Dozens of commuters will scramble to share a cab with him as they excitedly scroll through the options for different drivers. "This one's only got four stars!" says one Uber virgin, shocked that anybody would consider less than five.
"Don't worry," says one of our Uber-savvy commuters, "they regularly prune the list of people who're getting poor reviews. I read it in an article on Hacker News."
"You read it on what news?" says another.
As the commuters split evenly into fairly sensible groups based on their desired destinations, the cars begin to arrive and they all pile in, leaving the pavement empty but for a busker and a Big Issue salesman.
As the final satisfying slam of an UberX car vibrates throughout the street, our new, friendly passengers get to know each other.
"This is rather nice, isn't it?"
"Pfft, who needs the underground?" says one, as they sit in gridlocked traffic on City Road, merely two hours from their destination, one-and-a-half miles away.
"Oh, it means Uber can charge you whatever they want during peak times."
"But you said we were getting 50% off?"
"Oh but we are! 50% off the surge price."
"So if they put the surge price to 2x then we'd be paying the exact same amount we would anyway, and this promotion would be for nothing?"
"Well, yes. But I'm sure Uber would never do that. Uber is my best free-market friend!"
This is, in fact, the free market at its best, and it's not the market's fault or Uber's fault if it's ugly out there. You always have the option not to use it and hail a taxi regularly. Good luck. You'll need it.
I wish these cab apps would use their power to try to improve the air quality in London. Offering incentives to low emission vehicles or those with scrubbers. Or just giving users the choice.
BTW I made a really simple tube strike info site: http://www.isthetubeonstrike.com/
I agree, but to be fair they do at least use Priuses for UberX. In a gridlock, they'll probably be fairly harmless ;)
I actually have used UberX before in London, at a fairly quiet time but when I was in a rush and it was great. I'd recommend it for that kind of situation, especially if you're not in a taxi hunting ground.
So, apart from Uber maybe having some nicer cars available, what's the deal?
There's something to be said for the Knowledge, which in case any readers here don't know, is what it sounds like. London Black Cab drivers have comprehensive knowledge of London's streets which allows them to get around very quickly compared to many minicab drivers including Uber cars. They have to have this to get their licence to drive a black cab.
They're also prone to be "on their way home" and thus, "not going in the direction you're going" if you want to go some place that is unlikely to get them a fare back into central.
Any competition against these over-priced monopolists is a good thing in my book. Yes they have 'the knowledge' and yet I still find myself giving them directions to where I want to go.
(Still, they're better clued-in than a sketchy minicab driver; but then, that bar is set rather low.)
- Nicer cars (I don't how that's an afterthought to be brushed away)
- Cheaper (by a good margin)
- There are more than twice as many private hire cars than taxis in London - although, they're not all on Uber, by a huge margin. I "top up" with Kabbee when Uber falls short. (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm...)
- Not too proud to use sat nav (A major selling point for taxis is that they have "The Knowledge" which, in a way, is impressive, but ragingly annoying when they don't happen to know the place you're going and you have to provide turn-by-turn navigation).
- Private hire cars don't have an industry association that calls the competition rapists (This weekend, Regent Street. On my way to grab an Uber. https://www.dropbox.com/s/2qqmy7sldbax6xk/20140426_232545.jp... )
It isn't, but London cabs are far from uncomfortable, and most people don't have long journeys. It's factor, but I struggle to see it as an important one.
Private hire cars don't have an industry association that calls the competition rapists
That's not really calling the competition rapists. It's not even specifically talking about the competition you're talking about - the danger is unlicensed cabs and drivers who are not certified.
> I don't really understand why people would use Uber in
> London when services like Hailo exist
"Cash? Sorry, I've got no cash. Just this credit card."
I suspect they see the resulting press coverage as free advertising.
Because that's the problem, not enough affordable cars. That'll definitely work.
This latest strike takes place in the shadow of the battle to succeed Bob Crow at the RMT. Tactically, it could undermine the union, as TfL will be able to keep a significant part of the network operational. However, none of the candidates for the leadership of the Union can oppose it for fear of being tarred as a management stooge by their rivals. Of course, that's not to say that both the TfL and even the other unions won't benefit if this strike proceeds and ends up being a damp squib.
All of which is to say, as working class demonstrations go, this one's something of an edge case. I'm pro organised labour but I think this particular strike is going to damage the cause more than it helps -- if the RMT is painted as reckless users of their strike power, the (right-of-centre) government will have an easier time either making it harder to strike (in terms of forcing minimum participation thresholds) or even the nuclear option of making the Tube an essential service, which would put its workers in the same position as the Police, Army and prison officers, who are legally barred from striking.
There's no point driving, or being in any motor vehicle, tomorrow.
(unless of course we are now allowing editorialising in HN post titles)
cheers