Uber cabs

[12gauge82]

The issue I wonder about is what happens when they put traditional taxis out of business and dominate the market. Will they then ramp the prices up.

[wandringstar]

isn't it clever, that an app devised and located in new York or wherever, has the capacity to run thousands upon thousands of private taxis anywhere in the west, the owners just tweak the app and see the bank balance rocket, you will never meet them, they will never see your car, or get even a finger dirty, it really is off the scale in I.Q. terms.

[tx4cabbie]

Uber the company take 25-34% of the fare BEFORE EXPENSES, which leaves the majority of drivers a) unable to pay for correct hire and reward insurance, and b) working a tremendous amount of hours to make even minimum wage.

This leads to situations where the driver, who is watching his phone sat nav not the road, tired and not paying attention, has accidents, which the customer isn't insured for, as what insurance company pays for the customer injuries when proper hire and reward insurance hasn't been paid for?

On the plus side, uber has scared some of the old, racist, reactionary drivers who've given black cabs a bad reputation, into doing their jobs properly. All now take credit card, go where you want to go, etc.

 

In the last 18 months, more than 300 reports of rape or serious sexual assaults in phv in London, many of which are uber guys - how do get access to drunk women at 3am? Have a phone and a car, work for uber. Met did roadside check a while back, of 26 cars stopped 23 were supposedly not being driven by the chap on the license /app.

Uber are generally cheap, but you pay peanuts....

[moose man]

They will and that's what they intend to do. Uber is owned by Google (bankrolled by Goldman Sachs) and is being run at a massive loss at the moment to get the App up to world domination level by deliberately undercutting and killing off the opposition.

 

Its got very little to do with taxis and everything to do with building the app. Its quite Orwellian really, once they 'take over the world' in terms of the taxi trade you can bet the cheap fares will go out of the window

 

And once that happens they will do the same with small deliveries . Already the largest cab firm in the world without owning one vehicle ..

[old man]

Same would be the case after a large event such as a concert.

No necessarily so, used them twice for recent ELO in Manchester.

The cars were immaculate and the drivers courteous and knowledgeable.

 

What not to like, just peeps trying to earn a crust?

 

Not all licensed operators squeaky clean and honest?

 

Good, bad and indifferent in all walks of life?

Edited January 15, 2017 by old man

[BrowningB525]

Uber the company take 25-34% of the fare BEFORE EXPENSES, which leaves the majority of drivers a) unable to pay for correct hire and reward insurance, and b) working a tremendous amount of hours to make even minimum wage.

This leads to situations where the driver, who is watching his phone sat nav not the road, tired and not paying attention, has accidents, which the customer isn't insured for, as what insurance company pays for the customer injuries when proper hire and reward insurance hasn't been paid for?

On the plus side, uber has scared some of the old, racist, reactionary drivers who've given black cabs a bad reputation, into doing their jobs properly. All now take credit card, go where you want to go, etc.

 

In the last 18 months, more than 300 reports of rape or serious sexual assaults in phv in London, many of which are uber guys - how do get access to drunk women at 3am? Have a phone and a car, work for uber. Met did roadside check a while back, of 26 cars stopped 23 were supposedly not being driven by the chap on the license /app.

Uber are generally cheap, but you pay peanuts....

The thing is that for a customer, you get a better service for a lot less money.

 

It's the same with Amazon although they are tax dodgers.

[tx4cabbie]

The thing is that for a customer, you get a better service for a lot less money.

 

It's the same with Amazon although they are tax dodgers.

Uber are tax dodgers, they've paid as much tax as four proper cabbies, even though their profits are quite huge, as they've no overheads.

 

Wouldn't say better service, untrained drivers with no local knowledge, driving skills, or correct insurance SHOULD be cheaper than a proper cab.

[12gauge82]

Uber are tax dodgers, they've paid as much tax as four proper cabbies, even though their profits are quite huge, as they've no overheads.

 

Wouldn't say better service, untrained drivers with no local knowledge, driving skills, or correct insurance SHOULD be cheaper than a proper cab.

I agree. Large companies are rarely any good for the country, I won't be using one.

[CharlieT]

I just don't understand some of the horror stories about Uber.

 

I've just checked my receipts for last month, which confirm that I'd used Uber 14 times whilst up in London on business. On each receipt there are the driver's name and his photograph, together with details of the journey. One does not pay the driver, the fare is charged electronically by Uber, so no cash changes hands.

 

I just don't see how odd drivers can dip in and out.

 

Every driver was pleasant and helpful and the car I used appeared to be almost new and well maintained.

[tx4cabbie]

Have a look on twitter at the hashtag ubered - you'll find several serious accidents per week attributable to uber's amateurs, and by serious I mean resulting in death or lifechanging injuries.

 

Popular amongst uber drivers appear to be bikers and cyclists, every week I must see 5-10 of our two wheeled brethren smashed to pieces by uber's who've not looked as they've pulled out, or simply not looked at all, slave as they are to the sat nav to the detriment of watching the road.

Couple of weeks ago a lady was literally under the wheel of an uber, on a crossing. ON A CROSSING.

I've been hit twice in the last couple of months by uber minicabs, both times hit from behind as they were watching their phones for the route or the next job.

 

I've no doubt that some, even many, are pleasant folk, and manage to muddle through some of their jobs without mishap. But the figures speak for themselves, as does the fact that the law had to be changed recently to make it compulsory for minicabs to have their insurance on them so police can check whether it's proper hire and reward that covers the passenger. This because so few were getting the correct insurance before.

[Vince Green]

My son works in central London and has used Uber Cabs a lot, as have his friends and collegues. The honeymoon period is definitely over with Uber, many of them have had bad experiences now and are more wary of them. Bad driving, dodgy cars, poor personal hygene, and drivers who haven't got a clue where they are going.

 

Cheap maybe but would you want a member of your family getting into one late at night? Did you know they don't even have to have a British driving licence?

Edited January 16, 2017 by Vince Green

[sportsbob]

My eldest son is registered blind, he booked an Uber cab to take him from north Birmingham to south Birmingham a journey of about 10 miles. Whist the car was being driven he was aware he was on a motorway for a reasonable period of time so queeried the driver only to be told he was being taken to Bristol !!. The address he was supposed to be taken to is on the Bristol Road in Birmingham with the correct postcode supplied when booked, the reason for this the driver who`s first language is not English entered the door number and the road name into his satnav and followed the satnav`s most relevant suggestion which had a BS postcode and not a B postcode . So he never got to his destination that day and the driver argued for full payment to Bristol which needless to say he never got and after further heated discussion he took my son back home. My son was then invoiced for the Bristol journey which he had to again argue over with Uber all because the driver got it wrong. No compensation was offered and as far as I am aware not even a proper apology. Guess which family wont be using Uber again.

[digger]

My daughters (21 and 16 ) use uber during the day when together. When either is alone I book a local taxi company. Yes the app is handy and they are cheap. Do I trust who they employ ? No.

Black cabs have had to update their game which was long overdue. I sat behind one at traffic lights just after 11 pm one sat night. The meter went up by £3.40 before the lights changed. Could always tell when one had a fare - 25 mph tops usually less

Edited January 16, 2017 by digger

[TaxiDriver]

My daughters (21 and 16 ) use uber during the day when together. When either is alone I book a local taxi company. Yes the app is handy and they are cheap. Do I trust who they employ ? No.

Black cabs have had to update their game which was long overdue. I sat behind one at traffic lights just after 11 pm one sat night. The meter went up by £3.40 before the lights changed. Could always tell when one had a fare - 25 mph tops usually less

What are you inferring

A taxi meter goes up according to distance travelled or will turn over based on time if stood in stationary traffic or stopped at a junction for example

[scotslad]

Not from a city and been a long tine since i've been to 1 and a bit of a bumpkin.

 

How do u tell if there Uber cabs? Do they have there own sign writing?

 

If i've got this straight the uber taxi driver never gets any cash directly and everything is done throu the phone? And from reading some posts the same journey's price would change depending on demand? So the same journey home would rise if a concet/fitba game on nearby?

 

And they take 25-30% despite having zero operating/staffing or running costs or owning any cars.,

No company employing staff can ever hope to compete with that, they have nothing to maintain or replace or staff to pay or a quiet tuesday afternoon.

Very clever business for who ever designed it but not really fare on cab drivers as i doubt most are making that much money and work long unsocial hours for it.

 

 

Its a bit like using ur local gunshop over internet companies, if we're not careful we will lose all the local companies

[ph5172]

If i recall there are a few cities where Uber is banned - i think Oxford is one

 

How they police it i dont know

[digger]

I've followed black cabs that have absolutely crawled up the slightest incline if they have a fare. Yet when empty they zip along with the rest of us. I'm inferring that some have a very light foot when the meter is ticking over and a heavy one when rushing back to the station for the next fare.

[LondonLuke]

 

And they take 25-30% despite having zero operating/staffing or running costs or owning any cars.,

No company employing staff can ever hope to compete with that, they have nothing to maintain or replace or staff to pay or a quiet tuesday afternoon.

 

Uber has 1000's of staff worldwide, big headquarters in various countries. Seem to recall they have 6000 full time staff or something along those lines so not quite zero operating/staff costs 😂😂

[TaxiDriver]

If i recall there are a few cities where Uber is banned - i think Oxford is one, How they police it i dont know.

I'm not sure you can ban a Company such as Uber from a particular town or City as such.

It's more likely something along the lines of the local authority refusing to issue Uber with a 'Private Hire Operators Licence' which they would need to legally take 'Private Hire' bookings which is what a booking with Uber is regardless of wether you get in a London style taxi or a nice Merc/BMW or Saloon car.

[AVB]

If I get a cab I want:

 

1) A driver who knows his/her way around

2) A safe driver

3) A cab that is roadworthy

4) A driver who will be able to give me running commentary on the state of the UK economy, politics, football, world affairs and who he/she has had in the back of their cab.

 

So in London that means a black cab. None of this uber lark for me.

[LondonLuke]

If I get a cab I want:

 

1) A driver who knows his/her way around

2) A safe driver

3) A cab that is roadworthy

4) A driver who will be able to give me running commentary on the state of the UK economy, politics, football, world affairs and who he/she has had in the back of their cab.

 

So in London that means a black cab. None of this uber lark for me.

I'm an Uber convert and before that I used Addison Lee over black cabs.

 

I can have a named driver, a dedicated car which is new/clean, a tracked route, and it's all entirely cashless. You can log it easily for expenses, and avoids standing by the side of the road in the rain. Can charge your phone and also choose the music.

 

Black cabs are more expensive, refuse to take plastic, and everyone appears delighted to tell me how they dodge tax and hate anyone who isn't white. I wish I was stereotyping (and I do appreciate I am to an extent) but just my experience. With Uber they also never refuse a journey because it's not in their preferred part of town. YMMV.

Edited January 16, 2017 by LondonLuke

[wandringstar]

If i recall there are a few cities where Uber is banned - i think Oxford is one

 

How they police it i dont know

oxford authorities are lefty car haters, they think bikes are the future, don't drive there, stay on the ring road, its like a small London.

[Vince Green]

Is this really the way forward? British businesses destroyed by a foreign company not even based in this country. Drivers on benefits claiming to be "only" working 16 hours a week to bypass the benefits rules. Uninsured cars

 

The fact that Uber don't require a British driving licence and will happily pay the drivers money into foreign bank accounts speaks volumes to me about the way all this is going.

 

They kicked them out of Paris in short order, why not here?

[Dave-G]

Is this really the way forward? British businesses destroyed by a foreign company not even based in this country. Drivers on benefits claiming to be "only" working 16 hours a week to bypass the benefits rules. Uninsured cars

 

The fact that Uber don't require a British driving licence and will happily pay the drivers money into foreign bank accounts speaks volumes to me about the way all this is going.

 

They kicked them out of Paris in short order, why not here?

Govmnt probably doesn't care if they claim benefits as long as they're off the unemployed list.

[Vince Green]

Govmnt probably doesn't care if they claim benefits as long as they're off the unemployed list.

I don't think they are though, like the parcel delivery companies, they appears to be specifically targeting unemployed people to work beneath the radar so they can pay them peanuts and treat them like cattle.