311–320 of 400 posts
If you're in Los Angeles, I strongly recommend googling LAPD Bandit Cab Enforcement before using this app to give rides. Also, other cities may have similar enforcement operations.
Why not just give a link if you know exactly what information you want to refer people to?
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What is "the blockchain" and what built-in features does it have that can replace a purpose-built reputation system?
In this context, you can see the blockchain as a database, always available, and containing entries (transactions in blocks) that you can not delete. It’s very simplified, see the Wikipedia article [1] for more details about blockchain systems. The specific features that I find interesting to build an “open trust system” built on top of it, compared to a traditional database, are: - Transparency: anyone can explore t…
I'll post a comment from ProductHunt, which might give a bit more context to where the founder sees this going, and why cash rides make sense under certain circumstances he designed the app for: […] I have gone to the founder's blog and it provides a better understanding of where he sees it going: Uber (and similar apps) will never reach many remote villages, cities and regions around the world (and don't have to), b…
In rural communities here in Chile, and also in smaller towns, there is an amazing solution to this called Collectivo. I had never heard of it before arriving, but man it's the greatest thing. It's something in-between a bus and a taxi: a taxi with a predefined route. So if you're on a route, which there are many, you flag down a collectivo as it passes, and since both you and the driver already know where it's going, it'll stop for you even if there are already people in the car.
What makes this amazing is that it's cheap because the route is pre-set, and it's shared, and the driver can just go all day knowing there will be people along the route, and doesn't have to finish one ride before starting another. But meanwhile they'll generally go partially off their route if you request it, and it's not too much of a bother.
Why don't North American rural areas do this? It's a really great way to get around, and makes it so you can live (or at least visit) in rural areas without owning a car.
>, pay cash upon arrival. Paying cash is a non-starter. I haven't been to a bank ATM in over 10 years. I don't even know what my card's secret PIN is to make a cash withdrawal. Being virtually cashless by using credit-cards for everything is very common in professional circles. A credit-card is simpler and the exact line-item amount showing up on my monthly statement helps me keep track of travel expenses. (Also, man…
>> "I haven't been to a bank ATM in over 10 years." I'm curious how this is possible or if you're exaggerating. I live in London, so a pretty well connected city, and although I can use card/contactless almost everywhere I still need cash about once a week as some small places won't accept card. 10 years ago I'm sure cash was much more necessary.
That bank interaction is obviously too cumbersome to withdraw $80+ every week to pay cash for taxis. If all taxis refused to take credit card then yes, I'd have to use the ATM on a regular basis.
You're right that cashless was only possible recently. Even though credit-cards had been around for 50+ years, most people couldn't go 100% cashless because many places like McDonald's fast food only took cash. Those restaurants avoided credit transactions because having customers wait for the charge receipt and then sign their name clogged up the queue with impatient people. However, a recent revolution in payment processing allowed "no signature" transactions for small amounts under a threshold (say $20). The "no signature" includes not having to electronically sign the touch pad -- it isn't just avoiding paper and pen. With that change, McDonald's started accepting credit cards in 2002. People also might notice that when they pay by credit card at Starbucks, they don't have to sign anything. Credit transactions are now so fast, the situation is reversed: cashiers take longer to count out exact change for cash transactions than let customers pay by credit card!
The "no sign" revolution helped make lots of the "cash only" places disappear so now it's very easy to be credit-card only.
My concern with this is the problem of ensuring the safety of the person driving the cab and the real identity of the rider. Lots of drivers will be reluctant because they can be stiffed on the bill. Lots of passengers will be reluctant to use it due to the inherent risk of riding with what is essentially a stranger.
Shouldn't be an obstacle. This is already exactly how normal, hailable, regulated taxis work (at least in much of the USA, and certainly in NYC -- I can't speak for elsewhere). That's why taxi driver is (at least in the US) a statistically more dangerous occupation than police officer. From the point of view of a driver, this scheme is less dangerous than the status quo, at least there is potentially a little more pa…
He was never a taxi driver - he's a retired teacher.
I'll post a comment from ProductHunt, which might give a bit more context to where the founder sees this going, and why cash rides make sense under certain circumstances he designed the app for: […] I have gone to the founder's blog and it provides a better understanding of where he sees it going: Uber (and similar apps) will never reach many remote villages, cities and regions around the world (and don't have to), b…
> technology could greatly help the local communities in solving their transportation problems that are as "simple" as getting from point A to point B with no other feasible options available In rural communities here in Chile, and also in smaller towns, there is an amazing solution to this called Collectivo. I had never heard of it before arriving, but man it's the greatest thing. It's something in-between a bus and…
Pre-set routes seem distinctly worse. By definition they don't flex to handle new / temporary traffic patterns. Though they do have a super-huge benefit of not needing an app / real-time requests - in some cases that's a requirement.
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It's possible that consistency may be a large part of the value proposition of Uber or Lyft. I can go across the country and get a ride with a company I have some level of trust in. Regional co-ops do what taxi companies did, forcing me to re-evaluate everything all over again in every new place.
The co-ops can be members of an international org that ensures quality and consistency among its members.
I, personally, suspect that this possibility is not likely to be realized in the near (1-3 years) future.
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I call this false. Got proof?
AZERBAIJAN MANAT ZAMBIAN KWACHA BELARUSIAN RUBLE All currencies, all are as volatile as can be.
Bitcoin doesn't really have "domestic products", that is things that are denominated in it.
So, low volatility is a quality criterion for money, and those currencies fulfil it (domestically).
In time of war or hyper inflation, domestic currency might get too volatile, and that's when people switch to other money, such a cigarettes or foreign currency.
I'll post a comment from ProductHunt, which might give a bit more context to where the founder sees this going, and why cash rides make sense under certain circumstances he designed the app for: […] I have gone to the founder's blog and it provides a better understanding of where he sees it going: Uber (and similar apps) will never reach many remote villages, cities and regions around the world (and don't have to), b…
So we think that they live in remote villages using smartphones but no electronic payment? Is this really a valid use case?
If app-fication of ride hailing is what you want, it's worth mentioning that in the SF bay area, Flywheel has done an excellent job of making a feature-rich app and network [0]. Personally, I have found it to be an excellent service, the things that matter the most to me are availability of rides, timeliness of driver dispatch and arrival, and communication with drivers (when necessary). [0] http://www.flywheel.com/p…
Without being excessively negative, the experience showed me that Uber and Lyft deliver value beyond the simple A-to-B transportation service.