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Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

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Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#541

Post by user_7832 »

fortran77 wrote: post #506
dataflow wrote: post #478

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This seems... interesting, legally speaking. I imagine the idea is that you're implicitly accepting alterations to the previous contract by opting to take the car? Would that argument hold water, legally?

Especially since you may have no time to wait for another car. There’s an element of “duress” here

Yes, when you’re tired after a flight with heavy bags, you’re very much being forced to compromise. Any consumer could easily argue why they didn’t have a choice and had to go with what was available.

Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#542

Post by ctxc »

rfurmani wrote: post #477
harmmonica wrote: post #137

As a Waymo-booster on HN for a while now, here's my latest anecdote. I tried to figure out how to take Waymo to LAX even though it's not actually in their territory yet just because I value the experience so much. I was borderline going to take it within walking distance (about half a mile), but got lazy at the last minute. I took Lyft instead, and, as if the universe cursed my laziness, I booked a "comfort" car for…

I've had a couple bad experiences with Lyft recently, including one time the driver must have clicked that they picked me up while a block away, because I could see the lyft driving to the destination without me. I tried to get a refund since I was obviously waiting my start location the whole time, but the system claimed the drive went from start to finish (even though I wasn't in the car), so no refund.

That's must be annoying to say the least. In India drivers require an OTP to start a ride.

The OTP is the same for a user across rides, so I have mine memorised which is nifty. No fiddling with the phone during boarding.

On security: exploiting this would require the driver to stay in my vicinity the next time I book a ride, and also get the ride assigned to them. In a high population density area, it's rare - I've never had the same driver twice.

Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#543

Post by franticgecko3 »

seb1204 wrote: post #517
phil21 wrote: post #415

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I pretty much just use it to book black cars these days - at least in my local city where those require licensed livery drivers. Good experience there for the most part. Most of the time I’m using Uber it’s either a business expense to the airport or I’m booking for a large party anyways. That and I guess UberXL - otherwise it’s pretty fungible. The interesting bit is that black is often pretty much the same price a…

What does "licensed driver" mean? The driver has a valid driving licence?

Assuming OP is in the UK, they're talking about hackney carriages which are subject to more stringent regulation than other private hire vehicles

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackney_carriage

I think this would be similar to the medallions of yellow NYC cabs

Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#544

Post by user_7832 »

theamk wrote: post #437
ghaff wrote: post #383

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But a lot of people basically wanted VC-subsidized cheaper cabs. Even if the easier and more reliable ordering was a bonus.

I don't think "cheap" was the main factor, at least for me and my friends. Predictable pricing, predictable arrival, automated booking, and an ability to complain to someone was significantly more important. (From what I've read, this happened naturally in other countries, but in US, the taxi monopoly was so bad, we needed something crazy like Uber)

> From what I've read, this happened naturally in other countries, but in US, the taxi monopoly was so bad, we needed something crazy like Uber

Depends on the city but definitely not the case everywhere in India. Uber and Ola (a local Uber alternative) massively forced taxi/auto (tuktuk) unions to weaken their bargaining position.

There’s still a mafia eg in Goa where they literally threaten Uber drivers, but it’s relatively very different post Uber.

Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#545

Post by seanmcdirmid »

fnordpiglet wrote: post #537
camel_gopher wrote: post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m seeing more of them with trash. Last one I took had a rolled up bundle of used bandages.

People are excited by driverless cars but it also means a car with no social barriers and no person who considers the cars condition important. For now they’re well surveilled and a premium vehicle. Soon they will be filthy pods in a race to the bottom with all the charm of a public bathroom. They’ll be cheap, but you’ll get what you pay for. Private driverless cars will be the premium alternative.

Why do you assume the surveillance will go away as they become cheaper? The taxi company know who is in their car and they have access to interior cameras if something happens. In many respects, it is going to be even more difficult to take a dump in one and get away with it than if a human was driving it. They have your credit card number and visual evidence of what you did, they will just charge your card automatically for things like puking.

Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#546

Post by billforsternz »

liveoneggs wrote: post #320
harmmonica wrote: post #137

As a Waymo-booster on HN for a while now, here's my latest anecdote. I tried to figure out how to take Waymo to LAX even though it's not actually in their territory yet just because I value the experience so much. I was borderline going to take it within walking distance (about half a mile), but got lazy at the last minute. I took Lyft instead, and, as if the universe cursed my laziness, I booked a "comfort" car for…

all "cab"-like cars that are not shaped like London Black Cabs are failures. The seating and luggage carrying is so much better than a regular car it makes me sick.

I'm on holiday in Japan at the moment and I notice the cabs look like London cabs and are mainly black too. Made by Toyota. I haven't yet taken one, so I don't know if the similarity extends to the interior layout.

Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#547

Post by cwalv »

ctxc wrote: post #542
rfurmani wrote: post #477

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've had a couple bad experiences with Lyft recently, including one time the driver must have clicked that they picked me up while a block away, because I could see the lyft driving to the destination without me. I tried to get a refund since I was obviously waiting my start location the whole time, but the system claimed the drive went from start to finish (even though I wasn't in the car), so no refund.

That's must be annoying to say the least. In India drivers require an OTP to start a ride. The OTP is the same for a user across rides, so I have mine memorised which is nifty. No fiddling with the phone during boarding. On security: exploiting this would require the driver to stay in my vicinity the next time I book a ride, and also get the ride assigned to them. In a high population density area, it's rare - I've n…

An OTP that's reused?

Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#548

Post by ctxc »

cwalv wrote: post #547
ctxc wrote: post #542

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's must be annoying to say the least. In India drivers require an OTP to start a ride. The OTP is the same for a user across rides, so I have mine memorised which is nifty. No fiddling with the phone during boarding. On security: exploiting this would require the driver to stay in my vicinity the next time I book a ride, and also get the ride assigned to them. In a high population density area, it's rare - I've n…

An OTP that's reused?

I mean it _technically_ isn't an OTP, but you know what I mean - just a code only the user knows that they need to share with the rider.

The threat model is sufficiently low to justify the much better UX of not having to look the code up everytime.

Re: Waymo rides cost more than Uber or Lyft and people are paying anyway

#550

Post by dheera »

rfurmani wrote: post #477
harmmonica wrote: post #137

As a Waymo-booster on HN for a while now, here's my latest anecdote. I tried to figure out how to take Waymo to LAX even though it's not actually in their territory yet just because I value the experience so much. I was borderline going to take it within walking distance (about half a mile), but got lazy at the last minute. I took Lyft instead, and, as if the universe cursed my laziness, I booked a "comfort" car for…

I've had a couple bad experiences with Lyft recently, including one time the driver must have clicked that they picked me up while a block away, because I could see the lyft driving to the destination without me. I tried to get a refund since I was obviously waiting my start location the whole time, but the system claimed the drive went from start to finish (even though I wasn't in the car), so no refund.

Charge back with your credit card if Lyft isn't willing to help you. Keep businesses in check.
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