Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I stopped using black cabs when a number of times they didn't want to go to Dulwich as it "was out of their way" black cabs have made uber so popular by being slow to adapt and overly expensive. Afraid the local knowledge upper edge is simply obsolete now there is GPS.


As for The rationale that Uber drivers clog up londons streets, if londons public transport was better and cheaper than Uber then maybe more people would use it, plus London simply does not have the public transport capacity without Uber taking the strain off it

The coming week should be interesting. Uber are claiming they passed a compliance audit in April. Also, a series of meetings with TfL since then were cancelled. More interestingly, they say they have been trying to meet with Khan for a few months, but to no avail.


If TFL and Khan are seen to be trying to shut Uber out in any way unfairly, this may be quite telling at the appeal. Plus, I think the groundswell of opinion will have taken Khan a little bit by surprise.


I suspect a few meetings will be held PDQ between Uber and TFL (but not with Khan). Uber will make a few concessions (the reporting of allegations about drivers to the police being the main one) and TFL will claim victory and grant a new licence, probably for a limited time of one or two years.


And then the next day, black cabs will hold a protest and block Trafalgar Sq up again.

This thing about reporting drivers to the police bothers me a bit. I presume a minicab firm has a duty of confidentiality regarding the data of its passengers (where they've been, when etc) that might make a disclosure difficult.


But also isn't the onus on the victim to report their claim to the police first rather than to the employer of the alleged attacker? I'm not sure why the mini cab firm should be involved at all, beyond co-operating fully with the police once a complaint has been made.

Long time user of both Uber and black cabs here... I use both depending on the situation. To add some balance: For sure black cabs have issues with cost and driver attitude but I've seen some positive changes as they've come under pressure. Keep in mind - their costs are set by the regulator (PCO), they are required to use a specific designated vehicle type (TX4 or Mercedes van) which accommodate disabled passengers and they have to complete 3 years of training on road craft (The Knowledge) that still delivers passenger value and safety in the age of sat nav.


I don't believe it's fair on drivers to study/train for 3 years, spend ?55k on a vehicle and work to a fixed price tarrif if anyone can turn up and blag an Uber licence in days. It's an unfair playing field and I feel for those who have invested years of their lives getting undercut by a toxic company that amongst many issues doesn't follow saftey regulations. Uber is cheaper because it is subsidised by billions of VC/PE cash to disrupt existing biz models. The only viable reason for doing this is to gain market share and move back to market level pricing. It's amazing how many people don't seem to get this.


Either partially deregulate the whole industry to bring everyone level (bad for safety) or re-regulate to accommodate the latest app driven business models.


Finally the latest MyTaxi app is almost as good as Ubers and allows excellent advance booking and has plenty promos. They have offered 50% discounts on black cab fares this week and it is very reliable IMO.

Wimpole Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Keep in mind - their costs are set by the regulator (PCO)


... and ...


> Finally the latest MyTaxi app is almost as good as

> Ubers and allows excellent advance booking and has

> plenty promos. They have offered 50% discounts on

> black cab fares this week and it is very reliable IMO.


If black cab costs are set by the regulator, how can they offer 50% off?

Loz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Wimpole Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Keep in mind - their costs are set by the

> regulator (PCO)

>

> ... and ...

>

> > Finally the latest MyTaxi app is almost as good

> as

> > Ubers and allows excellent advance booking and

> has

> > plenty promos. They have offered 50% discounts

> on

> > black cab fares this week and it is very

> reliable IMO.

>

> If black cab costs are set by the regulator, how

> can they offer 50% off?


Did he switch on the meter :)


I had a load like that in Swansea as a youngster.

Loz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Wimpole Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Keep in mind - their costs are set by the

> regulator (PCO)

>

> ... and ...

>

> > Finally the latest MyTaxi app is almost as good

> as

> > Ubers and allows excellent advance booking and

> has

> > plenty promos. They have offered 50% discounts

> on

> > black cab fares this week and it is very

> reliable IMO.

>

> If black cab costs are set by the regulator, how

> can they offer 50% off?


Subsidised by the app provider. But unlike Uber only short term and promotional so normal competitive practice.

Everyone knows you can't get a black cab to South London.....and even if you get lucky it's going to cost a fortune.


I began using Addison Lee as they were safer for women- sending car reg details etc.


Uber excelled Addison Lee in terms of convenience, safety and cost.


Obviously I hope Uber can shape up in terms of TFL's requirements to make various improvements.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Honestly, the squirrels are not a problem now.  They only eat what has dropped.  The feeders I have are squirrel proof anyway from pre-cage times.  I have never seen rats in the garden, and even when I didn't have the cage.  I most certainly would have noticed them.  I do have a little family of mice which I have zero problem about.  If they stay outside, that's fine with me.  Plus, local cats keep that population down.  There are rats everywhere in London, there is plenty of food rubbish out in the street to keep them happy.  So, I guess you could fit extra bars to the cage if you wanted to, but then you run the risk of the birds not getting in.  They like to be able to fly in and out easily, which they do.   
    • Ahh, the old "it's only three days" chestnut.  I do hope you realise the big metal walls, stages, tents, toilets, lighting, sound equipment, refreshments, concessions etc don't just magically appear & disappear overnight? You know it all has to be transported in & erected, constructed? And that when stuff is constructed, like on a construction site, it's quite noisy & distracting? Banging, crashing, shouting, heavy plant moving around - beep beep beep reversing signals, engines revving - pneumatic tools? For 8 to 10 hours a day, every day? And that it tends to go on for two or three weeks before an event, and a week after when they take it all down again? I'm sure my boys' GCSE prep won't be affected by any of that, especially if we close the windows (before someone suggests that as a resolution). I'm sure it won't affect anyone at the Harris schools either, actually taking their exams with that background noise.
    • Thanks for the good discussion, this should be re-titled as a general thread about feeding the birds. @Penguin not really sure why you posted, most are aware that virtually all land in this country is managed, and has been for 100s of years, but there are many organisations, local and national government, that manage large areas of land that create appropriate habitats for British nature, including rewilding and reintroductions.  We can all do our bit even if this is not cutting your lawn, and certainly by not concreting over it.  (or plastic grass, urgh).   I have simply been stating that garden birds are semi domesticated, as perhaps the deer herds in Richmond Park, New Forest ponies, and even some foxes where we feed them.  Whoever it was who tried to get a cheap jibe in about Southwark and the Gala festival.  Why?  There is a whole thread on Gala for you to moan on.  Lots going on in Southwark https://www.southwark.gov.uk/culture-and-sport/parks-and-open-spaces/ecology-and-wildlife I've talked about green sqwaky things before, if it was legal I'd happily use an air riffle, and I don't eat meat.  And grey squirrels too where I am encourage to dispatch them. Once a small group of starlings also got into the garden I constructed my own cage using starling proof netting, it worked for a year although I had to make a gap for the great spotted woodpecker to get in.  The squirrels got at it in the summer but sqwaky things still haven't come back, starlings recently returned.  I have a large batch of rubbish suet pellets so will let them eat them before reordering and replacing the netting. Didn't find an appropriately sized cage, the gaps in the mesh have to be large enough for finches etc, and the commercial ones were £££ The issue with bird feeders isn't just dirty ones, and I try to keep mine clean, but that sick birds congregate in close proximity with healthy birds.  The cataclysmic obliteration of the greenfinch population was mainly due to dirty feeders and birds feeding close to each other.  
    • Another recommendation for Niko - fitted me in the next day, simple fix rather than trying to upsell and a nice guy as well. Will use again
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...