Uber are getting shirty
Discussion
Frank7 said:
Don't bring logic and common sense into this, all those who
want to tap their phones, then wait for a monkey to
pick them up for a handful of peanuts will get upset.
The only reason you can get a black cab instantly these days is because of Uber. Back before it existed, try finding a black cab any time after midnight in central/west end.want to tap their phones, then wait for a monkey to
pick them up for a handful of peanuts will get upset.
Burwood said:
My money is on Uber's deep pockets and expensive lawyers prevailing. Not only that Khan just screwed the pooch. A guaranteed vote loser.
I'd be surprised.When you pull s
t like stopping regulators being able to use your service by developing a fake app specifically to fool them that probably doesn't go down too well and that's before you get into the "really serious" stuff around driver screening.It is a brilliant concept, just seems to have been done by a company with very very bad ethics.
I don't know how much all the stuff about Uber's company culture gets out beyond IT/tech websites but it's worth a 5 minute dig.
Vaud said:
Burwood said:
My money is on Uber's deep pockets and expensive lawyers prevailing. Not only that Khan just screwed the pooch. A guaranteed vote loser.
Plus created overnight unemployment. Nice one Khan.bhstewie said:
hstewie said:Burwood said:
My money is on Uber's deep pockets and expensive lawyers prevailing. Not only that Khan just screwed the pooch. A guaranteed vote loser.
I'd be surprised.When you pull s
t like stopping regulators being able to use your service by developing a fake app specifically to fool them that probably doesn't go down too well and that's before you get into the "really serious" stuff around driver screening.It is a brilliant concept, just seems to have been done by a company with very very bad ethics.
I don't know how much all the stuff about Uber's company culture gets out beyond IT/tech websites but it's worth a 5 minute dig.
W124 said:
That depends on what Uber do. If they accede to what he's asking then he looks stronger. What he is asking is not unreasonable.
Agreed.The story should be uber is a great service we want to see, but has serious mgt issues that must be addressed to carry. Reform or lose license.
What is more concerning is that TfL have had discussions with uber on doing something but appear to have not got anywhere constructive - hence license threat.
The media should be backing TfL to force uber to play ball and get the service run ethically. So we can all still enjoy the wonderful user service it is.
buggalugs said:
Uber is responsible for this situation nobody else. Their license was up earlier this year and they were only given a few months temporary extension to get their house in order, but they’ve continued to act like a petulant child because apparently the law doesn’t apply to you if you have a cool app.
I'm sure the wave of people suddenly without income job will say that. If TFL acted the same way to applying the rules to black cabs then this wouldn't look like political protectionism. As it is...
rxe said:
///ajd said:
Does anyone who has used uber not think it is basically miles better than what went before?
I don't know if the working conditions need reform or not, but from a user point of view it beats the alternative on all levels for me.
Sad if it does get binned in London. Why in earth are we rejecting progress? If the price needs to go up to address working conditions then fine, it's still miles better than a black cab.
This. It's a better service. I'd use Uber even if it was the same price as a black cab. For me, the billing system means I actually claim my expenses, rather than trying to work through a load of grubby paper slips at the end of the month.I don't know if the working conditions need reform or not, but from a user point of view it beats the alternative on all levels for me.
Sad if it does get binned in London. Why in earth are we rejecting progress? If the price needs to go up to address working conditions then fine, it's still miles better than a black cab.
Uber must reform or die. Let's seem some competition arise to Uber. 40,000 won't lose their jobs. The majority would go to branch off companies as there is obviously a need for such a service.
That, the Uber defenders must admit.
Everyone is complaining about black cabs but in itself Uber has become a monopoly squeezing minicabs out of business.
How many of these 40,000 were minicabbers before? Ubers response in the press just shows their core values. Attack, dominate.
That, the Uber defenders must admit.
Everyone is complaining about black cabs but in itself Uber has become a monopoly squeezing minicabs out of business.
How many of these 40,000 were minicabbers before? Ubers response in the press just shows their core values. Attack, dominate.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Throwing 40,000 people out of work in 4 weeks... how is that not controversial? Even Thatcher with the miners didn't do it in one month.Khan may be right to push and even punish Uber, but the outcome he gets may not be favourable for those that actually live and work in London.
Sa Calobra said:
Uber must reform or die. Let's seem some competition arise to Uber. 40,000 won't lose their jobs. The majority would go to branch off companies as there is obviously a need for such a service.
That, the Uber defenders must admit.
Everyone is complaining about black cabs but in itself Uber has become a monopoly squeezing minicabs out of business.
How many of these 40,000 were minicabbers before? Ubers response in the press just shows their core values. Attack, dominate.
Perhaps black cabs need to reform or die...?That, the Uber defenders must admit.
Everyone is complaining about black cabs but in itself Uber has become a monopoly squeezing minicabs out of business.
How many of these 40,000 were minicabbers before? Ubers response in the press just shows their core values. Attack, dominate.
Sa Calobra said:
They'll go back to mini cab driving and rival existing and innovative startup rival Uber companies. Stop being hysterical.
I see no hysteria. Kahn has succumbed to lobbying from the cab drivers.Why aren't TFL being so aggressive in the application of the rules to the black cab drivers?
How many licences have been removed for not taking cards? Why is TFL so (indirectly) supportive of a cash in hand business with a poor audit trail?
I don't mind Uber being pushed to change. This just seems to be a draconian or "hysterical" reaction to coin your cute turn of phrase.
It's not sudden, they've been warned about their licence by tfl but Uber carried on petulently.
Black cabs need reform. For cities to meet emmissions targets the diesel engine needs to go. It can't be soon enough but for a single company to take over the minicab market and ignore rules is a bad thing.
Both need reform.
I visited Birmingham recently and saw lines of black cabs sat with their engines idling. It was disgusting.
We also need to change our ways and stop being soo idle.
Black cabs need reform. For cities to meet emmissions targets the diesel engine needs to go. It can't be soon enough but for a single company to take over the minicab market and ignore rules is a bad thing.
Both need reform.
I visited Birmingham recently and saw lines of black cabs sat with their engines idling. It was disgusting.
We also need to change our ways and stop being soo idle.
A good angle from both sides here with mention of the upcoming licence https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul...
Then today/yesterday the Guardian posted up a weird one-sided pro Uber article.
Fickle reporting
Then today/yesterday the Guardian posted up a weird one-sided pro Uber article.
Fickle reporting
London and black cabs are a minor detail really.
Uber as a company have never seen a rule or law anywhere they didn't want to ignore or subvert. It's what they do. A bunch of ahole 'bros' who at best argue that they're a disruptive new paradigm, or at worst just carry on hoping money will get them out of trouble like it always has since highschool. And all while running at a loss; they haven't found a better financial model, they're just doing the age old trick of undercutting the competition using deep pockets to force them out.
Note how none of the counter argument so far has been about fixing any of the problems and instead have been all about allegations of political impropriety, 'what about our customers', what about our 40000 not-employees, plus at least one blatant 'here's a pile of cash mister political blogger run a supportive fake grassroots advertising campaign'.
The app itself isn't a bad idea, but all the good bits are easily copied. The company itself can FOAD.
Uber as a company have never seen a rule or law anywhere they didn't want to ignore or subvert. It's what they do. A bunch of a
hole 'bros' who at best argue that they're a disruptive new paradigm, or at worst just carry on hoping money will get them out of trouble like it always has since highschool. And all while running at a loss; they haven't found a better financial model, they're just doing the age old trick of undercutting the competition using deep pockets to force them out.Note how none of the counter argument so far has been about fixing any of the problems and instead have been all about allegations of political impropriety, 'what about our customers', what about our 40000 not-employees, plus at least one blatant 'here's a pile of cash mister political blogger run a supportive fake grassroots advertising campaign'.
The app itself isn't a bad idea, but all the good bits are easily copied. The company itself can FOAD.
miniman said:
All the benefits of Uber are available with black cabs via Gett, Hailo and other services. You get the advantages of a black cab (can go in bus lanes, has fundamental grasp of where you are heading, can easily circumnavigate traffic) and Uber (cashless, receipts, driver not likely to refuse to go saarf of the river). The few times I've used Uber I've ended up in a manky Prius stuck in a queue that, despite having 3 phones stuck to the windscreen, the driver has neither the ability nor the inclination to avoid.
No, they're not. With Uber I have a single app for all my cabs, pretty much globally. So at the end of a month, I get a nice itemised bill with start and end points, and I can easily say "these 10 journeys in London and these 15 journeys in Newcastle are all chargeable to <project>. very simple.Last time I used Hailo (about 3 years ago), it just said either no cabs, or there might be a cab in 30 minutes. That was central London, late night. Uber has a cab with me in sub 5 minutes pretty much every time.
I've been in lots of priuses (pri-i?), never encountered a manky one. And I agree, Uber should be allowed in bus lanes, they're providing a better service than anyone else.
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