Re: Ramadan
 

First basement burner in a year. Can't wait.

Re: Ramadan
 

Ramadan Kareem. May everyone have a great month.

I sure will.

Re: Ramadan
 

You should get your own office with a door that you can shut, it comes in very handy.

Anyway can't stop and chat I lunch have lunch to eat and a bit of surfing to do before I leave in 30 mins.

:p

Re: Ramadan
 

Best time of year in Qatar which in itself speaks volumes for this wonderful state !

Re: Ramadan
 

you and me both, brother

Re: Ramadan
 

:lol::lol::lol:

Re: Ramadan
 

Probably worth reminding everyone to be off the road by 5.30pm at the latest too.

Re: Ramadan
 

I'm getting a cab to Mirdiff at 1830 :unsure::unsure::unsure::unsure:

Re: Ramadan
 

First day of Ramadan.

What are the odds of finding a taxi close to iftar time?

Good luck, Scamp.

Re: Ramadan
 

Uber will be around. They always are.

Re: Ramadan
 

They don't mind, they get paid more for the extra half hour it'll take to get you anywhere...

Re: Ramadan
 

In case you are interested Careem treat their drivers better than Uber. That's from drivers who work for both companies.

Re: Ramadan
 

I've heard that mentioned too. Think they get a higher cut of the fare or something.

Re: Ramadan
 

I went from JVT to 2nd October Street (Jumeira Rotana) for a brunch to celebrate Ramadan last night, 311, 66 and across trade centre roundabout. Roads were absolutely dead at 8pm.


Forgot to mention that Rotana were doing brunch for 159, if you have a Rotana card it took it down to 130 a head (6 of us), then they give you a voucher for half the money (380 Dhm we got) plus a scratch card for a free night in a Rotana when you spend over 600 Dhm. Crazy prices!!

Re: Ramadan
 

quality of Careem drivers has really dropped.

Re: Ramadan
 

Really? That's not my experience and I invariably get upgraded even if I request an economy car.

Have you told the company whenever you have had a bad experience? They are very good at dealing with problems.

Re: Ramadan
 

I use Careem extensively. Often a few times a week.

Their drivers have dropped in a quality a lot and I have complained to Careem. The basic problem is that they are growing quickly and so need lots of new drivers. Many times they don't know where they are going and have managed to break their GPS. One time, we even had to use mine.

In Saudi, I regularly get billed twice or double for a journey. They generally fix that though - although I'm currently 370dh out of pocket for a double billing at the moment.

All that said, I wouldn't use any other.

Re: Ramadan
 

I used Careem before I used Uber but what I prefer about Uber is the ability to book for now, you just go on 10mins before you need one and you'll get one. Never struggled.

The downside - having to book and then hold your phone because you KNOW they are going to phone and ask where you are, despite accurately adjusting your pin location and them having the ability to stop and look at the phone with the map of where you are on it.

Otherwise - I have had one or two take the piss with silly routes, but a one-star rating and an email to Uber gets that sorted with some credit added.

Use them at least twice a week.

If Careem are good though, I might try them again.

Re: Ramadan
 

I tend to use Careem if I need a taxi at a very specific time and I don't want to gamble on there being an Uber in the area at the time.

All other times I use Uber though, as it's just a lot easier.

It came as a bit of a surprise when I found out that the drivers rate the customers too, but it makes sense I suppose. If someone gets a reputation for being a dick to all his drivers, they'll stop taking those jobs. Raises the possibility of "revenge ratings" though...

Re: Ramadan
 

Careem have added a Now option recently (don't know when) but the key selling point for me is they don't have the ridiculous surge pricing.

It seems a lot of the drivers actually work for both Careem and Uber. A couple of times I have been assigned a driver and when I watch them on the app I can see them driving in the opposite direction, stopping for ages and then coming back to get me. My guess is that when they are approaching a drop-off they will accept a new job on the other provider rather than having to risk any idle time between jobs.

On one hand I get why the drivers do this, but on the other hand it is bloody annoying if you are in a rush as you could be left waiting for a lot longer than you should have to...

Careem will automatically add credit to your account if the driver takes too long which is cool though.

Re: Ramadan
 

Interesting, might give them another go then. Only reason I haven't is that I find nothing wrong with Uber at the moment, it always works well...just the annoying phone call when they don't just look at the map - but the mrs points out that they're driving so maybe not safe, obviously it's therefore safe enough to make a call.... :blink:

Re: Ramadan
 

More like they don't understand the map.

Re: Ramadan
 

I wonder if they're used to people sticking the pin in the wrong place? They quite often seen genuinely surprised when I tell them I'm stood exactly where it says on the map.

Re: Ramadan
 

Really? You genuinely think that?

Re: Ramadan
 

yes. Map reading is a skill taught in very few education systems.

Re: Ramadan
 

I think you're being very generous.

Re: Ramadan
 

I agree with Millhouse. The number of times I've left an actual printed map with Ikea/wherever when getting a furniture delivery and then spent 40 minutes on the phone with the delivery driver because they don't understand how to use the map.

Re: Ramadan
 

I think it's laziness combined with inability then.

Re: Ramadan
 

Not really. You think its easy as you were taught at a young age to read maps and colour them in. The rest of the world spends this time learning english (badly).

Believe it or not, map skills are not taught in the american system.

Re: Ramadan
 

as opposed to?

Re: Ramadan
 

map skills being taught.

I remember colouring them in, going on walks with them, marking things on that we saw etc.

Re: Ramadan
 

doh! I meant as opposed to them being taught ANYTHING else :D
*gun skills or massacre avoiding skills dont count*

Re: Ramadan
 

It's replaced with bullshitting and confidence training.

They probably get the time off. They run a much shorter term than any other system.

Re: Ramadan
 

I'll take your word for it but respectfully disagree a bit.

Re: Ramadan
 

All I remember from Geography lessons at school is something about primary and tertiary industry but isn't map reading something you pick up from your parents?

I thought that it was a general life skill, along with changing plugs/fuses, putting up pictures, decorating, cooking, etc. Am I that old fashioned?

Re: Ramadan
 

I reckon we both are. In fact, if there's one trade that I bet should be able to use a map it's a cab driver. Especially seeing as all the Uber's are Lexus types with built in sat nav as well as the map that the app provides.

Anyway. It's just annoying, but not the end of the world. Truly a first world problem.

Re: Ramadan
 

[QUOTE=Scamp;11681393
Truly a first world problem.[/QUOTE]

Quite the opposite :) Imagine what it would be like in India.

Re: Ramadan
 

Second hand Lexus' (Lexi?) with out of date satnav anyway...

Re: Ramadan
 

:rofl: :thumbsup:

Re: Ramadan
 

This is getting closer to the mark.