5 ms·

In my (only a few days) experience with UberPop in Paris... it was horrible. I've used Uber (various service types) in a few cities, and most of all use them re

by corin_ 12y ago

In my (only a few days) experience with UberPop in Paris... it was horrible. I've used Uber (various service types) in a few cities, and most of all use them regularly in London. I think I'm close to adding them to my list of companies I just don't want to give business to, but that's a whole other barrel of worms. I spent a week in Paris last month, and while I'd normally ignore an UberPop level, my hotel was down a straight road to the place I was going every day that week, and with UberPop I exactly hit the minimum (€4), whereas paying more than double that I felt guilty enough to walk the 10-15min.. I don't think I've ever had such consistently bad experiences with any taxi service, be it modern or old, global or local. All the UberPop drivers had no GPS, or GPS that didn't work. All had trouble finding me to collect, despite Uber's seemingly straight-forward system. I had to give directions (not just "my hotel's round the next corner", but directions for full longer journeys), luckily my French is just good enough... After a few trips I stopped trying to save money and went back to UberX and UberBerline. All sorted after that (a couple of language-caused issues, but that's my fault for being English in Paris and not speaking French as well as I'd like!)

aetherson 12y ago
What's the difference between UberPop and UberX?
- intrepidd42 12y ago
  UberPop drivers are regular people like you and me. UberX drivers are professional "tourist drivers".
  - aetherson 12y ago
    Huh. So in San Francisco, UberX are citizen drivers, UberBlack are professional limo drivers, and there is no UberPop.
    - corin_ 12y ago
      In Paris (I think, again anecdotal and I only used UberPop on my most recent trip to Paris) UberX are "citizen drivers", but meeting semi-professional standards in both their service and their vehicle. UperPop, at least feels to the consumer, like someone with a small car clicked a button saying "yep I can do this" and voila, off they go.
    - zobzu 12y ago
      yeah uberx are still following uber's guidelines and are pretty professional. if they fuck up too much uber terminates their license. uberpop is basically everyone and their dog, ie this is closer to real ride sharing.
      - deleted 12y ago
        [deleted]
  - wuliwong 12y ago
    So in the US Uber is what UberX is in France and UberX in the US is what UberPop is in France? Really weird, wonder why they would do that?
    - prostoalex 12y ago
      It's not really that, it's the car class. UberPOP is anything compact or subcompact, sometimes limiting to 2 passengers. UberX is a 4-door sedan. UberPOP is not launched in the US - you can only start driving for Uber with a 4-door sedan or higher.
- santacluster 12y ago
  UberPop are unlicensed taxis in private cars masquerading as ride-shares. Which they obviously aren't, since the paying client decides the destination. I would be surprised if UberPop is still in operation anywhere in Europe by the summer of 2015. It's patently illegal on multiple fronts. Some governments are open to providing a regulatory framework (one that covers safety and consumer protection), especially in places where the taxi market is dysfunctional, but Uber's "fuck your laws, we'll do it anyway" attitude is extremely counterproductive in that respect. UberX is a professional limousine service, and in most places they operate they abide by the rules. (Which also means they're not particularly cheaper than regular taxis.)
  - mynameisvlad 12y ago
    > UberX is a professional limousine service That sounds like Uber/UberBlack to me. UberX is still citizen drivers in their own cars doing it in their own time. I highly doubt they are professionally licensed.
    - corin_ 12y ago
      I'm not the person you're replying to, but from a consumer point of view UberX feels like a limo service (in Paris, London..) In London for example, if you didn't know anything about the company, you wouldn't know the UberX drivers were any different to more traditionally set-up private firms like Addison Lee. Whereas UberPop in Paris felt like getting a ride from an amateur.
      - mynameisvlad 12y ago
        Huh, that's interesting. Over here (Seattle), UberX feels more like Paris' UberPop (citizen drivers, their cars, however still some regulation by Uber) and UberBlack is the full on towncar service that's professionally licensed (and most of them run private car services on the side).
    - potatolicious 12y ago
      This varies depending on geography. In some cities UberX are regular citizen drivers, but in others UberX are professional drivers. Here in New York all UberX cars, and their drivers, are licensed in the same category as black cars and limos.
linkeex 12y ago
If your workplace was just 10-15 minutes away, straight down the road I just don't understand why you didn't took the countless public transport opportunities. Paris has IMHO one of the most affordable and pleasant metros I've ever used in Europe. I'd almost like to guarantee you that you would have reached your goal faster, cheaper and more relaxed if you'd taken the metro!
- corin_ 12y ago
  Not cheaper or more relaxed! Between my hotel and Porte de Versailles (the convention center) was literally one straight road, with a one-way system. Was 15-20 minutes to walk it (Google Maps says 18min), under 5 minutes to drive in one direction, 5-10min the other (due to one-way road). Metro was easy sure, 300m to nearest station, then 2 stops on one line to Porte de Versailles - but that takes fractionally more time than a taxi, and is less pleasant than either a taxi or walking. I think 5 nights in that hotel and I probably walked it 60% taxi'd 40% - don't think I used the metro once. Overall however I agree with your praise of the Paris metro. That said, I've been to Paris probably every other month for the past couple of years, and 50+ times in my life, and use 90% taxis... because they're easier, because the cost difference to me is non-existent (company credit card) and because most of my trips to Paris are cramming in meetings and therefore time between them relaxed in the back of a car with my laptop out catching up on emails is much needed.

by corin_ 12y ago

aetherson 12y ago

What's the difference between UberPop and UberX?

intrepidd42 12y ago
UberPop drivers are regular people like you and me. UberX drivers are professional "tourist drivers".
- aetherson 12y ago
  Huh. So in San Francisco, UberX are citizen drivers, UberBlack are professional limo drivers, and there is no UberPop.
  - corin_ 12y ago
    In Paris (I think, again anecdotal and I only used UberPop on my most recent trip to Paris) UberX are "citizen drivers", but meeting semi-professional standards in both their service and their vehicle. UperPop, at least feels to the consumer, like someone with a small car clicked a button saying "yep I can do this" and voila, off they go.
  - zobzu 12y ago
    yeah uberx are still following uber's guidelines and are pretty professional. if they fuck up too much uber terminates their license. uberpop is basically everyone and their dog, ie this is closer to real ride sharing.
    - deleted 12y ago
      [deleted]
- wuliwong 12y ago
  So in the US Uber is what UberX is in France and UberX in the US is what UberPop is in France? Really weird, wonder why they would do that?
  - prostoalex 12y ago
    It's not really that, it's the car class. UberPOP is anything compact or subcompact, sometimes limiting to 2 passengers. UberX is a 4-door sedan. UberPOP is not launched in the US - you can only start driving for Uber with a 4-door sedan or higher.
santacluster 12y ago
UberPop are unlicensed taxis in private cars masquerading as ride-shares. Which they obviously aren't, since the paying client decides the destination. I would be surprised if UberPop is still in operation anywhere in Europe by the summer of 2015. It's patently illegal on multiple fronts. Some governments are open to providing a regulatory framework (one that covers safety and consumer protection), especially in places where the taxi market is dysfunctional, but Uber's "fuck your laws, we'll do it anyway" attitude is extremely counterproductive in that respect. UberX is a professional limousine service, and in most places they operate they abide by the rules. (Which also means they're not particularly cheaper than regular taxis.)
- mynameisvlad 12y ago
  > UberX is a professional limousine service That sounds like Uber/UberBlack to me. UberX is still citizen drivers in their own cars doing it in their own time. I highly doubt they are professionally licensed.
  - corin_ 12y ago
    I'm not the person you're replying to, but from a consumer point of view UberX feels like a limo service (in Paris, London..) In London for example, if you didn't know anything about the company, you wouldn't know the UberX drivers were any different to more traditionally set-up private firms like Addison Lee. Whereas UberPop in Paris felt like getting a ride from an amateur.
    - mynameisvlad 12y ago
      Huh, that's interesting. Over here (Seattle), UberX feels more like Paris' UberPop (citizen drivers, their cars, however still some regulation by Uber) and UberBlack is the full on towncar service that's professionally licensed (and most of them run private car services on the side).
  - potatolicious 12y ago
    This varies depending on geography. In some cities UberX are regular citizen drivers, but in others UberX are professional drivers. Here in New York all UberX cars, and their drivers, are licensed in the same category as black cars and limos.

linkeex 12y ago

If your workplace was just 10-15 minutes away, straight down the road I just don't understand why you didn't took the countless public transport opportunities. Paris has IMHO one of the most affordable and pleasant metros I've ever used in Europe. I'd almost like to guarantee you that you would have reached your goal faster, cheaper and more relaxed if you'd taken the metro!

corin_ 12y ago
Not cheaper or more relaxed! Between my hotel and Porte de Versailles (the convention center) was literally one straight road, with a one-way system. Was 15-20 minutes to walk it (Google Maps says 18min), under 5 minutes to drive in one direction, 5-10min the other (due to one-way road). Metro was easy sure, 300m to nearest station, then 2 stops on one line to Porte de Versailles - but that takes fractionally more time than a taxi, and is less pleasant than either a taxi or walking. I think 5 nights in that hotel and I probably walked it 60% taxi'd 40% - don't think I used the metro once. Overall however I agree with your praise of the Paris metro. That said, I've been to Paris probably every other month for the past couple of years, and 50+ times in my life, and use 90% taxis... because they're easier, because the cost difference to me is non-existent (company credit card) and because most of my trips to Paris are cramming in meetings and therefore time between them relaxed in the back of a car with my laptop out catching up on emails is much needed.