Who would have thought private industry was better than government at things.
A loss-leading promotion means that government is terrible at everything?
Ron Swanson, is that you?
$2.25 Lyft line rides in SF
31–40 of 84 posts
Re: $2.25 Lyft line rides in SF
#32http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/throw...
Edit: thanks for downvoting a valid point. It's weird that HN doesn't see it for what it is.
Re: $2.25 Lyft line rides in SF
#33ok what is a lyft line? is that some other type of lyft?
A potentially shared ride. It spends a minute searching to see if someone is heading in the same direction as you and then you share the ride. As a passenger, you also only have 1 minute to get downstairs when the car arrives or you have to pay a $5 fee (which really annoys me sometimes as their estimates of time to arrival are sometimes grossly incorrect.
Re: $2.25 Lyft line rides in SF
#34This price war between uber and lyft seems foolish and unsustainable, but as a consumer, I'm down.
You shouldn't, the end result is that drivers will end up with shitty salaries (and no, most drivers aren't going to be retrained as computer programmers when they realise Uber can't help them pay for their SF rent). Not to mention that these people are contractors (illegal) so have more personal taxes to pay. In my eyes Uber and Lyft have lost all moral high ground. These companies are just not following regulations…
The uber announcement notes that "Partner Drivers will receive fares based on time and distance, the same as they normally do." So it appears they aren't taking the hit. Lyft doesn't comment on it...
Re: $2.25 Lyft line rides in SF
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wouldn't call them arbitrary. As a society we've chosen to make the idea of helping the less able lead more normal lives something we want. Whether it really helps or is the most effective way is debatable, but I think it's pretty clear why ; it's generally well supported and fits with our cultural mythos.
Also young people don't vote ;)
Yes, I also thought of that as well. :) I didn't feel like exploring how that interrelates to other classes like the disabled in complex ways though[1], so omitted it.
Edit: s/included that as well/thought of that as well/
1: Do the disabled benefit from this association and the voting power of the elderly, and if so how much of our cultural wish to help the disabled is rationalization after the fact?
Re: $2.25 Lyft line rides in SF
#36This price war between uber and lyft seems foolish and unsustainable, but as a consumer, I'm down.
I agree, until Lyft runs out of money, Uber wins, and the price skyrockets. Plus there's Sidecar, which will surely die soon because nobody even knows it exists.
...and the price skyrockets.
Maybe. But maybe instead:
Routing and capital intensity (lack of car idle-times) continues to improve. Shared-rides in larger-vehicles (vans) grow in proportion and convenience. Cities expand pick-up/drop-off zones for car services. Attempts at monopoly price hikes spur freelance/coop/upstart competitors along the most profitable corridors, able to snipe Uber rides via overlay apps/services. So costs and prices stay low long enough until...
Driverless vehicles become the major mode of urban short-trip car travel. Driver costs are eliminated, insurance costs reduced, and capacity/intensity further improved – with high-capacity vehicles that tirelessly reposition without breaks/distractions. Automated rides stay nearly as cheap as 'mass' transit on dedicated rails, indefinitely.
Re: $2.25 Lyft line rides in SF
#37For its shortcomings, at least Muni has a level of accountability to the public that Lyft and Uber inherently lack. I can't see Lyft or Uber providing discounts to seniors or people with disabilities.
True in a political sense I suppose. But Lyft and Uber are far more accountable to actual users. And I'm nor sure I would equate accountability with offering arbitrary discounts to select groups.
I'm not that familiar with Lyft, but Uber doesn't doesn't seem accountable to actual users. Did they issue an apology for their "Rides of Glory" article where they mapped potential one night stands?
Re: $2.25 Lyft line rides in SF
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm assuming you mean Uber is after "world domination"? But don't fool yourself, Lyft is the same, Uber is just better at it so Lyft has no choice but to fight back with $2.50 to Uber's $5 bucks flat. This isn't because the company is "focused on the user", it's because the company is focused on the competition. If that goes away (unlikely for Lyft to see Uber go away) don't expect high standards.
Do you believe this because you know some inside information, or is this just a generic "All any company cares about is your money"-type platitude?
I'm saying all companies HAVE to care about your money but they don't have to care about you. Not unless you have competition.
Laissez-faire
Re: $2.25 Lyft line rides in SF
#39Earlier quoted context omitted.
You shouldn't, the end result is that drivers will end up with shitty salaries (and no, most drivers aren't going to be retrained as computer programmers when they realise Uber can't help them pay for their SF rent). Not to mention that these people are contractors (illegal) so have more personal taxes to pay. In my eyes Uber and Lyft have lost all moral high ground. These companies are just not following regulations…
Why would a lyft driver be paying SF rent? The notion that low income earners ought to be renting in extremely expensive neighborhoods is nonsense. If I can commute across the bay so can everyone else.
I'm a little sad that the entirety of SF is now considered "extremely expensive neighborhoods".
What's your response going to be when Oakland also becomes "extremely expensive neighborhoods" (if it isn't already)?
Re: $2.25 Lyft line rides in SF
#40Who would have thought private industry was better than government at things.
This is a limited time promotion. The Muni price is a long term price. After a while, lyft and uber will bring their prices back up. It will be a shame if any muni services are lost in the meantime because people stupidly believe that these are long term prices.
Lyft's normal line price is frequently (slightly) cheaper for my wife and I than Muni. Of course, during heavy demand times or for longer rides, muni wins, and I certainly would not want it to go away!
I think long term something like robot driven 6-rider lyft-line style vans is probably the future of public transit (hopefully) :)