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

    • Every year they ask for more and every year it is an exhausting process pushing back on that for local residents and councillors. What annoys me is that at the post event consultation/ feedback this year, I specifically asked them if the rumours around applying for two weekends next year were true. They told me no. So that was a lie. Anyway, we go again. 
    • Double In New or great condition  Or super comfortable air bed Any1 pls
    • Rant ahead: You're not one of them but unfortunately, there's a substrate of posters here that do very little except moan and come up with weird conspiracy theories. They're immediately highly critical of just about any change, and their initial assumption is that everyone else is a total fucking contemptible idiot. For example: don't you think that the people who run the libraries will have considered the impact of timing of reconstruction on library users? (In fact, we know they have - because they've made arrangements at other libraries to attempt to mitigate the disruption). After all, these are the people that spend their whole working week thinking about libraries and dealing with library users (and the kids especially). You don't go into the library game for the chicks and fame - so it's fair to assume that librarians are committed to public service and public access to libraries, including by kids. Likewise the built environment people (engineers, architects, construction managers, project managers, construction contractors, subcontractors or whoever is on this job) are told to minimise disruption on every job they do. The thing that occurs to us as amateurs within 30 seconds of us seeing something is probably not something a full time professional hasn't thought about! Southwark Council, the NHS, TfL, Dulwich Estate, Thames Water, Openreach - they're not SPECTRE factories filled with malevolent chaosmongers trying to persecute anyone. They're mostly filled with people who understand their job and try to do their best with what they've been given - just like all of us. Nobody is perfect or immune from challenge, and that's fair enough, but why not at least start from the assumption that there's a good reason why things have been done the way they have? Any normal person would be pleased that their busy, pretty, lively local library is getting refurbished, and will have more space and facilities for kids and teens, and will be more efficient to run and warmer in winter. But no, EDT_Forumite_752 had kids who did an exam 20 years ago, and this makes them an expert on library refurbishment who can see it's all just stuff and nonsense for the green agenda and why can't it all be put off... 😡😡😡
    • I completely misread the previous post, sorry. For some reason I thought the mini cooper was also a police vehicle, DUH.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

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