I've used Uber quite a bit. So far i've had nothing but good experiences.

I spent two weeks in NYC, and Uber is the way to go. No standing on the street curbs trying to catch a cab in crappy weather. No standing out on the street at night trying to catch a cab. It took a ton of stress out of the trip. The best thing was not having to deal with the money part of it. All taken care of.

Even in California on vacation it was nice. You know exactly when they will show up, and you know who it's going to be. All of these reasons make it so much better than the random cab situation. Especially if your a woman that's traveling alone in a city you're not familiar with.

One of my husbands friends left his phone in an Uber vehicle. Uber got a hold of the driver and the driver delivered his phone to him an hour later.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/2018 04:47PM by janis.

I never rent a car anymore when traveling for business. I Uber everywhere. Cheaper in the long run (especially when you consider paying for parking in, say New York!), and so much more convenient.

I've had one "bad" driver in, oh, 400 or so Uber calls. The others have all been polite, efficient, and nice to talk to :)

Interesting. I never considered using Uber as opposed to renting a car. That's a good recommendation. :)

It's so much easier, summer.
First, no rental shuttle/paperwork nonsense to deal with when you arrive. Just go order an Uber, go to the curb, and you're picked up.

My last trip to San Francisco, my Ubers totaled $79 -- for trips from the airport to my hotel in the city, back and forth around town for 2 days, and a trip back to the airport.

A rental car would have cost me $60 per day (plus tax & stuff), plus at least a tank of gas ($40), plus $32 per night parking at the hotel for 2 nights.

Try it, you'll like it :)

The turnover rate among drivers is huge; they charge far more during "peak hours," and if you have a problem, good luck in getting any redress..

in b 4 ~ über is for peasants ~


step your game up RfM !!! ~





brb ~ calling a limo ~

My mother told me to never get in a car with a stranger.

Also, the distance I usually want to go is to my hair-dresser, who is only about 4 blocks away. I feel bad about taking up his time for such a short ride, when he might have been able to pick-up someone going much further.

What if automated vehicles and roadways made 'driving' as safe as automation has made flying?


ETA: what if you were in your house and you decided to visit your ____. So you picked up your phone and said, "I want a car to take me to ____, and your phone responded with the message, "your car will be here in 12 minutes and you will reach your destination 44 minutes later."

And during the trip no one was changing lanes to get ahead, or driving too slow in the fast lane, or doing any of the other things old farts like me complain about. Not only would it do away with cabs, it would do away with the Highway Patrol!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/22/2018 11:29PM by elderolddog.

Yeah but that would take the fun out of driving. I’m old(as you know), but I still like to drive.....I used to have 4speed sticks, then 5speed, now a 6 speed! It’s still fun to run thru the gears, for me, sorry....I’m old school. You like to golf...would you like it if someone else hit all your shots for you? Maybe that’s one of the trade-offs of living in Utah. Lots of country roads and canyons you can still enjoy the driving experience.

Ah, yes, Bobo! I wrote what I did with a heavy heart...

Maybe you saw my car at the Y? A '62 Buick Skylark, black body with a red convertible top, three speed on the floor... Only one like it there.

I've had three Z cars, '79, '84' and '90, the last being a turbo Z. I know all about running up and down the gears and taking the low hole into a tight turn. We're probably birds of feather!

I've moderated a bit, but I will never knowingly keep to the speed limit if the roadway allows it. But I no longer do the frenetic lane changing to try to get ahead. And I've learned that it's wiser to be the second fastest vehicle on the freeway!

I don’t remember your specific car, but I like the sound of it. I had a 64 TR 4, set up for gymkannas(sp)that we had at the parking lot, thru SCCA (Sports Car Club of America). Timed runs thru the pylons...too much fun, and the school let us do it! Anyhow, keep the dream alive cause I’m afraid when we’re gone, it’ll be the end of an era. I still have a 94 Turbo 900 Saab convertible in the garage for summer “sunset drives”. Oh, and yes, when on the highway...always let the rabbit run just ahead of you and clear the way.

In addition to safer driving, complete auto automation would enable Facebook to gather all our travel data and sell it to the Russians.

That could improve the US trade balance considerably.

What if we all pool our resources and outbid the Russians?

Where's the fun in that?

I want to see Zuckerberg beta test Apology 2.0.

As safe as flying? Flying is already a nightmare, it's like visiting a prison. I don't use planes anymore. Horrible experience.

Uber's aim is to put thousands of people out of work. Its CEO said as much. When most jobs are automated (a process well under way), your country will be in a lot of trouble.

Not of much use to me. I live in the country. Haven't ridden in a taxi for over a decade.

Every uber ride I've had was awesome. The only downside is the damn hefty tips, due to the fascinating drivers. Living today is crappy, compared to tomorrow, from all I've read. This fast-changing world is a trip.

By the way...John Dehlin is my favorite ExMo.

Who is yours?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMdhW7ODCT0

The boner and the bard.

I have used Uber all over the world and it works. To all defenders of "cabs", they didn't change their business model in over a 100 years. Someone came along and changed it for them.

@MWNMK, I will get a new job. I've been in high tech for 40 years and its changed considerably during that time. I had to learn new technology and go back to school many times. Whether capitalism is so great is a debate for another post.

in the next few decades. This where unbridled capitalisn leads. It is always trying to undercut and cheapen no matter the human cost.

What will happen when no one can get a driving job? A huge number of unemployed. And most other job areas are threatened with jib reductions - including the military, police, accountants, delivery people, store workers, fast food workers, publishers, factory workers etc.

Mr I hate Uber, You seem to be having a bad day. Back to topic, those dam mormons....

To bring this back to on-topic, it's pretty LDS of you...

LOL I'm an almost 20 year ExMo. Do the LDS have some stake in Uber? The reason I asked is that this is all new to me. I had no idea that it was competing with taxis.

My wife and I love Uber. We also quit renting cars when we go to big cities, we don't have to deal with traffic or parking. My wife feels safe when using Uber or Lyft, even when she is alone. It is so easy and convenient.

For some reason i don't trust uber. Isn't it just random people that are not part of a company that could do background checks on them?

I've noticed so many of them are terrible drivers. They'll just stop in lanes of traffic to wait for a person. Blocking the road.

It's better than running down the pedestrian, wouldn't ya think?

Not in Manhattan, but everyday of the week and twice on Sundays in San Francisco.

Every-time I find myself in Manhattan I use taxis, they are just better drivers who know the roads better.

I have had nothing but good experiences with Uber. My eyesight is failing due to macular degeneration. I drive in the daytime, but can't see at night, so Uber is a lifesaver for me.

Exactly. All of us baby boomers better hope for automated vehicles because the day will come when we will no longer be able to drive a car. Instead of having to give up our independence, we, fortunately, will have automated cars.

Uber? no

Lyft? YES!

And isn't that strange? the drivers are the same, the cars are the same, but I like the Lyft drivers better than the Uber drivers. I like my Lyft passengers better than I liked my Uber passengers. There are both Lyft offices and Uber offices in the Seattle area, and I've visited both. The Lyft office is bright, pink, happy, coffee, candy, no waiting, free smiles. The Uber office looks exactly like the love child of the DMV and the security line at the Greyhound. Misery.

I drive a car that in many countries is used as a basic taxi but in the USA looks above average, it's pretty no-frills for what it is and it works GREAT for rideshare. I drive for Lyft for a bunch of reasons, the nature of my job means I might be at home for 8 weeks in a row with nothing to do, so gets me out of the house. Also, it gives me some pin money and it also hones my "people skills" by putting me in direct contact with total strangers each of which has a unique story to tell and I just might get to hear 5 minutes of it. I love it.

Taxi drivers burned me one too many times by shaking me down for cash. Look fellas, I have an expense report that I have to do and i get tired of turning in a homemade business card with the "receipt" scrawled on the back with a bonedry ball pen. One too many times with the "my card machine is broken". One too many times with "my receipt printer is out". One too many times with a disgusting vehicle. One too many times going speeds that are patently unsafe. With taxi, you have zero recourse and with rideshare every driver knows good and well that your rating is at risk if you pull Taxi driver shenanigans. I maintain my 5.0 rating because I'm a very good driver, no tickets, very defensive driver. I'm a COMMERCIAL driver as well, so you can bet your sweet bippy that I'm a good driver.

And to the silly people who question getting into a car with a total stranger by using Lyft.......what in the actual fuck do you think you're doing by getting into a cab? Apply logic, please.

Yes. Background checks are performed on rideshare drivers (at least in Washington State, that's where I am, they ran checks on me). You're covered. You get to see the driver's rating. If I get one with a 4.5, 4.6, I can cancel the ride. I personally get to see a rider's rating when the ride is requested. I will NEVER pick up a rider with a 4.7 or lower. That means another driver had a problem of some sort with that rider, I don't care what it was, but I was just given a heads up, do you get that as a Taxi driver?

For single women who are apprehensive about getting into a car with a total stranger......again, you get to see who the driver is. If you are wanting to have a female driver, and you get a man, you can cancel that ride. Likewise, as a female driver, you can just not take the male riders if you wanted to work it that way, simply ignore the ride.

What I don't get is Uber eats. I just can't imagine needing McDinner that badly.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/2018 09:53AM by Levi.

Levi, I thought the same thing about Uber eats. I've talked to a lot of Uber drivers who have to deliver food or courier service. Next time you are in an Uber/Lyft ask your driver what he longest haul was, I guarantee you will be surprised.