GRcade

Moggy wrote:

Tomous wrote:

Moggy wrote:

Some 3.5 million passengers and 40,000 drivers use the Uber app in London.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-41358640

40k drivers just in London?

That’s a lot of people that will be looking for work.

Would the 40k drivers all be doing it full time though? Some will be doing it to supplement income.

Still a big number either way mind you.

Yeah a lot of them will be part time, but they’ll be relying on that money and will be looking to replace that money if they can no longer drive.

Surely a better solution would be to clamp down on the shitty aspects of the company and force them to be more responsible.

Given the deluge of stories about very dodgy behaviour from Uber that's an awful lot easier said than done. It's a company whose whole ethos seems to be built around staying one step ahead of regulators instead of complying with those regulators.

bear wrote:

Moggy wrote:

Tomous wrote:

Moggy wrote:

Some 3.5 million passengers and 40,000 drivers use the Uber app in London.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-41358640

40k drivers just in London?

That’s a lot of people that will be looking for work.

Would the 40k drivers all be doing it full time though? Some will be doing it to supplement income.

Still a big number either way mind you.

Yeah a lot of them will be part time, but they’ll be relying on that money and will be looking to replace that money if they can no longer drive.

Surely a better solution would be to clamp down on the shitty aspects of the company and force them to be more responsible.

Given the deluge of stories about very dodgy behaviour from Uber that's an awful lot easier said than done. It's a company whose whole ethos seems to be built around staying one step ahead of regulators instead of complying with those regulators.

I agree, they are a shitty company.

Everyone I know that has used them have been happy with them and they seem (I’ve never used them!) much cheaper than the alternatives.

It’s a shame that progress will be stalled by the shitty management of the company.

Moggy wrote:

Drumstick wrote:

Moggy wrote:Uber is a shitty company, but taxi licensing isn’t done on a nationwide basis.

So the fact that the rest of the country is still allegedly "at risk" due to these practices is due to the councils not taking action? Are you honestly telling me that the government, even if it saw it necessary, does not have the power to enforce a nationwide ban on a company like Uber? That's bonkers.

I’m sure the government could, but Uber haven’t done anything to warrant the UK government shutting the whole operation down.

So local authorities failing to take similar action then? If you ban them in one place for issues which are going to be nationwide then theoretically they should be banned everywhere (yes I fully understand that TfL doesn't regulate outside of London), therefore councils and the like should be taking similar action.

Drumstick wrote:

Moggy wrote:

Drumstick wrote:

Moggy wrote:Uber is a shitty company, but taxi licensing isn’t done on a nationwide basis.

So the fact that the rest of the country is still allegedly "at risk" due to these practices is due to the councils not taking action? Are you honestly telling me that the government, even if it saw it necessary, does not have the power to enforce a nationwide ban on a company like Uber? That's bonkers.

I’m sure the government could, but Uber haven’t done anything to warrant the UK government shutting the whole operation down.

So local authorities failing to take similar action then? If you ban them in one place for issues which are going to be nationwide then theoretically they should be banned everywhere (yes I fully understand that TfL doesn't regulate outside of London), therefore councils and the like should be taking similar action.

Are other areas seeing similar problems?

Do other areas have a powerful group like the black cab drivers?

Other areas will have different rules on taxi companies. Maybe London has laxer rules which led to the problems. Maybe other areas are lax on what they allow. Maybe London drivers are worse than in other areas. Maybe they seem worse because there are so many more of them.

I like using Uber but I don't think they are that much cheaper than traditional taxis. I hope that taxi firms make a similar app as it's the convienince that makes it so appealing to me.

It might just be a simple case of timing and that when Ubers licenses in other areas are up for renewal that they'll be refused then.

Grumpy David wrote:Oh ffs. What's the Uber equivalent? I know Lyft is Uber's biggest rival but that's only in the USA. Won't be using black cabs because they cost way more.

And Uber drivers normally use 2 phones. The Uber app map operating on one device and another using either Waze or Google Maps to navigate London.

Google will be better placed to do self driving cars though. Far more advanced in the tech and skills needed to make it a reality.

taking back control protecting British jobs costs money I'm afraid

I never really have the need for Taxis, and I assume that Uber don't even operate in my area as I'm not in a big city, so this is no loss to me personally - however I can understand how losing the ease and convenience that Uber brings is going to be frustrating.

That said no company deserves a free ride on how they operate - if they don't follow the regulations then they should be axed. By all accounts they're a thoroughly dodgy organisation anyway. I'd rather have the security of knowing that the Taxi ride I'm getting is going to be safe, the driver has been checked (within reason), and that everyone involved is getting paid a satisfactory amount.

Jenuall wrote:I'd rather have the security of knowing that the Taxi ride I'm getting is going to be safe, the driver has been checked (within reason), and that everyone involved is getting paid a satisfactory amount.

Wait, taxi customers get paid? gooseberry fool I knew I was missing out!

Preezy wrote:

Jenuall wrote:I'd rather have the security of knowing that the Taxi ride I'm getting is going to be safe, the driver has been checked (within reason), and that everyone involved is getting paid a satisfactory amount.

Wait, taxi customers get paid? gooseberry fool I knew I was missing out!

Well you get the pleasure of being taken for a good ride, so to speak!

Hime wrote:I like using Uber but I don't think they are that much cheaper than traditional taxis. I hope that taxi firms make a similar app as it's the convienince that makes it so appealing to me.

Pretty sure there is an app called hailo or something.

I did chuckle at the email I received from Uber (never had much trouble with them) about how TfL is PREVENTING CONSUMER CHOICE!

Maybe if your company were behaving themselves they wouldn't have done this?

Hexx wrote:Not a regular - but the 2 (IIRC) times I've been in one in London. Miles better, nicer, friendlier and cheaper than a Taxi

All this and with Uber there's no danger of "Sorry mate, my card reader's broken, it's cash only." As a customer, Uber's service is superior to black cabs in every way.

This is just bitterness on the part of the Cab Drivers' Union. Late night cabs pre-Uber were an absolute rip off, used to regularly get quoted double what I now pay.

Never heard of anyone I know having a bad experience with Uber, their rating system means drivers usually do all they can to make sure you're happy. Surely there's more accountability and thus safety with Uber?

I imagine if I were a cabbie who'd had to learn the streets of London like the back of my leathery hand I'd be mightily pissed at people pinching my business without having to have had any training whatsoever. I get their anger/bitterness, not that it actually makes a difference.

SMPL wrote:This is just bitterness on the part of the Cab Drivers' Union. Late night cabs pre-Uber were an absolute rip off, used to regularly get quoted double what I now pay.

Never heard of anyone I know having a bad experience with Uber, their rating system means drivers usually do all they can to make sure you're happy. Surely there's more accountability and thus safety with Uber?

It isn't about the end cabby in the same way that the annoyance with apple not paying tax isnt the the spotty oick working on Saturday in the apple shop.

The cabbies may do a great job but if the company is run by banana splits and don't follow regulations it shouldnt be allowed to operate.

Yes they are cheaper but that's because they cut corners and have questionable practices that are cheaper but not necessarily safer or right.

Don't care if they're run by twats, it's cheap as strawberry float and easy to use. strawberry float black cabs.

I've never tried it (whenever I need a black cab I just flag one down, or there's always a load parked up at the train station) but there is now a black cab app.

The worst thing about a black cab in general is simple - it's impossible to know what you're going to pay, and that feels draconian. Watching that meter tick away is...urgh. They also have a tendency to talk the hind legs off a donkey. You've got to be prepared to have a chat about absolutely EVERYTHING.

Dual wrote:Don't care if they're run by twats, it's cheap as strawberry float and easy to use. strawberry float black cabs.

Yup. Black cabs an an utter strawberry floating rip off.

I have used Uber when I was in the states in London I tended to use mini cabs. They were cheaper than taxi's and could be good when you found a good company.