JamesM

France cracks down on Uber service after protests - BBC News

What do you folks make of Uber?

Progress and slick service bringing good to the masses?

Or another multinational company sucking revenue out of a country and doing all it can to avoid legislation, taxes and costs?

I personally think it's a kick up the arse for the cab industry but at the same time a flimsy sharkish operation with no real moral compass.

It has been valued as being worth more than Toyota????

el_richo

The problem with Uber is that i didn't invest at the beginning.

That said i used it in Boston recently and it was actually pretty convenient. Even more surprising, the person who picked me up was a mum on her way to pick up her daughter from School.

Her car smelled much nicer than the Vancouver yellow cabs that's for sure.

dbd33

Gypsy cabs, innit. They're not likely to be insured but then they're not likely to crash either. Mind, the "legitimate" cab companies are flimsy sharkish operations with no real moral compass, so I feel no need to cry for them.

JamesM

My experience with cab drivers has generally been positive with the exception of several in the United States where on both occasions in different cities (NYC and San Fran) I had drivers who had no idea where the final destination was.

In London they have an uncanny ability of navigating clever back streets from A to B largely to having achieved "The Knowledge". Although I seldom used cabs in London due to the efficiency of the tube or night bus.

dbd33

I should have specified that the cab companies I had in mind are those in Toronto. In a couple of years of getting a taxi at the airport once I week I never once had a driver who knew how to find "Yonge St" or "Scotland Yard". Once the cab was stopped by two police cars and the driver hauled away in handcuffs screaming that I owed him the fare to that point.

The only driver in America who really commanded my attention was the one who missed the exit to Metarie due to it being dark and raining; he reversed up the motorway until we were back at the ramp.

Shard

I thought Uber vetted all their drivers and required insurance?

dbd33

They say that but I don't believe it can be true. The business model is that drivers casually take passengers now and then but private hire coverage for the vehicle is going to be a significant cost, even if it's only $1000/month, that's enough to require a lot of trips to break even and the high mileage will put the cost of ordinary insurance up. There's no tax break on the insurance cost except against earnings from use as a taxi.

I think it only works if the driver lies about the insurance and the company turns a blind eye. I don't think this is a bigger racket than the ordinary cab companies but it's far from being kosher.

Pizzawheel

I think they have two categories- moonlighting cabbies and random civvies.

I almost never get a cab but when I have to I do boycott the orange cnuts because of their ongoing attempts to kill me when on two wheels.

Shard

You may be on to something there.

Uber whistleblower exposes breach in driver-approval process | Technology | The Guardian

dbd33

Do we know how much per mile one can make by ubering?

JamesM

Reminds me off a cab I was once in in Bogota

Couldn't fault the driver though. We had the wrong number and I watched him reverse down a major avenue at 60km per hour with traffic going in the correct direction screeching past.

JamesM

In Toronto I usually only hop into a cab in the extreme winter when I can't be arsed to crawl from one bar to the next.

I have no desire to wait for an Uber order and I'm not sure the extra dollor or two off a 10 dollar fare is worth it.

There was one time I caught a car from the airport and none of my UK bank cards worked. I was unable to pay the poor chap.

Not only did he forgive me but he gave me $20 in case I needed to buy dinner.

Steve_

I personally think Uber is going to be in big trouble because of this ruling in California: California Labor Commission Uber Ruling: Why It Matters

It's true that most States don't have similar laws but most countries do. If they can't win that case on appeal they could find themselves seriously buggered because as soon as you start putting people on payroll then all the regular taxicab laws they're trying to avoid come into play.

They're effectively based in California, so if they can't even convince the California Labor Commission, who can they convince?

The fact is all the rules governing taxicabs are there for a reason and the regulations will catch up with you, sooner or later.

Juggernaut1064

Don't cabs have to have extra insurance in case of accidents etc ? Where would you stand if in an uber car involved in a serious accident and your badly injured ?
If there are flaws in their background checking how long till some woman is raped, assuming it hasnt already happened ?
Private hire cars in the UK are notorious for cowboy operators who have dodgy decals made up and go out poaching fares even though they are not supposed to pick up on the street like a hackney can.
What if in the USA and in an accident and the driver has no valid insurance ????
I doubt i would ever step into an Uber car, i will wait for an official cab instead.

dbd33

Yes. "Private Hire" coverage; that's what I'm talking about. It aint cheap.