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

nytimes.com

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

#271

Post by kobeya »

rtpg wrote: post #215
semi-extrinsic wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know if you're thinking about area or population, but by either metric London is bigger than any city in the US, and has a much better public transport system.

the right word is "denser". American cities are built for cars, so even if you take a bus somewhere you're now walking 15 minutes between buildings. This can be solved on a small scale (build "pockets" of livability), but mass transit will have a harder time surviving without other urbanization changes

> build "pockets" of livability

That was a very loaded word to use. The problem is many people consider dense urban neighborhoods to be unlivable..

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

#272

Post by jhuckestein »

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.

The thing is, the user experience of Uber, Lyft et al is strictly better than public transport. Some would even say it is 10x better (in the From Zero to One sense). It picks you up whenever you want, wherever you want and drops you off exactly where you need to go.

I agree that buses are more ecological, but doesn't this just mean that we should combine Uber and public transport? In the future I see a fleet of larger vehicles combined with a Uber Pool type app working really well. And even further in the future these vehicles would be self driving.

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

#273

Post by jschwartzi »

techsupporter wrote: post #20
prawn wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The question wasn't really why are they better than taxis, but why is Lyft considered a more ethical business than Uber, which has faced criticism, especially recently.

That's what I was getting at, thank you. I understand that taxis are regarded as horrible but I don't get why Lyft is seen as "the better way" (either by investors or customers) when Uber is increasingly reviled. Lyft has the same systemic flaws as Uber but does so behind a pink mustache and a CEO that seems a bit more restrained. Neither company took the opportunity to "fix" a broken taxi system by ensuring that bot…

I would rather not give money to a company which pays Mike #2's salary.

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

#274

Post by gm-conspiracy »

sgustard wrote: post #231
FullMtlAlcoholc wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never understood why tipping, specifically when it is completely optional, threatens people or turns them off. If you don't tip a Lyft driver, they aren't going to give you a dirty look or treat you any differently, especially since you get to rate them on their service. You can complain that people should be paid a fair wage, but they aren't. I wish for many things, such as the end of warfare, but I accept the…

> bartenders will occasionally give me free drinks Isn't this just the bartender stealing from his employer? Did he use your tip to buy the alcohol?

...or is the bartender building marketshare?

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

#275

Post by gm-conspiracy »

stevekemp wrote: post #246
smileysteve wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are many issues with tipping This article and the research behind it http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a23132/why-tip... 3. The percentage basis makes no sense. 4. Better service doesn't actually beget better tips. 5. It perpetuates racism and sexism.

6. It rewards arbitrary people. If you go out and eat a fantastic piece of food do you think the person who should be rewarded is: * The person who actually made the food. * The person who carried it to your table.

When you go out and eat a fantastic piece of food, how often do you speak with the chef and compliment him?

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

#276

Post by kobeya »

IanCal wrote: post #228
paulddraper wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> cycle the 6 miles The minority cycles. Crowded cyclists are hardly better than crowded cars.

They take up less space and result in less pollution and a healthier population. In what way do you think they're about the same?

I get the sense you are imagining this:

https://bicycledutch.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/amsterdam.j...

But the pragmatic reality is that in much of the world that has had such a bike culture, you will eventually end up with this:

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QSXDqDni9VE/maxresdefault.jpg

Cars, although far less dense, are objectively better than the latter case. Safer, quieter, less polluting.

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

#277

Post by DigitalJack »

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…

did I misread that? your commute is 6 miles?

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

#278

Post by arjie »

systematical wrote: post #193

I'm really surprised that Lyft and Uber are not profitable. As for which is better. Uber once charged my friend $80 for a 15 minute ride in Salt Lake City around midnight. There is a markup and a then there is bend over. They marked up a bend over on that one. I try my best not to use them. I also like the option of giving a tip.

They tell you what the markup is ahead of time. The markup is a good thing. It's efficient pricing. Society is better for it.

I find it comforting knowing that in an emergency I can get somewhere in an Uber. If pricing didn't rise with demand or dropping supply, I can't have that guarantee. In SF, I've never had the "no cars available". That's what I want. The knowledge that ubiquitous rapid transport is available for some price within my reach.

Sure, if it cost £1000 for a ride that'd be different. But even on the 4.75 I've seen in SF it's never gone that high.

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

#279

Post by kobeya »

jsemrau wrote: post #203
trustfundbaby wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

European cities are not smaller in terms of population or services offered. It's just European cities are better planned compared to most American cities. This whole "suburban" lifestyle .....

Some people like suburbia.

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

#280

Post by kobeya »

DigitalJack wrote: post #277
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…

did I misread that? your commute is 6 miles?

Do you think that is high or low?
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