I personally use Uber at least 20-50x as often as I would use taxis. That is, for each Uber trip I take, I would take only 1/20 to 1/50 of the same trips via taxi given the choice.
I think this accounts for the increased use. I would go out of my way to avoid taking a Taxi because they're so inconvenient and opaque.
I still don't plan to start using Uber extensively because I'm used to walking at this point, but the combination of transparent upfront pricing, accountability, ease of use, speed of pickup, and seemingly typically lower pricing is a compelling case versus zip car. Definitely an actual competitor with walking and public transit, whereas I see Taxis as only really a competitor with driving.
Same here. While I still consider a Taxi as something you only take when you're drunk and have to get home from a party, I've gotten used to taking an Uber or Sidecar for pretty much any trip that would require a muni or bart here in SF. It's gotten to the point that I am downright spoiled.
Funny way to arrange this comparison. To me it reads: for every Uber trip I take from my apartment in the Mission to my office in Soma, I would ride a taxi from 24th to 23rd street.
I still don't plan to start using Uber extensively because I'm used to walking at this point, but the combination of transparent upfront pricing, accountability, ease of use, speed of pickup, and seemingly typically lower pricing is a compelling case versus zip car. Definitely an actual competitor with walking and public transit, whereas I see Taxis as only really a competitor with driving.