Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

nytimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

161–170 of 527 posts

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#161

Post by kemayo »

snowwrestler wrote: post #149
kemayo wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I completely agree, and was halfway through writing a similar comment when I saw your post. I actively make choices for things like transit and food which reduce how much I have to think about tipping. I don't like having to judge someone's service, and decide how much it's appropriate to tip them based on some unwritten societal rule. The signal that hiding tips away sends is "the service provider is being compensat…

> I'm absolutely in favor of Uber/Lift charging whatever is necessary to pay their drivers properly. Ok, great, but they don't, so the practical effect of your stand against tipping is less money for these drivers. And why? Because you find it socially awkward? That's why it's better to have it in the app. You just get out of the car and it drives away. Then you select the tip in the app. Way better than Uber's syste…

> I agree that's the signal, but that doesn't mean it's true.

Eh, public transit it is, then.

Not that this is a sacrifice for me. I also hate how chatty most Uber/Lyft drivers are, so I rarely use them anyway.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#162

Post by inflagranti »

mdorazio wrote: post #41
jbw976 wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the in app tipping that lyft provides is what seals the deal for me. the drivers are performing a service for me and having an integrated way to enhance their compensation is really nice. a lot of the drivers have a hard time making a good living especially considering vehicle related costs are all on their shoulders. I'm happy to have a 1-click way to give them a bit extra. I've never understood why uber doesn't let…

Counterpoint: one of the reasons I prefer Uber is that it doesn't allow or encourage in-app tipping. Tipping sucks, is economically dysfunctional, and socially awkward. If the drivers aren't making enough from base fares then the fares need to go up - it's not my job to be a charity.

As I posted in another thread: it's really sad that the crazy state of tipping in the US makes people think like this.

I want to have the option to tip for exceptional service or if I really enjoyed taking to the driver, but I do not want to feel obliged to, which is the issue currently with the low wages.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#163

Post by digitalzombie »

kagamine wrote: post #150
foxfired wrote: post #127

Here is how I see it. I rely on those rides to go to work every single day and here what it (would) costs me. Uber: $250 a month.(Majority) Lyft: $500 a month (Whenever Uber is too expensive) Bus : $100 a month (1h:15 for 6 miles and 3 buses... No) Politics and all internal conflicts aside, there is a need for these services whether we like it or not. When I need to make a decision in the morning I take whatever is t…

I have never used the any of the 3 services you describe except the bus, can you or someone else explain how the driver makes less when taking on more passengers? Surely that works in an opposite way to the bus. The more paying passengers using the bus service simultaneously, the greater the margin per vehicle. But for some reason Uber turns this on its head? Note: I am a country bumpkin who grew up in the sticks and…

> can you or someone else explain how the driver makes less when taking on more passengers?

Summer Lyft driver here.

As a passenger you get the option to choose to get a ride alone, just you and the lyft driver, to your destination like a taxi. This is the default option and it's the most expensive one.

The new option that Uber have and Lyft is doing is pooled rides. Instead of having the Lyft car to yourself, you're willing to share that car with other passengers. Lyft can stop the driver and pick up more passengers that are opting for the pool ride along the way.

The one trick to save money is just do the pool ride option and maybe you won't have a passenger to share with if Lyft can't find any other passenger to pool with.

Club goers such as a bunch of guys or girls wanting to get a lyft ride to the same destination and are friends usually do the first option. It doesn't count as a pool ride. You're all friends not stranger going to the same place and such. There's other trick but that's not as important. If those club goers or group of friends went pool option that won't work because iirc it's meant for single passenger sharing the car with other passenger.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#164

Post by trustfundbaby »

deusex_ wrote: post #160
foxfired wrote: post #127

Here is how I see it. I rely on those rides to go to work every single day and here what it (would) costs me. Uber: $250 a month.(Majority) Lyft: $500 a month (Whenever Uber is too expensive) Bus : $100 a month (1h:15 for 6 miles and 3 buses... No) Politics and all internal conflicts aside, there is a need for these services whether we like it or not. When I need to make a decision in the morning I take whatever is t…

In Europe, your bus fare would be half of the price and probably you would need one or two connections. The public transport is much more developed and to me seems like a much better mass transportation alternative. More ecological, cheaper, less cars overall.

It also helps that Europe and its cities are ... smaller.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#165

Post by [deleted] »

inflagranti wrote: post #158
freyr wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Lyft has in app digital tipping (drivers keep 100% of tips). One of the reasons I don't like Lyft. How about this system: pay the drivers a fair wage up front, so they don't need to subsist on the generosity of strangers. If they get great ratings, you can give them a bonus.

That's exactly why I like it. This either tip or living wage thinking is so American! How about both!? I want the easy option to tip someone for exceptional service, but I also want them to get payed well enough to not feel obliged to.

[deleted]

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#166

Post by ZainRiz »

Nutomic wrote: post #147
foxfired wrote: post #127

Here is how I see it. I rely on those rides to go to work every single day and here what it (would) costs me. Uber: $250 a month.(Majority) Lyft: $500 a month (Whenever Uber is too expensive) Bus : $100 a month (1h:15 for 6 miles and 3 buses... No) Politics and all internal conflicts aside, there is a need for these services whether we like it or not. When I need to make a decision in the morning I take whatever is t…

This can't really be solved by individual consumers. Instead, the government should introduce laws to ensure that drivers make at least minimum wage (after fuel, maintenance, taxes etc). If that is not enough, it might be necessary to raise the minimum wage.

Considering how Uber and Lyft are both loosing money as it is, using government intervention to force them to pay their drivers more will just increase their chances of going out of business and mean there will be no driving jobs at all.

In this situation I'd prefer letting the market decide the prices for drivers. They had jobs before Uber, and if Uber starts paying too little then they can try going back to those kinds of jobs.

Ultimately though, as we run out of unskilled jobs, we may need to implement some sort of living wage the government provides to everyone to give society a floor.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#167

Post by empath75 »

foxfired wrote: post #127

Here is how I see it. I rely on those rides to go to work every single day and here what it (would) costs me. Uber: $250 a month.(Majority) Lyft: $500 a month (Whenever Uber is too expensive) Bus : $100 a month (1h:15 for 6 miles and 3 buses... No) Politics and all internal conflicts aside, there is a need for these services whether we like it or not. When I need to make a decision in the morning I take whatever is t…

Uber pool wasn't meant to be for professional drivers. If he's doing that, he's doing it wrong.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#168

Post by snowwrestler »

dwg wrote: post #126
nhf wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Patagonia is famous for this in the clothing industry. They are a premium brand so they can get away with higher prices and a lot of it gets reinvested in supply chain sustainability /ethics.

Thanks for this example. I wonder how much ethics contributes to Patagonia's success. I own at least a few things from Patagonia, but I wasn't aware of anything to do with their ethics. I bought them because of (perceived) quality. My point being that, in response to the original comment, I think it would be pretty difficult to disrupt the space by "being more ethical."

It matters to me; I always buy from Patagonia if I can.

I've also seen consumer research that shows that a lot of customers, especially younger ones, want to believe that they are buying from companies that have a social mission beyond just getting rich.

You can see this play out in brand fights here.

Apple is either creating great products for creativity (good social mission) or is creating a walled garden to suck money out of everyone (bad social mission).

Google is either solving the world's problems (good social mission), or is sucking up everyone's personal data to better target ads (bad social mission).

Android is "open," vs. iPhone is "secure."

Etc.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#169

Post by hkmurakami »

smileysteve wrote: post #140
hkmurakami wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Personally, being pressured to top is bad UX. I feel bad when presented with the prompt via square et al. I'd much rather have the price baked in like other countries.

> being pressured to top is bad UX You're not the customer of Square. It's great UX if your goal is to get more people tipping. (I've said this before at food trucks)

Totally valid point.

But I changed from Chevron to Shell because of their bad UX for Safeway rewards integration, and I've noticed that Philz never asks me to tip on their Point of Sale system while places like Signtglass do. And my noticing will likely have affected by purchasing behavior.

Re: Lyft Is Said to Seek New Funding as Its Rival Uber Stumbles

#170

Post by Bahamut »

freyr wrote: post #72
smileysteve wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The key points are - CEO never blackmailed journalists - No major revelations of sexual harassment - ~~No major revelations of political support~~ Related to core business - Surge Limit has prevented complaints about emergency pricing vs Uber. - Lyft takes a lower commission capped at 20%/25% - Lyft has in app digital tipping (drivers keep 100% of tips). Uber's tip policy encourages cash, which is an often cited comp…

> Lyft has in app digital tipping (drivers keep 100% of tips). One of the reasons I don't like Lyft. How about this system: pay the drivers a fair wage up front, so they don't need to subsist on the generosity of strangers. If they get great ratings, you can give them a bonus.

But if you're using it as a point of Uber above Lyft, keep in mind that Lyft gives its drivers a higher percent of what it charges in addition to allowing to tip...which is much more in Lyft's favor. The complaint should be more towards Uber not paying enough wages than "I don't like tipping" if one is making a living wage argument.

You also still don't have to tip if you don't want to.

Post reply on HN