Used them in the ‘states quite a bit: a lot cheaper than a regular cab in Seattle, and more convenient. Car and driver quality varies – same as a regular cab. Last guy was a US Coast Guard serviceman, guy before that was Iraqi who had come to the ‘states after the fourth attempt on his life (he helped the US and UK army in Basra) – his kids are now in school there.

I dislike the Uber in London because the black cabs and the service they provide is amazing; saying that, they’re being priced out of the market by a man, a car and a smartphone with GPS. Gets what you pays for.

There is also a certain irony that Travis is one of Trump’s advisors, which has not escaped him or the media: http://uk.businessinsider.com/uber-ceo-travis-kalanick-will-talk-to-trump-about-immigration-order-2017-1

Uber takes 25% of all fares…so I was told by my Uber driver..

I’d lump Airbnb in with them. Seems like a way to save a buck, but turns out pretty shit in real life.

I wouldn’t use Uber and I wouldn’t use a regular private hire or taxi. The standard of driving is generally crap from all and I refuse to finance that.

The driver was a nice bloke, but his driving was rather aggressive even if he wasn’t.

I don’t , the missus does.
I’m with foot flaps on this one.
I also believe the uber phenomenon is causing uneccessary congestion& pollution too. Stacks of cars ,parked&loitering about, waiting for fares& creating bottlenecks ,all over our “manor “.

The driver was a nice bloke, but his driving was rather aggressive even if he wasn’t.

should have downloaded the capital app

http://capitalcabs.co.uk/

You might have got me, and I drive like Miss Daisy. You can pre pay or use your card in car with the driver.

I’ll try capital next time 🙂

Good man, we’ll take your Amex card as well. ?

Daffy – Member
Uber takes 25% of all fares…so I was told by my Uber driver..

as opposed to a normal private hire firm who charge you a flat fee per week regardless of the amount of work you get/do. There is a break even point when one is a better model than the other, but there may be other trade offs too – e.g. how quickly you get paid (which for “account” work some cab firms can be very slow), how you get the “best jobs” etc.

Despite taking 25% uber are making losses – which gives you some idea the costs of the background infrastructure and marketing necessary to create a business of that scale.

captainsasquatch – Member
I wouldn’t use Uber and I wouldn’t use a regular private hire or taxi. The standard of driving is generally crap from all and I refuse to finance that.

How do you overcome this? It can’t be possible to completely avoid needing to make relatively short, one-way, journeys between locations, or at times that are poorly served by public transport.

Interestingly I’ve complained once about an Uber driver (who used his phone whilst stationary at lights) and got a full refund very quickly.

Isn’t it Mike Taxi you need for Cardiff airport, anyway? Or is it Dave Taxi?

How do you overcome this? It can’t be possible to completely avoid needing to make relatively short, one-way, journeys between locations, or at times that are poorly served by public transport.

I drive, I live in the city centre and less than a 10 min walk from the station, no more than 15 mins from regular pubs/restaurants. I could get to the airport by train or mates (same as I do for them) and out of town piss ups will always have a sober driver. I’m struggling to think of a time when I’d use a taxi, full stop.
I’ll take suggestions and see how it goes.

@captain. Lots of people never use taxis. But many don’t have a choice. Today at least half of my fares have been for people who can’t drive or use other public transport due to disability/mobility issues. To them taxis are a lifeline.
And we aren’t all crap drivers, some are but then you always get people who are poor at their job in every walk of life.

@captain. Lots of people never use taxis. But many don’t have a choice. Today at least half of my fares have been for people who can’t drive or use other public transport due to disability/mobility issues. To them taxis are a lifeline.

Which is fine and we all know that, I said that “I” won’t use taxis. They are without doubt the single contingent of drivers who try to have accident with me, jump red lights, abuse zebra crossings, speed, stop where the hell they want or basically think the roads are for them. Appalling drivers on the whole.

I dislike the Uber in London because the black cabs and the service they provide is amazing; saying that, they’re being priced out of the market by a man, a car and a smartphone with GPS. Gets what you pays for.

Black cabs – meh. When I was living in North London they were rarely any good if you were going home at the end of a night out, they’re really expensive and, frankly, I’ve had black cab drivers try to rip me off by taking “creative” routes when they thought we were foreign (flatmate was a kiwi) and/or drunk (maybe fair enough). I’ve also been told off by black cab drivers for wasting their time when I flag them down for a 1-2mile journey when either I’m carrying something or it’s pissing it down. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve met a lot of nice cabbies but there’s nothing particularly worthy about a black cab that justifies twice the cost of a minicab or, indeed, an uber.

For long journeys, say central London to Heathrow, they’re way too expensive:

Black cab -> 70+ quid
Minicab -> 30-40 quid
Uber -> 30-50

Benefits of both the black cab and uber is you can get one when you want (in theory).

I have avoided using uber for a long time in London, but a journey in a black cab late last year was the final straw.

An angrier, more aggressive, dangerous driver I have yet to meet. And the subject of his ire? Uber drivers.

Most recent uber experience: I arrived at Euston at 9am on the Monday morning of the recent tube strikes, and the black cab queue went from the basement up to the concourse. I opened the app, booked an uber and he picked me up within 10 minutes. Arrived safely at work, and for less than the price of the same journey in a black cab (which I’ve had before).

Random thought: do drivers not need business insurance?

Isn’t it Mike Taxi you need for Cardiff airport, anyway?

Hah, I used to know Mike Taxi down that way. Wonder if we’re on about the same one?

Another random thought: these angry black cab drivers, why don’t they get their own app that does the same thing only for their firms?

Random thought: do drivers not need business insurance?

You need specific taxi insurance. Some accounts require public liability insurance as well.

Isn’t it Mike Taxi you need for Cardiff airport

1,600 taxi drivers in Cardiff, many of them called Mike all of whom will take you to the airport.

Another random thought: these angry black cab drivers, why don’t they get their own app that does the same thing only for their firms?

All Cardiff taxi firms now have their own App. But not specifically for angry drivers.

I’ve had two occasions to use taxi’s this month / over xmas period.

First was an uber on recommendation from a friends – turned up within minutes, paid online so never had to use cash and felt reasonable cost.

Second was a black cab – took a long route home from town & had to be told not to take the piss, His card machine was non existent and he asked to round the £7.xx fair up to £20 to “save his change”.

I don’t use taxi’s often but when I do, I know what I will be using. I acknowledge the race to the bottom comment but black cab firms have to up their game considerably on the customer service front if they want to survive.

“His card machine was non existent and he asked to round the £7.xx fair up to £20 to “save his change”.

Word of warning. black cabs are not legally obliged to give change unless agreed before hand. Its up the the customer to tender the correct fare, he could have kept the £20.

Word of warning. black cabs are not legally obliged to give change unless agreed before hand. Its up the the customer to tender the correct fare, he could have kept the £20.

Yet another reason not to use them then!

Where is does, start becoming unethical to me is that Taxis are taxed and the council also charge for their licence which goes into local public money, Uber does none of these things.

Going to have have to call that out.

Uber drivers still have to have a private hire licence from the local council. Driver earnings will still be subject to tax. Very similar conventional private hire in those respects.

Uber requirements

Although not sure about Uber’s own tax affairs….

I see Uber as private hire cars with a sorted app. The app appears to work seamlessly in other countries too. Recently used it in Australia to get to Melbourne airport. Have used them to get home from town in Edinburgh on a Saturday night, but if I needed to get to the train station or airport I wouldn’t use them here (I had plenty of time to spare in Australia, hence the exception!)

Hah, I used to know Mike Taxi down that way. Wonder if we’re on about the same one?

I only know about him cos someone mentioned him on here a couple of weeks ago – possibly you 😆

I wonder if there’s an app to record G forces during driving? It would be interesting to correlate that with your taxi booking so you could give evidence of uncomfortable driving. I reckon bad driving means poor customer service for a taxi driver.

Word of warning. black cabs are not legally obliged to give change unless agreed before hand. Its up the the customer to tender the correct fare, he could have kept the £20.

Any black cab driver who kept a £20 for a fare under £10 may be legally in the right but I’d never use a black cab again. A service which takes cash needs to give change.

Most recent uber experience: I arrived at Euston at 9am on the Monday morning of the recent tube strikes, and the black cab queue went from the basement up to the concourse. I opened the app, booked an uber and he picked me up within 10 minutes. Arrived safely at work, and for less than the price of the same journey in a black cab (which I’ve had before).

Uber is utterly fantastic right now. However as soon as everyone realises then it won’t work. Imagine in the situation above everyone ordered an Uber: chaos!!!

Its great for what it was conceived: short journeys, allowing drivers going that way to pick up people for the ride and get a contribution. Once people start thinking it is a “job” then it falls apart.

I find it especially useful in foreign city. Just fire the app, no describing where you want to be picked up form, no describing where you need to go, no negotiation or paying cash, and little chance of being ripped off as you can see the route uber has plotted. The cars are nicer too.

For pre booked airport runs look at BlackLane. I’ve used them all over the world.

Uber is great in Houston, way cheaper than the regular cabs and never had a bad car or driver.

The black cabs in London take the piss. Their card machines are never working, “sorry mate cash only”. Not sure why they bothered fitting them.

Word of warning. black cabs are not legally obliged to give change unless agreed before hand. Its up the the customer to tender the correct fare, he could have kept the £20.

They’re also legally obliged to take cards now (both chip and contactless) so my guess is anyone who says their card machine doesn’t exist is fiddling their books.

Word of warning. black cabs are not legally obliged to give change unless agreed before hand. Its up the the customer to tender the correct fare, he could have kept the £20.

Can you point to some evidence to back that up? It seems unreasonable to me that the passenger would be expected to have suitable notes and coins to make every possible combination up given that when embarking on the journey he has no knowledge of the final fare that will be due.

Now in other countries I sometimes see signs saying “only change of $10 carried” or similar. I’ve never noticed that in the UK. Is it all black cabs, london black cabs or all taxi services (including private hire) which have this option?

Word of warning. black cabs are not legally obliged to give change unless agreed before hand. Its up the the customer to tender the correct fare, he could have kept the £20.
Can you point to some evidence to back that up? It seems unreasonable to me that the passenger would be expected to have suitable notes and coins to make every possible combination up given that when embarking on the journey he has no knowledge of the final fare that will be due.

Black cabs, shops, petrol stations, car wash, window cleaner. No one is legally obliged to give change. It’s purely goodwill.

Legal tender has a very narrow and technical meaning in the settlement of debts. It means that a debtor cannot successfully be sued for non-payment if he pays into court in legal tender. It does not mean that any ordinary transaction has to take place in legal tender or only within the amount denominated by the legislation. Both parties are free to agree to accept any form of payment whether legal tender or otherwise according to their wishes. In order to comply with the very strict rules governing an actual legal tender it is necessary, for example, actually to offer the exact amount due because no change can be demanded.