[corobo]

> Um. Perhaps it would be better if the black cabs focused their efforts on enhancing their own user experience rather than trying to artificially cap it? :)

Bingo. For me personally the user experience starts with the price. The reason I tried Uber in the first place was because a black cab trip was £40 or so, the equivalent Uber was around £22 (with a bonus £10 off with a first travel code). I'm also a sucker for all things fancy and arriving in one of Uber's cars, while not exactly a stretch limo affair, just felt more classy than your bog standard cab. I also love the fact you can just move your slider across the more fancy you want your trip to be when booking.

I'm not familiar with London cabs either so I just assumed they were the same as cabs in my local town - Cash only. There were a couple that advertised they accept credit/debit but then you face the issue of picking a cab in the middle of the rank. Will they allow take the fare? Will the cab driver at the front of the queue throw a fit? Is someone going to get in trouble with a union if I just get in? Far easier to just tap in your destination and have a car turn up knowing you're all paid up and good to go.

On a final note it's probably driver specific rather than service specific but the Uber drivers I encountered didn't say a word after the initial greeting while I was riding until prompted by me. For someone that ends the day craving peace and quiet this was a godsend. I strongly dislike the idle chatter conversations you tend to get in taxis on the way home - just let me chill out and drop me off somewhere I can sleep!

It's quite possible you get all of that (minus the type of car) in a cab, but where do you even go to see that? Uber is branded as almost private cars for the everyday person so you go into it expecting a classy affair. Heck it could be that cabs just need a decent rebranding campaign.