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Uber provides, faster, safer, cheaper, more comfortable service than any government run taxi service. Without a driver rating system, I remember getting freque

Uber provides, faster, safer, cheaper, more comfortable service than any government run taxi service. Without a driver rating system, I remember getting frequently being asked to leave the taxi when requesting short distance rides. Taxis would often drive at dangerous speeds to acquire more customers. Taxis were typically driven by foreigners which could not find other jobs. If Uber is as low paying as you describe, why is it that we get more intelligent drivers? Surely they are intelligent enough to quit if the pay is too low. Uber users like myself vote on each ride with their credit cards to keep these services going. And with that, it means that the day Uber does something poorly, we have the freedom to immediately switch to a competitor.

detaro 12y ago
> Without a driver rating system, I remember getting frequently being asked to leave the taxi when requesting short distance rides. In Germany? Not saying that it doesn't happen, but it is illegal. (Which often is an important argument to why Taxis are protected against competition, since they are forced to provide services that are not always profitable)
- adyus 12y ago
  What's illegal and what's enforceable are two different things, particularly in Eastern Europe. Uber just launched in Romania and it's having a hard time getting off the ground. I asked a taxi driver why he wouldn't join. He said he'd be scared for his safety from other taxi drivers. Anecdotally, getting a cab from a major hub (airport, train or bus station) in Bucharest, without calling dispatch, entails a fixed price and the meter turned off. Illegal? Surely. The main advantage of western countries, culminating in the U.S., is that laws are enforced regularly and predictably, most of the time. Germany is doing just that. They're old laws, sure, but they must be enforced until they get a change to revise them.
qubitcoder 12y ago
Keep in mind that the taxi situation is very different in Germany. As an American who lived and worked in Germany for a couple years, the taxi service was generally fantastic. Professional and courteous drivers, usually an impeccably maintained black Mercedes-Benzes, and a digital readout of the current fare on the rear-view mirror. And this was 7 years ago. Upon landing in Atlanta, I'd regularly step into a smelly, old van--with a driver who spoke little English and zero knowledge of the city, requiring GPS entry before departing--only to careen haphazardly down the highway. The contrast was rather stark. As a driving enthusiast, driving in German was a pleasure (minus the traffic). Being able to cruise at 140 mph on unrestricted sections en route to Darmstadt, and feel safe doing so, was wonderful. Then again, obtaining a driver's license in Germany is substantially more difficult, costly, and time-consuming. Vehicle maintenance requirements are likewise more stringent (e.g. mandatory winter tires). Given the different driving environment, this ruling is not surprising in light of Uber's lackadaisical approach (I say that as a fan of Uber's service in the US, not their behavior). Whereas in much of the US, you can cruise around a parking lot with an instructor, and walk away with a drivers license. It's like the wild west by comparison. Uber is faster, safer, and cheaper than the abysmal service in most US cities; but this isn't universally true. The situation in Western Europe is mostly superior to what you'd find in the US; ditto for Japan and South Korea. EDIT: Clarity.
Shorel 12y ago
I can accept they provide a faster, safer, cheaper and more comfortable service than my Colombian taxi service, and that's probably true for most countries, including the USA. But can you really use the ANY word? That's a tall order.

detaro 12y ago

> Without a driver rating system, I remember getting frequently being asked to leave the taxi when requesting short distance rides. In Germany? Not saying that it doesn't happen, but it is illegal. (Which often is an important argument to why Taxis are protected against competition, since they are forced to provide services that are not always profitable)

adyus 12y ago
What's illegal and what's enforceable are two different things, particularly in Eastern Europe. Uber just launched in Romania and it's having a hard time getting off the ground. I asked a taxi driver why he wouldn't join. He said he'd be scared for his safety from other taxi drivers. Anecdotally, getting a cab from a major hub (airport, train or bus station) in Bucharest, without calling dispatch, entails a fixed price and the meter turned off. Illegal? Surely. The main advantage of western countries, culminating in the U.S., is that laws are enforced regularly and predictably, most of the time. Germany is doing just that. They're old laws, sure, but they must be enforced until they get a change to revise them.

qubitcoder 12y ago

Keep in mind that the taxi situation is very different in Germany. As an American who lived and worked in Germany for a couple years, the taxi service was generally fantastic. Professional and courteous drivers, usually an impeccably maintained black Mercedes-Benzes, and a digital readout of the current fare on the rear-view mirror. And this was 7 years ago. Upon landing in Atlanta, I'd regularly step into a smelly, old van--with a driver who spoke little English and zero knowledge of the city, requiring GPS entry before departing--only to careen haphazardly down the highway. The contrast was rather stark. As a driving enthusiast, driving in German was a pleasure (minus the traffic). Being able to cruise at 140 mph on unrestricted sections en route to Darmstadt, and feel safe doing so, was wonderful. Then again, obtaining a driver's license in Germany is substantially more difficult, costly, and time-consuming. Vehicle maintenance requirements are likewise more stringent (e.g. mandatory winter tires). Given the different driving environment, this ruling is not surprising in light of Uber's lackadaisical approach (I say that as a fan of Uber's service in the US, not their behavior). Whereas in much of the US, you can cruise around a parking lot with an instructor, and walk away with a drivers license. It's like the wild west by comparison. Uber is faster, safer, and cheaper than the abysmal service in most US cities; but this isn't universally true. The situation in Western Europe is mostly superior to what you'd find in the US; ditto for Japan and South Korea. EDIT: Clarity.

Shorel 12y ago

I can accept they provide a faster, safer, cheaper and more comfortable service than my Colombian taxi service, and that's probably true for most countries, including the USA. But can you really use the ANY word? That's a tall order.