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The special hell of Bolt, Europe's Uber clone

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Re: The special hell of Bolt, Europe's Uber clone

#71
post #46

It’s not the Bolt issue. It’s the market-cares-too-much-about-profits-fuck-you issue. I’ve never had troubles using Bolt. But I had similar to TS’ issues with other services, including Uber. Business doesn’t care neither about drivers nor about riders. Everyone tries their best to survive. And most people just wouldn’t care to struggle through support bots. Proper support service is a unicorn nowadays.

> Proper support service is a unicorn nowadays.

Preach! Was impressed when I called Chewy (USA Amazon for pet stuff) and someone picked up right away and was super knowledgeable and friendly.

Re: The special hell of Bolt, Europe's Uber clone

#72
> I was in Latvia a few weeks ago. Riga’s one of the Europeans cities without a good transit link from the airport into city. Snooping around online, I found that the recommended way to get a ride was the use of an app called Bolt, a European clone of Uber.

Here's the bus that goes from the airport into the center of the city: https://saraksti.rigassatiksme.lv/index.html#bus/22/a-b/1541...

Pretty much all public transport here is also covered by Google Maps, both the buses, trams and others (although I think the micro-buses might have a different ticket thing going on, I don't really ride those).

You can pay for the ticket with an app, by scanning a QR code on the inside of the vehicle (or inputting a code), allows paying with Apple Pay and other similar methods for buying tickets. A single ticket costs 1.50 EUR.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.flutter.rs...

https://apps.apple.com/lt/app/r%C4%ABgas-satiksmes-koda-bi%C...

Or just buy an e-talons card for any number of rides you need: https://www.rigassatiksme.lv/en/tickets-and-e-ticket/types-o...

On that particular route you have to press the button for them to stop at any given stop, but otherwise it's no different than any other public transport route.

Source: I live here and took that route in the last month.

As for Bolt and Bolt Food, my experiences with both have been fine. Though tbh both the rides and also food deliveries end up being way more expensive than the public transport (around 5-10x, depending on the route and time), as well as either getting meals from the local stores or just cooking yourself.

I'm happy they exist though, can't really speak for what they're like in other EU countries though, sounds like the experience really sucked.

Re: The special hell of Bolt, Europe's Uber clone

#73
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wat? Trains departing early? How does that happen? Seems easy to fix, you just need a clock...

Sounds completely made up to me. I travel a lot by train and I can’t remember once this has happened.

I actually have with Eurostar. They changed the schedule and then it was kind of a mess to rebook with lots of finger pointing. (They had sent an email but it didn't land in my primary Gmail tag and I never saw it.)

Re: The special hell of Bolt, Europe's Uber clone

#74

So, it seems like there is some kind of national variance here? Bolt works well in Portugal, I've used it in Porto, Lisbon, and even Caldas da Rainha (smallish town an hour north of Lisbon). All told, we've taken more than a dozen trips, I think. - Someone else says it's good in Portugal https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44640459 - Someone says Malta is good, France is bad: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=446…

Yep, there is an enormous difference in regulations with regard to these types of services.

Europe is a collection of countries, not a federation of states (yet).

Re: The special hell of Bolt, Europe's Uber clone

#75
How is this different from e.g. LAX? [1] From the article: "Drivers waited for hours to snare rides — “unicorns,” they called them — that would pay them a decent wage of more than $1.50 per mile."

I encounter this here in my city (in Czechia) too - especially at night, drivers will cancel on you whenever, or you simply wait and watch in the app (be it Uber or Bolt) how driver after driver simply ejects your request.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44022305

Re: The special hell of Bolt, Europe's Uber clone

#76
I have had the same issue with Bolt recently in Lyon airport. Had to wait 45 minutes with a driver who wouldn't answer message or call and was waiting the other way of the airport. Bolt support was awful to reach during those 45 minutes. Driver should be held accountable of those actions by the platform too.

Re: The special hell of Bolt, Europe's Uber clone

#77
post #8
post #3

> I arrived in Lyon recently and figured, hey, this is Europe, why not try the European app again, and used Bolt. A bit off topic but IMHO your first thought should instead be: "hey, this is Europe, why not try the train?" In Lyon, the train from the airport to the city takes half an hour, same as a car. My guess is that you'll have a vastly better experience than taking the train in North America, and also a better…

The problem isn't Bolt. The problem is Lyon and the turf wars between taxis and we-pretend-we-arent-taxis like über and bolt. https://france3-regions.franceinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/r... https://www.ledauphine.com/faits-divers-justice/2025/01/24/t... https://actu.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/lyon_69123/voitures-bru...

In Chiangmai the main ones are Grab, Bolt, and Maxim, and Bolt is pretty good, works well, well priced.

Re: The special hell of Bolt, Europe's Uber clone

#78
post #73
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds completely made up to me. I travel a lot by train and I can’t remember once this has happened.

I actually have with Eurostar. They changed the schedule and then it was kind of a mess to rebook with lots of finger pointing. (They had sent an email but it didn't land in my primary Gmail tag and I never saw it.)

So there had been information beforehand?

Re: The special hell of Bolt, Europe's Uber clone

#79
post #78
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually have with Eurostar. They changed the schedule and then it was kind of a mess to rebook with lots of finger pointing. (They had sent an email but it didn't land in my primary Gmail tag and I never saw it.)

So there had been information beforehand?

Well, yes, assuming I read every bit of random email that arrives somewhere in my inbox.

Re: The special hell of Bolt, Europe's Uber clone

#80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "hey, this is Europe, why not try the train?" I have two people and four items of luggage plus a personal bag each. City trains are poor for this and subways are worse, but I am here for two weeks - I do need clean clothes.

That sounds like a huge amount of luggage for just two weeks.

Well, what do you carry for two weeks and two people across variant climates? I will be impressed if you can do it in one each.
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