Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service
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Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service
#2Uber and Lyft have had to tackle so many legal issues already. Drastically improving and modifying how they deal with drivers on a daily basis from both an operational and legal standpoint.
If what the article says is true about google vetting problem drivers with mere user reviews, they don't know what they are getting into.
I think the idea is great of course, and I imagine it would cut down on freeway traffic during commute hours. It just seems that the legal web of trust, insurance, safety, etc will be a lot to handle.
Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service
#3Honestly I wish they wouldn't try to compete on price. Maybe I'm alone with this, but I'd rather not feel obligated to tip a driver because the ride is so cheap. Pay them a living wage, let me pay the exact fee, and let me not have to carry goddamn cash like I used to in the era of Taxis.
e: Addressing common replies:
"This is for people commuting already" -- okay, point taken; my point about Uber/Lyft still stands.
"Tipping isn't obligatory" -- yes, it kind of is. Uber used to bar drivers form asking, but they recently lost a lawsuit over that rule and so now Uber drivers will occasionally ask for tips (which will cause it to slowly become the norm). When tipping becomes the norm, the low-base-wage of the driver becomes less of an 'issue', and then tipping becomes even more of a necessity as that is where the drivers will make their actual margins.
Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service
#4read: "Google ride-share is to Uber as Windows Phone is to Android". Late to the party, tragically deficient in first-mover network effect advantage, and on the decline in credibility since they're shutting down all moonshots, including, as we saw as recently as today, halving the staff at Google Fibre.
Talk about panic catch-up with no intrinsic advantage, nor vision. "Mountain View, start your photo-copiers". We know where that ends...
Larry and Sergei have shown in the past 3 years that they have no staying power on anything that isn't an obvious profit lay-up in short order. This thing will burn through cash at a rate that will make any of their other ill-fated ventures look like a bargain. I mean, UBER has already coughed 1.2 yards this year!
Smells like Google+ all over again. Isn't this the sort of sham that the Alphabet carve-out was supposed to avoid?
Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service
#5Honestly I wish they wouldn't try to compete on price. Maybe I'm alone with this, but I'd rather not feel obligated to tip a driver because the ride is so cheap. Pay them a living wage, let me pay the exact fee, and let me not have to carry goddamn cash like I used to in the era of Taxis. e: Addressing common replies: "This is for people commuting already" -- okay, point taken; my point about Uber/Lyft still stands.…
FTA: the price is intended to be low enough that one wouldn't try to use this to be a taxi driver. It reminds me of the days when someone offered to chip in for gas in exchange for carpooling.
Disclaimer: I'm a Google employee but have never heard anything about this before.
Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service
#6Honestly I wish they wouldn't try to compete on price. Maybe I'm alone with this, but I'd rather not feel obligated to tip a driver because the ride is so cheap. Pay them a living wage, let me pay the exact fee, and let me not have to carry goddamn cash like I used to in the era of Taxis. e: Addressing common replies: "This is for people commuting already" -- okay, point taken; my point about Uber/Lyft still stands.…
The point of the service is not for people who drive for a living. It is for people already headed in the same direction to carpool. So the benefit of getting paid is just a bonus as long as it isn't far out of the driver's way.
Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service
#7Honestly I wish they wouldn't try to compete on price. Maybe I'm alone with this, but I'd rather not feel obligated to tip a driver because the ride is so cheap. Pay them a living wage, let me pay the exact fee, and let me not have to carry goddamn cash like I used to in the era of Taxis. e: Addressing common replies: "This is for people commuting already" -- okay, point taken; my point about Uber/Lyft still stands.…
I took an Uber home from the train station last week and it was less than $15. I'm not sure how much a taxi would've been, probably at least $25.
I don't feel good about it. How can someone provide good service if they're taking home so little? I fear that soon Uber will be overrun with poor service because all the quality drivers have been driven out by low costs.
Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service
#8Uber and Lyft have had to tackle so many legal issues already. Drastically improving and modifying how they deal with drivers on a daily basis from both an operational and legal standpoint. If what the article says is true about google vetting problem drivers with mere user reviews, they don't know what they are getting into. I think the idea is great of course, and I imagine it would cut down on freeway traffic duri…
Fortunately, Google has regulatory contacts and an armada of lawyers. They're fully capable of working on this.
Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service
#9How are they vetting drivers? I wouldn't trust a driver if all they had to do to qualify is download the Waze app.
Re: Google Takes on Uber with New Ride-Share Service
#10Honestly I wish they wouldn't try to compete on price. Maybe I'm alone with this, but I'd rather not feel obligated to tip a driver because the ride is so cheap. Pay them a living wage, let me pay the exact fee, and let me not have to carry goddamn cash like I used to in the era of Taxis. e: Addressing common replies: "This is for people commuting already" -- okay, point taken; my point about Uber/Lyft still stands.…
It's only a matter of time until the cars are completely driverless. Will you feel better knowing that there isn't anybody behind the wheel being taken advantage of, but also no longer has this option to make money for themselves?
I'm not being sarcastic. I honestly don't know how I feel about it either.