Using Taxis vs. Ride-sharing
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Using Taxis vs. Ride-sharing
I generally use neither taxi services nor ride-sharing, but I was wondering if anyone living car free has used both and what the difference is as far as passenger experience. Is it easier to call a taxi service or use Uber or other ride-sharing services? Are there differences in terms of service or quality? Generally, how would you explain the difference between taking a taxi and using Uber or other ride-sharing services to someone who has never used either?
Please remember to keep the discussion free of the political aspects of this topic. This thread should be limited to the experience of ride-sharing and taxis and how they compare.
Please remember to keep the discussion free of the political aspects of this topic. This thread should be limited to the experience of ride-sharing and taxis and how they compare.
#2
Prefers Cicero
I take a cab 5-10 times a year. I've never tried Uber and I am quite leary of it as I question whether I would be insured it I was involved in an accident as a passenger. This is a huge issue that a lot of people seem oblivious to.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...stry-1.2804413
The Insurance Bureau of Canada warns that their personal car insurance won't cover them if they're in a collision or a passenger is injured, so drivers must carry commercial insurance coverage.
How do I know if an Uber driver has commercial insurance? I suspect the majority don't. With cabs I am confident that they are appropriately insured.
Plus I'm still hoping to hail the Cash Cab!
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...stry-1.2804413
The Insurance Bureau of Canada warns that their personal car insurance won't cover them if they're in a collision or a passenger is injured, so drivers must carry commercial insurance coverage.
How do I know if an Uber driver has commercial insurance? I suspect the majority don't. With cabs I am confident that they are appropriately insured.
Plus I'm still hoping to hail the Cash Cab!
Last edited by cooker; 11-19-15 at 06:13 PM.
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Nope, neither apply to my commuting needs.
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I take a cab 5-10 times a year. I've never tried Uber and I am quite leary of it as I question whether I would be insured it I was involved in an accident as a passenger. This is a huge issue that a lot of people seem oblivious to.
Uber warning issued by Canada's insurance industry - Calgary - CBC News
The Insurance Bureau of Canada warns that their personal car insurance won't cover them if they're in a collision or a passenger is injured, so drivers must carry commercial insurance coverage.
How do I know if an Uber driver has commercial insurance? I suspect the majority don't. With cabs I am confident that they are appropriately insured.
Plus I'm still hoping to hail the Cash Cab!
Uber warning issued by Canada's insurance industry - Calgary - CBC News
The Insurance Bureau of Canada warns that their personal car insurance won't cover them if they're in a collision or a passenger is injured, so drivers must carry commercial insurance coverage.
How do I know if an Uber driver has commercial insurance? I suspect the majority don't. With cabs I am confident that they are appropriately insured.
Plus I'm still hoping to hail the Cash Cab!
But I am also quite leery of Uber for the same reason you are. Also for the perceived lack of regulation, control, etc. I'd rather pay the, presumably, higher cost of going with an established cab company.
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Hopefully someone who's also used Uber can reply to this thread. This is the current impression I have of an Uber ride:
https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/uber-for-jen/2937470<a
https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/uber-for-jen/2937470<a
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My opinion on this is more or less a matter of record. If a person's gluteus maximus is sitting in a car be it Uber, taxi or ride share is not car free during that time. Car light maybe. I know this has been debated several times but it has never been completely settled. Just saying.
#7
Prefers Cicero
My opinion on this is more or less a matter of record. If a person's gluteus maximus is sitting in a car be it Uber, taxi or ride share is not car free during that time. Car light maybe. I know this has been debated several times but it has never been completely settled. Just saying.
#9
Prefers Cicero
It sounds like a person can discuss some use of motor vehicles here without violating the parameters.
Any thoughts on the insurance angle?
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Hopefully someone who's also used Uber can reply to this thread. This is the current impression I have of an Uber ride:
https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/uber-for-jen/2937470<a
https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/uber-for-jen/2937470<a
Where I live now, we don't have Uber ... or more specifically, we haven't had Uber but I think the ban was just recently lifted so I suppose they may start to become available.
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I have no experience using Uber and the last time I took a taxi was in 2002. From what I read, Uber is being run by a couple of sharpies with few scruples, a well financed publicity campaign and political payoffs schemes, and a good application for dispatching so-called contracted help to pick up passengers in a timely and customer friendly manner.
I don't know why some smart tech guy doesn't come up with a similar smartphone application for use by conventional taxi cab companies to dispatch drivers and provide update service to customers. When that happens, and Uber, et al. is forced to play by the same labor and safety/insurance rules as well as requirements for picking up handicapped people as regulated taxi service, Uber's appeal will dwindle and market valuation should tank.
I don't know why some smart tech guy doesn't come up with a similar smartphone application for use by conventional taxi cab companies to dispatch drivers and provide update service to customers. When that happens, and Uber, et al. is forced to play by the same labor and safety/insurance rules as well as requirements for picking up handicapped people as regulated taxi service, Uber's appeal will dwindle and market valuation should tank.
#14
Prefers Cicero
I have no experience using Uber and the last time I took a taxi was in 2002. From what I read, Uber is being run by a couple of sharpies with few scruples, a well financed publicity campaign and political payoffs schemes, and a good application for dispatching so-called contracted help to pick up passengers in a timely and customer friendly manner.
I don't know why some smart tech guy doesn't come up with a similar smartphone application for use by conventional taxi cab companies to dispatch drivers and provide update service to customers. When that happens, and Uber, et al. is forced to play by the same labor and safety/insurance rules as well as requirements for picking up handicapped people as regulated taxi service, Uber's appeal will dwindle and market valuation should tank.
I don't know why some smart tech guy doesn't come up with a similar smartphone application for use by conventional taxi cab companies to dispatch drivers and provide update service to customers. When that happens, and Uber, et al. is forced to play by the same labor and safety/insurance rules as well as requirements for picking up handicapped people as regulated taxi service, Uber's appeal will dwindle and market valuation should tank.
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I have no experience using Uber and the last time I took a taxi was in 2002. From what I read, Uber is being run by a couple of sharpies with few scruples, a well financed publicity campaign and political payoffs schemes, and a good application for dispatching so-called contracted help to pick up passengers in a timely and customer friendly manner.
I don't know why some smart tech guy doesn't come up with a similar smartphone application for use by conventional taxi cab companies to dispatch drivers and provide update service to customers. When that happens, and Uber, et al. is forced to play by the same labor and safety/insurance rules as well as requirements for picking up handicapped people as regulated taxi service, Uber's appeal will dwindle and market valuation should tank.
I don't know why some smart tech guy doesn't come up with a similar smartphone application for use by conventional taxi cab companies to dispatch drivers and provide update service to customers. When that happens, and Uber, et al. is forced to play by the same labor and safety/insurance rules as well as requirements for picking up handicapped people as regulated taxi service, Uber's appeal will dwindle and market valuation should tank.
Nothing wrong with regulating an industry but it's not clear why the taxi business isn't more open like other ventures. Uber is helping to modernize this service in many cities although they seem to be having trouble operating in Vancouver.
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I have no experience using Uber and the last time I took a taxi was in 2002. From what I read, Uber is being run by a couple of sharpies with few scruples, a well financed publicity campaign and political payoffs schemes, and a good application for dispatching so-called contracted help to pick up passengers in a timely and customer friendly manner.
I don't know why some smart tech guy doesn't come up with a similar smartphone application for use by conventional taxi cab companies to dispatch drivers and provide update service to customers. When that happens, and Uber, et al. is forced to play by the same labor and safety/insurance rules as well as requirements for picking up handicapped people as regulated taxi service, Uber's appeal will dwindle and market valuation should tank.
I guess no one can actually respond to this thread because everyone has already decided to boycott Uber/ride-sharing in favor of taxis before trying it out; and yet it also sounds like few people use a taxi very often. What a pathetic scapegoating of a new form of LCF transportation in the interest of protecting taxi services that are hardly ever used anyway.
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Everyone complains that they're "cash strapped" and yet somehow everyone driving on the roads seems to have enough money to pay motor-vehicle and driving expenses.
...
I guess no one can actually respond to this thread because everyone has already decided to boycott Uber/ride-sharing in favor of taxis before trying it out; and yet it also sounds like few people use a taxi very often. What a pathetic scapegoating of a new form of LCF transportation in the interest of protecting taxi services that are hardly ever used anyway.
...
I guess no one can actually respond to this thread because everyone has already decided to boycott Uber/ride-sharing in favor of taxis before trying it out; and yet it also sounds like few people use a taxi very often. What a pathetic scapegoating of a new form of LCF transportation in the interest of protecting taxi services that are hardly ever used anyway.
Yes, I would imagine that many people driving on the road do have enough money to pay motor-vehicle and driving expenses.
No, we haven't decided to "boycott" Uber.
Yes, we don't use a taxi service very often ... we don't need to. Why would we? But if we do want to use a taxi, we'd like to go with a service in which we have confidence.
No, riding in cars is not a method of LCF transportation. Living Car Free (or Light) involves not riding in cars. Taxi services, in a LCF lifestyle, are for occasional or emergency use.
As I said before ... why don't you use Uber. Try it and let us know what you think.
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Last edited by Machka; 11-20-15 at 05:10 AM.
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I did some research on the car share thing a while ago. I don't remember the service.
It absolutely did not apply to me. It is cheap if one can pick it up, run an errand, then drop it off.
Both myself and my mother live outside of the pickup/dropoff zones. So, I could snag one for errands around town, but I'd still have to get to town for the pickup/dropoff. And, if I wanted to visit Mom, I'd have to keep the meter running the whole time I was there.
Both Eugene and Portland have ride-share services. So, I inquired about picking the car up in Eugene, driving to Portland, dropping it off. Picking it up a few days later, and bringing it back to Eugene. But, since the two cities are in different "zones", one wouldn't be allowed to drop it off... and again, the meter ends up running continuously.
I could imagine using a taxi to go to the Eugene airport, but don't do that very frequently. More commonly I fly out of the Portland airport which has reasonable public transportation.
Sometime, there may be something that will require a normal car/pickup/truck rental, which will likely be cheaper than registering and insuring my own vehicle depending on what is being done.
It absolutely did not apply to me. It is cheap if one can pick it up, run an errand, then drop it off.
Both myself and my mother live outside of the pickup/dropoff zones. So, I could snag one for errands around town, but I'd still have to get to town for the pickup/dropoff. And, if I wanted to visit Mom, I'd have to keep the meter running the whole time I was there.
Both Eugene and Portland have ride-share services. So, I inquired about picking the car up in Eugene, driving to Portland, dropping it off. Picking it up a few days later, and bringing it back to Eugene. But, since the two cities are in different "zones", one wouldn't be allowed to drop it off... and again, the meter ends up running continuously.
I could imagine using a taxi to go to the Eugene airport, but don't do that very frequently. More commonly I fly out of the Portland airport which has reasonable public transportation.
Sometime, there may be something that will require a normal car/pickup/truck rental, which will likely be cheaper than registering and insuring my own vehicle depending on what is being done.
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I could imagine using a taxi to go to the Eugene airport, but don't do that very frequently. More commonly I fly out of the Portland airport which has reasonable public transportation.
Sometime, there may be something that will require a normal car/pickup/truck rental, which will likely be cheaper than registering and insuring my own vehicle depending on what is being done.
Sometime, there may be something that will require a normal car/pickup/truck rental, which will likely be cheaper than registering and insuring my own vehicle depending on what is being done.
I used taxis for a few other things as well.
I also rented vehicles once in a while.
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#20
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Did you happen to read the part of the OP that specified this thread is to discuss and compare rider experience? There are plenty of threads on Uber in P&R to discuss the politics so why would you bring that up here after so much complaining about politics in the LCF forum?
Everyone complains that they're "cash strapped" and yet somehow everyone driving on the roads seems to have enough money to pay motor-vehicle and driving expenses. And then they have the gaul to restrict ride-sharing to protect their right to run inefficient taxi services.
I guess no one can actually respond to this thread because everyone has already decided to boycott Uber/ride-sharing in favor of taxis before trying it out; and yet it also sounds like few people use a taxi very often. What a pathetic scapegoating of a new form of LCF transportation in the interest of protecting taxi services that are hardly ever used anyway.
Everyone complains that they're "cash strapped" and yet somehow everyone driving on the roads seems to have enough money to pay motor-vehicle and driving expenses. And then they have the gaul to restrict ride-sharing to protect their right to run inefficient taxi services.
I guess no one can actually respond to this thread because everyone has already decided to boycott Uber/ride-sharing in favor of taxis before trying it out; and yet it also sounds like few people use a taxi very often. What a pathetic scapegoating of a new form of LCF transportation in the interest of protecting taxi services that are hardly ever used anyway.
Plus, it relates to your OP questions about differences in service and quality (insurance is part of "quality"), or about how one would explain the two models to someone unfamiliar with them.
Last edited by cooker; 11-20-15 at 07:00 AM.
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I brought up the insurance angle because riding in an uninsured vehicle might be part of the Uber "experience". If I'm badly injured in a crash I don't want to be bankrupted too. It's nothing to do with protecting cabs - I don't have any stake in that. It's about protecting myself.
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I brought up the insurance angle because riding in an uninsured vehicle might be part of the Uber "experience". If I'm badly injured and disabled in a crash I don't want to be bankrupted too. It's nothing to do with protecting cabs - I don't have any stake in that. It's about protecting myself.
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Another hint: constant repetition and application of the phrase ride sharing to Uber doesn't make it so.
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