Now that Uber & Lyft destroyed taxis, they’re coming for their profits, and lowering their service…

[alarmguy]

Uber and Lyft destroyed taxis. CVS and Walgreens destroyed local phamancies. Home Depot and Lowes destroyed local hardware.
Best Buy took out other electronic stores, Amazon and Walmart the rest.
It's the progression of things and once they are done, competition gone, prices rise just enough to make more profit and keep new competition away.

 

[JHZR2]

Uber and Lyft destroyed taxis. CVS and Walgreens destroyed local phamancies. Home Depot and Lowes destroyed local hardware.
Best Buy took out other electronic stores, Amazon and Walmart the rest.
It's the progression of things and once they are done, competition gone, prices rise just enough to make more profit and keep new competition away.

Exactly my point. The issue is that I can go to most of those places and have a decent experience. While Uber and Lyft seem to be getting worse.

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

In my opinion from what I have heard all my life, in major cities, Uber and Lyft didn't destroy anything.

The Mob, The Mafia, the local, corrupt government, politicians, etc., had destroyed the taxi business long before "ride share apps" were even thought of.

Uber and Lyft were a capitalistic solution to what was viewed as a nasty, corrupt, filthy business that provided bare bones service for ultra-premium pricing.

 

[nate379]

There's a rating for riders?

 

[JHZR2]

There's a rating for riders?

Yes.

 

[nate379]

Uber has become what taxis were - dirty , expensive and unreliable. Not surprising.

Taxis were only ever good in the largest of cities so at least the coverage is a little better.

Last one I did we talked about guns and ammo.
Was awesome. Only could have been better if he was running a square body Chevy.

 

[nate379]

Yes.

How do you see it? I've done probably 20 rides in the last 4 years and never seen anything like that.

 

[JHZR2]

In my opinion from what I have heard all my life, in major cities, Uber and Lyft didn't destroy anything.

The Mob, The Mafia, the local, corrupt government, politicians, etc., had destroyed the taxi business long before "ride share apps" were even thought of.

Uber and Lyft were a capitalistic solution to what was viewed as a nasty, corrupt, filthy business that provided bare bones service for ultra-premium pricing.

Didn’t destroy anything?

Case in point, I got into dc late the other night to Union Station. There used to be a taxi line. Now the taxi lane is closed. Some come through. So then wait for an Uber. Which one could wait a few minutes, driver coming, driver drops fare, wait again. No recourse against Uber or the driver. Of course if I did that, I’d be charged a fee.

Are taxis gross? Sure. Might they have their own issues? Yes. But when I find one, the cost is consistent, and they have to accept the fare.

 

[JHZR2]

How do you see it? I've done probably 20 rides in the last 4 years and never seen anything like that.

Look in the app. Go to the account section right under your name…

 

[Dave Hess]

I have a 5.0 Uber rider rating.


I tip well (cash at dropoff ) plus small tip on App and understand these drivers need to eat.
I’ve never had a bad Uber experience, just some drivers driving very slow on the highway, it gives me anxiety.

 

[BrendanC]

uber in houston has gone through the roof here recently.

 

[Dave Hess]

In my opinion from what I have heard all my life, in major cities, Uber and Lyft didn't destroy anything.

The Mob, The Mafia, the local, corrupt government, politicians, etc., had destroyed the taxi business long before "ride share apps" were even thought of.

Uber and Lyft were a capitalistic solution to what was viewed as a nasty, corrupt, filthy business that provided bare bones service for ultra-premium pricing.

NY taxi cab ‘medallion’ were valued close to $1M before Uber.

The medallion was viewed as something very coveted and a big payday when you retired and you sold your medallion.

Taxi medallion - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[nate379]

Look in the app. Go to the account section right under your name…

Says 4.97. That good?

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

NY taxi cab ‘medallion’ were valued close to $1M before Uber.

The medallion was viewed as something very coveted and a big payday when you retired and you sold your medallion.

Taxi medallion - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Right. The medallions were controlled by corruption. Meaning an entrepreneur couldn't strike out on his/her own one day and become a taxi owner/operator.

Politicians/Mafia/Mob/Other corrupt crime organizations "ran the show". They controlled the taxi industry. They ruined it.

Uber/Lyft comes about and punches large holes in the loopholes and you all of the sudden went from riding in a 132 degree, nasty, old, Crown Vic to a decent, modern vehicle.


am i rite.

 

[zzyzzx]

I won't use any Uber / Lyft / AirBnb / Vrbo or any other types of sharing services.

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

I won't use any Uber / Lyft / AirBnb / Vrbo or any other types of sharing services.

I'm in the same boat. We used VRBO ONE TIME to rent a house in Venice FL about 9 years ago. It turned into a fiasco where the owner would drive by multiple times a day and send me texts/emails telling us everything we were doing wrong. This was Christmas time, me, my wife and my MIL were there most of the time. Later in the week, my BIL and his wife showed up and I think another BIL was there one night. Granted, they can make a neat house look like a landfill with all their cans, bottles and single-serve food containers (they are "greenies", BTW), but we kept the place up. Yes, after a week in a 5-bedroom, 3-bath house, there were lots of linens to be done but we cleaned the kitchen and the rest of the house and put all the garbage out. Yes, after a week and ~5 people there, there was a lot of garbage.

The owner claimed we scratched her glass-top stove and it was irreplaceable. It was going to cost $3K+, so she was keeping our $600 deposit.

I'll tell ya how bad it was - the owner sent me an email and pictures 10 minutes after we left describing all the horror we inflicted and the statement about the stove and deposit. 10 minutes.

 

[KrisZ]

Right. The medallions were controlled by corruption. Meaning an entrepreneur couldn't strike out on his/her own one day and become a taxi owner/operator.

Politicians/Mafia/Mob/Other corrupt crime organizations "ran the show". They controlled the taxi industry. They ruined it.

Uber/Lyft comes about and punches large holes in the loopholes and you all of the sudden went from riding in a 132 degree, nasty, old, Crown Vic to a decent, modern vehicle.


am i rite.

Compared to the taxi business, ride share business is a crawling infant. Give it some more time and a similar thing will happen to the ride share giants.

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

Compared to the taxi business, ride share business is a crawling infant. Give it some more time and a similar thing will happen to the ride share giants.

I think that GON is alluding to that very thing already happening....


IMO, these consumer markets for menial services that are zero talent/skill/etc are always ripe for small-time newcomers.

Look how many people always say they have the private cell number of their favorite Uber driver...

 

[wemay]

But the same happened with taxis. Their rates went up and the service got progressively worse. I even remember taxis taking me the "long way", not knowing i had knowledge of the route. Let's not mention the condition of the interiors as well. He who doesn't evolve, doesn't grow.

 

[JHZR2]

Right. The medallions were controlled by corruption. Meaning an entrepreneur couldn't strike out on his/her own one day and become a taxi owner/operator.

Politicians/Mafia/Mob/Other corrupt crime organizations "ran the show". They controlled the taxi industry. They ruined it.

Uber/Lyft comes about and punches large holes in the loopholes and you all of the sudden went from riding in a 132 degree, nasty, old, Crown Vic to a decent, modern vehicle.


am i rite.

The medallion thing isn’t just in NYC.

How they got sold initially, who bought them, how they get resold… could be shady business for sure.

Uber is nice in so far as that the cars are nicer and newer. Sure. And you have options. And can do it by an app.

My issue is the app not being great, the riders having no recourse against the drivers or the app in giving misleading times, dropping fares after long waits, and just how excessive the costs under surge pricing, have become.

I'm in the same boat. We used VRBO ONE TIME to rent a house in Venice FL about 9 years ago. It turned into a fiasco where the owner would drive by multiple times a day and send me texts/emails telling us everything we were doing wrong. This was Christmas time, me, my wife and my MIL were there most of the time. Later in the week, my BIL and his wife showed up and I think another BIL was there one night. Granted, they can make a neat house look like a landfill with all their cans, bottles and single-serve food containers (they are "greenies", BTW), but we kept the place up. Yes, after a week in a 5-bedroom, 3-bath house, there were lots of linens to be done but we cleaned the kitchen and the rest of the house and put all the garbage out. Yes, after a week and ~5 people there, there was a lot of garbage.

The owner claimed we scratched her glass-top stove and it was irreplaceable. It was going to cost $3K+, so she was keeping our $600 deposit.

I'll tell ya how bad it was - the owner sent me an email and pictures 10 minutes after we left describing all the horror we inflicted and the statement about the stove and deposit. 10 minutes.

Strange, we’ve used quite a few air bnb, and never had these issues. I assume you put in a bad review that has stuck???

I think that GON is alluding to that very thing already happening....


IMO, these consumer markets for menial services that are zero talent/skill/etc are always ripe for small-time newcomers.

Look how many people always say they have the private cell number of their favorite Uber driver...

Yes that is interesting. Having someone’s cell number allows them and the rider to undercut Uber. Sort of like the random folks standing at the baggage claim and taxi stand asking folks if they want a taxi, and their car is just around the corner…. It’s illegal at least at these terminals.

For what limited or unknown protections exist, I suspect if this was done, it wouldn’t work out well for the driver or the passenger who may have reason to sue, but now is in a gypsy situation. Maybe it’s fine if it’s a legit livery who used Uber to get fares, but is allowed to direct book. Otherwise, beware.