are no taxis on streets) but imaging if you have limited mobility or have to carry heavy bags. Uber/Lyft is godsend in those cases.

MAGZine 5y ago
If either of those cases, you could always, you know, pick up the phone and call. But agreed. I think in ¬Dense Manhattan, Uber and Lyft have been a nice improvement service-wise, at least as far as a guarantee you know a ride is coming, and no hassles about payment and/or source/destination.

ryan_lane 5y ago

Your friend was stolen from. The cabbie isn't running the meter because they know the price was going to be less than $15. It also means they won't take a credit card for that ride, because the ride was illegal and it requires the meter to supply the price. It's funny to me that you see this anecdote as something that reflects well on the taxi industry in NYC.

MAGZine 5y ago
I don't think it reflects well, I'm merely pointing out that taxis are cheaper than ubers and lyfts, and they know it. In fact, I frequently offer taxis flat-rate to a destination if its busy and uber/lyft are at capacity. It's can be a nice feature about taxis, though agreed my friend was taken advantage of in this scenario.
- ryan_lane 5y ago
  Taxis are usually not cheaper than ubers and lyfts. In very specific situations they may be cheaper, but on the whole they're not. What you're describing isn't a feature of taxis. It's illegal, unless the city has determined that a flat rate must be used (like to/from the airport). This actually is a feature of uber/lyft, though. They show you a flat rate up-front, prior to calling a ride.