Uber London loses licence to operate • Hacker News Board

Re: Uber London loses licence to operate

#281

Post by microcolonel » Fri, Sep 22, 2017, 12:28 PM UTC

pbhjpbhj wrote: post #266

microcolonel wrote: post #250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Some companies are happy to serve a restricted demographic Right, but whatever their target demographic is, they're still going to want to have an exclusive stake in it. I'm not saying that Taco Bell can/should seek to monopolize all food.

We have customers who go to other places for our niche services (art/craft), I don't have a problem with that. We could seek to get those customers exclusively to use our services, I just don't find a compelling reason to do so (of course I'm greedy for money, but other than that?).

I mean no disrespect, but I think you are perhaps misunderstanding the concept of a monopoly.

Re: Uber London loses licence to operate

#282

Post by throwaway287391 » Fri, Sep 22, 2017, 12:29 PM UTC

overcast wrote: post #261

FreeRadical wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More UK cabs need to start allowing cars payments. Instead they use their local monopolies to force cash use and under declare taxable income.

Had a terrible experience my first trip to London with black cabs. Headed to Heathrow express, late for flight as it is, He tells me 3/4 of the trip through, no cabs accept credit. We pull up to a stop light, and a cab directly to our left, has "we accept credit" on the window. So now I'm sitting here driving around with the cab guy to find an ATM at 5am just to pay him.

I've learned to always, ALWAYS ask when I first step into a cab whether they accept card payments, anywhere in the world. As far as I can remember, every time I've done this the answer has always been "yes" and the card payment worked without a hitch at the end of the ride. Yet just about every time I took a cab without asking about cards upfront, the driver would tell me his reader isn't working and he'd have to drive me to an ATM. Funny how conveniently finicky those readers are...

Re: Uber London loses licence to operate

#283

Post by danpalmer » Fri, Sep 22, 2017, 12:30 PM UTC

kaishiro wrote: post #275

danpalmer wrote: post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used an Uber for a 45 minute journey recently. The seatbelt didn't work. In the UK it's illegal to not wear a seatbelt, and it's against Uber's terms of service for me not to wear a seatbelt, and against their terms of service for the driver not to provide one. Uber didn't care, told me they would "talk to the driver". I'd have expected at least an acknowledgement that they endangered my safety, but no, no acknowle…

Endangered your safety? Did someone force you into the vehicle?

The seatbelt broke 10 mins into the journey while we were on a motorway. It's illegal to stop on the motorway, and being left at the side of the road isn't exactly a great alternative.

Re: Uber London loses licence to operate

#284

Post by PaulRobinson » Fri, Sep 22, 2017, 12:31 PM UTC

mittermayr wrote: post #200

PaulRobinson wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All London black cabs must take card payments. If their machine isn't working, they're not allowed to be on the road.

True, but not taken seriously by cab drivers. I've had many broken card machines in a black cab, and when challenged, it almost always lead to a, "alrite, get out mate" — or a, "well I can try if it works again, it didn't earlier..." I didn't report them, and with their ongoing nonsense and this now, I'll definitely make sure I will from here on forward.

You absolutely 100% must report them. Seriously. Every time. It's the only way we make it better for everybody.

The requirement for it to always be available is a new one - it was introduced in recent months. So if your experience pre-date that, that behaviour may have changed.

If it hasn't you absolutely 100% need to report the driver to TfL.

Re: Uber London loses licence to operate

#285

Post by cityzen » Fri, Sep 22, 2017, 12:31 PM UTC

overcast wrote: post #254

Uber needs to license their software to existing companies. Stop trying to push cab companies out of business, and start trying to be cabOS. The user experience is why we use the thing, I don't give a rats ass who is picking me up, as long as they are safe and courteous. And they come pick me up with a few taps of a phone app.

I've been thinking about this as well and not only for Uber. Airbnb and other similar companies could create platforms to allow people to do this on their own. The sad reality, though, is you don't make billions by enabling people, you make billions by controlling people.

Re: Uber London loses licence to operate

#286

Post by shangxiao » Fri, Sep 22, 2017, 12:32 PM UTC

mittermayr wrote: post #200

PaulRobinson wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All London black cabs must take card payments. If their machine isn't working, they're not allowed to be on the road.

True, but not taken seriously by cab drivers. I've had many broken card machines in a black cab, and when challenged, it almost always lead to a, "alrite, get out mate" — or a, "well I can try if it works again, it didn't earlier..." I didn't report them, and with their ongoing nonsense and this now, I'll definitely make sure I will from here on forward.

I see cab drivers in my city have gone to the same cab driver school.

Re: Uber London loses licence to operate

#287

Post by notyourday » Fri, Sep 22, 2017, 12:33 PM UTC

mittermayr wrote: post #223

alex_duf wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or the card machine that is "broken"

"You are required to have one that works...no?" — "Nah mate, this one literally just broke, they'll fix it when I'll return the cab later."

"Awesome mate, they can find me at that time"

Re: Uber London loses licence to operate

#288

Post by kbart » Fri, Sep 22, 2017, 12:33 PM UTC

leot wrote: post #271

wavefunction wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never had that experience with local cabs. Now what?

Game theory makes it clear why anonymous cabs paid in cash will almost always provide worse service than a rating sensitive system. The notion that people will be kind and nice because of social norms or "plain decency" or something is sentimental hogwash. People behave well when the system rewards them for doing so and penalises them for not.

Most of local cab companies in my city also let you rate a driver now, so it's not a unique selling point of Uber anymore.

Re: Uber London loses licence to operate

#289

Post by jamiegreen » Fri, Sep 22, 2017, 12:33 PM UTC

orf wrote: post #211

jamiegreen wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apart from restaurants

Not really, it's a service charge that in most places is charged for groups over a certain size (4 or 5). There is no culture of compulsory tipping for anything, because it's ridiculous.

My experience does not match what you are saying. I was always taught that (unless a service charge is already included) you should tip 10-20% in good restaurants. Not to tip I believe is generally seen as rude/a sign that service was bad.

Re: Uber London loses licence to operate

#290

Post by kaishiro » Fri, Sep 22, 2017, 12:34 PM UTC

danpalmer wrote: post #283

kaishiro wrote: post #275

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Endangered your safety? Did someone force you into the vehicle?

The seatbelt broke 10 mins into the journey while we were on a motorway. It's illegal to stop on the motorway, and being left at the side of the road isn't exactly a great alternative.

In that case it was working when you sat down so it's not like the driver was trying to pull a fast one on you. What did you expect him to do? Like you said, he couldn't just pull over.