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Uber... has anyone used it?

JMORC2003

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Dec 22, 2008
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Seemed totally sketchy when I first heard of it, but I know more than a few people who have used it, and have had great experiences. Anyone here use it? Good? Bad?
 
My understanding is the Manhattan is one of the major places in the US where regular taxicabs are consistently cheaper than Uber.

I was with a someone last year who used Uber in Alexandria, VA. There was a group of us going from a hotel to a restaurant a few miles away. Some of the group went by Uber. The rest of us got into a cab in front of the hotel. The cab ended up being faster (mainly because there were already cabs lined up in front of the hotel, while the Uber car took some time to get there). Other than that, the experience and cost was pretty much identical.

I am a little concerned with Uber regarding the qualifications of the driver and condition of the car. But those issues pretty much exist for regular taxis too. I do wonder about insurance for Uber and ability to file complaints (which is less of a problem for heavily regulated regular taxis).
 
I held off until 3 weeks ago (I don't like change). I use it in Boston and then for a week in San Fran. I just got back.

Its a life changer. I will NEVER use a cab again. No hassle. No tipping. No more dealing with a cab driver who is angry you are only going on a short trip.

I actually watch cab go by waiting for the uber to show up. That's how much better is over cabs.
 
Seemed totally sketchy when I first heard of it, but I know more than a few people who have used it, and have had great experiences. Anyone here use it? Good? Bad?
Yes. The only reason not to use it would be to make a political point. Its almost always cheaper and more convenient then a taxi.
 
Uber and Lyft are commonplace here in DC. Both are super convenient. Uber does regularly try to charge a percentage above their normal rate based on "increased demand" which can definitely seem sketchy at times, but that's where it's nice to have a competitor like Lyft around.
 
once in a while I take the taxi to go from Secaucus junction to the bus park and ride after midnight. A trip not more than a few miles. Regular taxi cost 38. Uber cost 17. Needless to say, I love uber.
 
Not only do I use it, but I now drive for uber as well. As far as qualifications of driver and car, I can tell you that they do a background check on every driver that takes about 3 days to complete. They also require that your car is 10 years old or newer.
 
They also won't let a driver pick anyone up it their rating drops below a 4.6 out of 5 stars. I've used probably over 50 I bets in the last 6 months and not one has been dirty. I've had to use the trunk on several of those rides for luggage or groceries and they're always empty - it's not like the driver just shoved everything in the back.

A true case and point is a ride from LAX. It's $19 minimum for a cab. If you take a shuttle to a hotel just off LAX and get an uber it's $7 to get to El Segundo (15 minutes away.) I've had multiple cab drivers give me attitude when I say I'm only going that far. I have yet to not give an uber driver a 5 star rating.
 
Not only do I use it, but I now drive for uber as well. As far as qualifications of driver and car, I can tell you that they do a background check on every driver that takes about 3 days to complete. They also require that your car is 10 years old or newer.


Did you tell your insurance company that you now drive for Uber?

This is a huge issue within the insurance industry and you will soon see legislation regarding Uber, etc.
 
Did you tell your insurance company that you now drive for Uber?

This is a huge issue within the insurance industry and you will soon see legislation regarding Uber, etc.
Yeah - eventually the reality of the whole situation is going to catch up to Uber - competitors, including taxi comapnies will use its app based model, and regulators and insurance companies will eventually stop allowing thede facto subsidies that Uber gets by riding on the very edge of the law. But in the mean time, its a steal.
 
Oh, I'm definitely aware that this won't last forever. Uber's got a good thing going and I'm just using it as a summer job to supplement my income while I'm not teaching. If it makes it to next summer as currently constituted, I'd be shocked.
 
All of my friends and I use it in Boston all the time. Way cheaper and more convenient than a taxi. I think this is the case everywhere but NYC. Occasionally, they will have "surge pricing" at high demand times (aka bar closing). But even at 2x normal price, it's generally cheaper than a cab.
 
Not only do I use it, but I now drive for uber as well. As far as qualifications of driver and car, I can tell you that they do a background check on every driver that takes about 3 days to complete. They also require that your car is 10 years old or newer.

can you give me a lift from the Black lot (oops now Silver) this season? LOL...
Btw...did you stay black or also get moved out..
Hope the family is doing well....
 
can you give me a lift from the Black lot (oops now Silver) this season? LOL...
Btw...did you stay black or also get moved out..
Hope the family is doing well....
I think we both know I'll be in no shape to drive at that point! We stayed in black, just due to our early renewal points. Next year could be a different story. The family is well. Xavier is crawling and almost ready to walk.
 
For those of you who feel the cost is too high in Manhattan try Gett. $10 flat rate between Houston and 110th St. I alternate between Gett and UBER depending on where I am or going on the island and how many people are with me. I never tried any of these service outside of NYC.
 
I live in Hoboken and work in NYC. I haven't taken a yellow cab in months, or a year. I exclusively use Uber, as it is infinitely easier, more efficient, cheaper, friendlier, cleaner, etc.

I used to go out in NYC, and take a yellow cab home. The driver would turn off his meter and charge $50+. I use uber now, and it's routinely $25-30 total. Even taking a cab from EWR to Hoboken, yellow cabs were usually $55+, Uber has been like $20.

I will stand on the corner with my phone out and wait for my uber to arrive, while a number of yellow cabs with their lights on drive past. I feel bad for the cab drivers, I really do, but like all monopolies they eventually come to an end and competition wins out. Uber is so much friggen better.
 
I am Officially an Uber Driver as of about a week ago, but have not actually gone out on the road yet.
 
I'm in Austin, 6 miles from downtown, last time I called to get a cab to the airport (2 yrs ago) they told me it d be 30 minutes or so. Longest time I ve ever waited for an Uber was 12 minutes. Usually its 2-7 minutes, usually about 2/3 the cost. Set up account with credit card, charges automatically, no cash changes hands, no worrying about correct change, no tipping.

Now I have heard horror stories of over served peeps calling Uber on rainy night downtown and getting 6x-10x 'surge' pricing and wake up to find they got charged $150 for a $20 cab ride (if u could get one).
 
I think, as a passenger, the experience will vary depending on where you live. I'm in the Boston area and I started out having great experiences. I've had a couple of shaky ones, too. For example, last week, my driver was not using his headlights (at night), drove on the rumble strip on the highway's shoulder, and pulled into an intersection about a moment before we got T-boned. He also played his rap music without asking me if that was alright.

Things like that aren't supposed to happen with Uber, which prides itself as being a better alternative to all of that (any of which I could find in a Boston-area cab experience). Then again, Uber does not have a competitor - like Lyft - here (as they do in DC). I would like to see alternatives pop up here, so that the quality of the ride - as well as the price - improve.
 
plus they are over running NYC--traffic commissioner blames them for the huge spike in traffic--it won't be long before NYC tightens controls over them and extracts more fees/$ akin to yellow cabs
 
Uber is one of the greatest inventions (and an invention that makes so much sense). I use it all the time and it blows away a taxi service. I agree at first pass you think that it sounds sketchy but then you use it most of the time it's like some soccer mom or teacher or young kid doing it for money on the side. It's like your neighbor driving you around in their nice new car. Also think about how much safer it is than a cab. A cab is usually not someone not like your neighbor in some old crappy car and there is no GPS tracking the whole thing. With Uber the car is constantly being monitored by the GPS (and you can see it driving towards you which is nice so you can time it really easily) so they can't just take you off to someplace weird. Also the no money or tip thing you don't realize how nice that is until you just get out of the car and go without messing around with that.
 
No tipping? And what if you have like 4 large suitcases? Can you specify you need a van or something large?
 
I held off until 3 weeks ago (I don't like change). I use it in Boston and then for a week in San Fran. I just got back.

Its a life changer. I will NEVER use a cab again. No hassle. No tipping. No more dealing with a cab driver who is angry you are only going on a short trip.

I actually watch cab go by waiting for the uber to show up. That's how much better is over cabs.
But can you tip if you want to?
 
Yes. The only reason not to use it would be to make a political point. Its almost always cheaper and more convenient then a taxi.

I don't know if I would call it political. I try not to use it because it basically takes the money out of the hand of everyday cabbies and puts it into the hands of the top guys at Uber.

That said, Uber is cheaper and the service is great. If I am not in NYC, I use it almost by default because I don't have to look up cab companies or go through any kind of hassle.
 
No tipping? And what if you have like 4 large suitcases? Can you specify you need a van or something large?

You can request a larger vehicle.

Uber drivers are better compensated than taxis, and you can rate them. If you have a bad driver, they won't be driving for Uber very long. The cars are much nicer and there is a real service element that you don't get with taxi drivers because there is no repercussions for their poor behavior.

Uber is now generation. Taxis will be like rotary phones very fast. The only thing they have going at this point is some DC lobbying, which will continue to fade as more and more people move from such an archaic way of transportation.
 
But can you tip if you want to?

Pretty sure it is against the rules to give a tip. The cost is the cost.

When I first started using it I tried to tip a couple of times and it wasn't accepted, I was told, because it is against their rules.

Also, another nice thing is they realize it is a service business. They often have waters, gum/candy, to make the experience a little nicer. It is everything a taxi isn't.
 
But can you tip if you want to?
no idea. There is none of that awkwardness after a cab ride on how much to tip. The trip cost is predeterminded and then you jump out. Thanks buddy!
 
You can request a larger vehicle.

Uber drivers are better compensated than taxis, and you can rate them. If you have a bad driver, they won't be driving for Uber very long. The cars are much nicer and there is a real service element that you don't get with taxi drivers because there is no repercussions for their poor behavior.

Uber is now generation. Taxis will be like rotary phones very fast. The only thing they have going at this point is some DC lobbying, which will continue to fade as more and more people move from such an archaic way of transportation.
Well you are right and wrong. Uber itself will fade as more competitors come along taking its business model (including cab companies - at its core its just an app). I expect a decade from now the big money will be in an aggregator - like kayak.com but for ride hailing. There will be a number of employment models - from Ubers part timers in their own cars, to full timers driving company cars.

Judging on how America has done this in the past - most of the service features will fade, and they will end up competing on price.
 
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You do tip with Uber it's just already built in. When you sign up it defaults to 20% so when you get out of the car you pay the far plus 20%. you can change that to whatever you want. My friend set his at 15%. You just can't give the drivers money directly since the gray area is that Uber is paying the drivers and you the passenger is paying Uber. No money is directly exchanged.

also other things you can do is request a fare reduction. Say the driver goes some weird way or misses a turn and it takes a few extra miles you can call uber and they'll change the fare. Just an FYI if people didn't know that.

I went on vacation and did AirBNB for lodging and Uber for transportation. I saved $1,000 on lodging by using airbnb and I was able to stay in a cool san francisco neighborhood and also saved time by not waiting or calling cabs by using Uber.
 
Well you are right and wrong. Uber itself will fade as more competitors come along taking its business model (including cab companies - at its core its just an app). I expect a decade from now the big money will be in an aggregator - like kayak.com but for ride hailing. There will be a number of employment models - from Ubers part timers in their own cars, to full timers driving company cars.

Judging on how America has done this in the past - most of the service features will fade, and they will end up competing on price.

Sure, others will come along. I believe there already is. They are already competing on cost with taxis. The service features are just a nice to have.
 
plus they are over running NYC--traffic commissioner blames them for the huge spike in traffic--it won't be long before NYC tightens controls over them and extracts more fees/$ akin to yellow cabs
Hahahaha I'm sure that has absolutely nothing to do with the taxi medallion owners exerting their influence.
 
You do tip with Uber it's just already built in. When you sign up it defaults to 20% so when you get out of the car you pay the far plus 20%. you can change that to whatever you want. My friend set his at 15%. You just can't give the drivers money directly since the gray area is that Uber is paying the drivers and you the passenger is paying Uber. No money is directly exchanged.

Uber only gives that option if you're using the app to get a normal cab through UberTaxi. Otherwise, there's no option to build in a tip at sign up. You might be thinking of Hailo (definitely has that) or Lyft (not sure).
 
The value of medallions has dropped by at least half and owners that paid 1M+ are beginning to default on their loans. This is becoming a bank problem now.
 
I have had good experiences with Uber in NYC. I was picked up by an Uber driver in Brooklyn after eating at Peter Luger's and was able to negotiate a cash fare to my house. Clearly this was outside of the official Uber service so the driver must have indicated that I declined and then I paid him cash. Uber is always billed to your registered credit card. I was worried that they would double charge me. I was also picked up in Queens when attending a wake for a colleague's parent and the Uber driver was terrible. We were driving in the wrong direction and I tried to get him to run around. He was clueless. But, generally, it is a nice step forward for consumers. My understanding, please correct me if I'm wrong, is that consumers and Uber drivers will benefit. Owners of monopolies like NYC taxi medallions will take it on the chin. I will also say that the caliber of Uber drivers seem well above that of yellow cab drivers.
 
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