[jliptzin]

Usually I feel bad for traditional businesses quickly displaced by emerging startups. However, I've been in too many cabs where the driver is constantly on the phone while driving, abusing the speed limit, slamming on the breaks every 8 seconds, foul odors, dirty vehicles, roundabout routes, the list goes on. Good riddance.

[eldavido]

Amen to that. Living here in SF, the customer service aspect of cabs is appalling. I'm tired of getting dirty looks for paying with a credit card, having cabs with their light on and nobody in them drive right by me, playing the "where are you going" game, drivers talking on phones, and general surliness.

The day the industry unionized, that pushed me over the edge. I'm now 100% using Uber to get around and my only regret is that I didn't try it sooner - it's awesome.

[lolwutf]

Don't forget: Uber and Uber's drivers have been responsible for children's deaths, interfering with the normal course of competitor's business, stuffing blind persons' service dogs in the trunk, price gouging during states of emergencies. All on top of a proprietary, unpublished 'surge pricing' algorithm.

I know you think taxis are the devil, but Uber's behavior as a parent company has been downright heinous.

Personally, I avoid supporting them, whenever possible, and go with better-acting players in the market like Lyft and Sidecar.

[hkmurakami]

Not sure why you're being downvoted a bunch for this post (seems like you're just stating facts that have happened, as well as your opinions, albeit in a somewhat negatively biased tone, but nothing out of reason).

So here's an upvote. I'd forgotten and/or downplayed these issues and your post made me reconsider and start using Lyft for the first time (been lazy thus far), so thanks for your post. :)

[lolwutf]

Thank you! I've been watching the downvotes, too, and wondering the same thing! Cynical lolwutf wants to think it's tied to yet-another-overly-aggressive Uber suborg, but who knows.

Glad to provide the perspective! Thanks for the upvote.

[x0x0]

Uber's recently disclosed behavior has been incredibly disappointing. I still have fond feelings about them for their original innovation (a taxi that came! How fucking remarkable exactly nowhere but in san francisco.) But the way they comport themselves to their competitors and drivers makes it tough to continue using them. I just installed lyft.

[nathannecro]

Aye, upvoted. Unsure why you're being downvoted so heavily.

I think we can all agree that cabs in the Bay Area are terrible. Uber and its kin have certainly changed the market.

Uber however, seem to be resorting to immoral and rather ruthless tactics to serve themselves.

[panarky]

Bald tires, stopping to get gas with the meter running, no change for a $20 on a $12 ride, wait 40 minutes for a cab that doesn't show up, etc., etc.

While they weren't looking, the internet ate their lunch.

Now on to the next assignment ... how can Uber and Lyft encourage new regulation to put up barriers to new entrants?

[x0x0]

Agreed on all the above behaviors. The sf taxi system is abysmal. I was on crutches for 9 months and they made getting to work hell [1]. Between their unwillingness to tell you if they're actually going to come get you and their inability to keep to anything like their estimates, they treat customers terribly. Hell, people jumped to uber when you used to pay significantly more, just to avoid sf taxis.

Some cab drivers were nice, but they simply aren't part of a functioning transport system in sf.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8135934

[MilnerRoute]

"It's the end of the world as we know it. And I feel fine...."