Uber v Taxis

MajorRage

Uber is the near perfect modern business for getting from A to B. It's all down via your smartphone, you don't have to part with any direct cash (Win-win for driver and passenger), has a decent supply and demand model and is all setup for the next step (driverless cars) as Kirwan pointed out.
 
But the best thing is that it's international. It's the same app anywhere, and the same billing service. Get off the plane into another country, pull the phone out and off you go. It really is that simple.

JK

Actually, we used uber black in Bangkok - you get a much classier vehicle but only fractionally more expensive

jegga

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="594355" data-time="1467763583">
A lot of people see cars as status symbols.... that's why I got a bit annoyed about Jegga claiming cyclists are Third world 
It happens a lot with cyclists too, I'm constantly hearing about other blokes $10,000 carbon racing bikes. Most of whom would benefit far more from dropping 10kg than spending so much on a bike to make them go marginally faster. 
My race bike is a 12 year old Cannondale, which I've maintained superbly and still rides like new, and I smash those losers up the hills on it too.</blockquote>
 
I said it was a third world way of getting around, . 
Also it was meant as s joke mate.

taniwharugby

<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.insurancebusinessonline.co.nz/nz/news/breaking-news/new-chch-uber-drivers-will-wear-any-insurance-issues-219106.aspx'>http://www.insurancebusinessonline.co.nz/nz/news/breaking-news/new-chch-uber-drivers-will-wear-any-insurance-issues-219106.aspx</a>
 
Nearly 60 Uber drivers have been caught operating illegally in the two months since the ride-sharing service speeded up and relaxed its registration process for new drivers when it launched in Christchurch. 
The New Zealand Transport Agency said it was cracking down on the new way Uber was operating as it was illegal, and sending any new drivers registering with the company an outline of what their legal obligations were. 
â€œWe are making it very, very clear to new drivers that come on board what their legal obligations are,â€ NZTA operations manager Kate Styles told Radio New Zealand. 
â€œThe fines will be on them, the record will be on their own drivers licence, any insurance issues they will be wearing those. 
â€œPeople are under no illusion that they are liable.â€ 
About 1,700 drivers had signed up to Uber in the past two months, she said. 
â€œOver the last two months we have been really clear with Uber that the new way they are operating is illegal,â€ she said. 
Coinciding with its Christchurch launch, Uber adopted a different driver registration model to its Auckland and Wellington services, despite not getting the green light from the Government to do so. 
In Christchurch, Uber drivers can get approved through a registration that costs $20 and takes six days to obtain. They usually require a â€˜Pâ€™ endorsement â€“ a passenger endorsement ticket from the NZTA that costs $2,000 and takes three months to get. 
This change has triggered a drop in income according to Christchurchâ€™s taxi drivers, who staged a protest in the city earlier this week. 
Taxi Federation spokesman Tim Reddish said Uber drivers had not been made to meet the same legal requirements as taxi drivers, such as compliance costs, full criminal checks and marked cars. 
â€œWe have no worries about the competition, what we are concerned about is an even market playing field, passenger safety guarantees, and the current legislation are being observed, and theyâ€™re not being,â€ Radio New Zealand reported.

jegga

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="594351" data-time="1467763260">
Only if I cared what people thought about the car I drive. A photographer mate of mine proudly states that his camera gear is worth close to twenty times what his car is worth.</blockquote>
 
You asked what was wrong with you, m4l couldn't resist although you did return fire.

Rancid Schnitzel

Couldn't care less about the model or type of a car, but having a car is great. Fook biking it around.
 
I didn't have a car for 12 years when I lived in Norway. I walked everywhere or took public transport. I used to walk km after km through snow and farking ice and froze my nuts off waiting for the train that was almost always delayed or cancelled. Naturally that also applied to my kids. Sure it built character, but it wasn't much fun.
 
Having a car now has given me so much freedom. I don't have to plan trips around timetables and going to the shop for some milk or eggs won't take 20 minutes. First world problems perhaps, but I live in the first world dammit.
 
Cars rule.

MajorRage

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="SammyC" data-cid="594355" data-time="1467763583">
<div>
A lot of people see cars as status symbols.... that's why I got a bit annoyed about Jegga claiming cyclists are Third world
 
It happens a lot with cyclists too, I'm constantly hearing about other blokes $10,000 carbon racing bikes. Most of whom would benefit far more from dropping 10kg than spending so much on a bike to make them go marginally faster.
 
My race bike is a 12 year old Cannondale, which I've maintained superbly and still rides like new, and I smash those losers up the hills on it too.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Everything is a status symbol these days - car, house, bike, boat etc etc.
 
The real trick about status symbols is remember that if you are happy with yourself, you have no reason to give a shit about them.
 
The person that thinks they are of a higher status because they own a nicer house, faster car etc, is really not the type of person whose opinion/thoughts you should give a single second of thought about.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="594371" data-time="1467765380">
<div>
You asked what was wrong with you, m4l couldn't resist although you did return fire.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
True. It was a bit of a hospital pass to myself.

Hooroo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MajorRage" data-cid="594378" data-time="1467766501">
<div>
Everything is a status symbol these days - car, house, bike, boat etc etc.
 
The real trick about status symbols is remember that if you are happy with yourself, you have no reason to give a shit about them.
 
The person that thinks they are of a higher status because they own a nicer house, faster car etc, is really not the type of person whose opinion/thoughts you should give a single second of thought about.
</div>
</blockquote>
Not so much in NZ I reckon MR.
 
Certainly there will be some like that but for the most, I find those with money don't show it off as much in NZ.
 
In saying that, if I won Lotto tonight, I would go out and purchase a Bently, not becasue I want to show off, but becasue they are beautiful cars to drive and I could afford the comfort

jegga

"We cannot make any profit at all at the rate set by Uber, which is really a slavery rate," said group spokesman Leon Kang. <a class="bbc_url" href="http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/business/uber-drivers-threaten-strike-over-slavery-rates/">http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/business/uber-drivers-threaten-strike-over-slavery-rates/</a>

jegga

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="594392" data-time="1467768654">
Not so much in NZ I reckon MR. 
Certainly there will be some like that but for the most, I find those with money don't show it off as much in NZ. 
In saying that, if I won Lotto tonight, I would go out and purchase a Bently, not becasue I want to show off, but becasue they are beautiful cars to drive and I could afford the comfort</blockquote>
 
A few years ago I had a client with a new Bentley and half joking asked him if he'd take me for a fang in it. One day he turned up out of the blue told me to hop in and we went for a drive in it, I was thinking " I don't remember this corner ever being this sharp" looked over at the speedo and we were doing 100 , the countryside was rushing by pretty fast so I had another look and it was in mph not kph . That thing was incredibly smooth, it had two turbos and there was no sign of when they kicked in it just got faster and faster. 
I've never had a nice car, mine get wrecked towing stuff ,carrying tools and other gear and kayaks dripping salt water on the roof.

MajorRage

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Hooroo" data-cid="594392" data-time="1467768654">
<div>
Not so much in NZ I reckon MR.
 
Certainly there will be some like that but for the most, I find those with money don't show it off as much in NZ.
 
In saying that, if I won Lotto tonight, I would go out and purchase a Bently, not becasue I want to show off, but becasue they are beautiful cars to drive and I could afford the comfort
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Probably. Asia is terrible for it.
 
The amount of kids driving ferrari's and lamborghini's here is ridiculous.

NTA

Have not used Uber but know people who do - a lot - and think its a fascinating thing.
 
I'd like to win the lotto, buy a Tesla Model S and just do Uber whenever I wanted to keep me occupied. In addition to getting my pilot's license and whatever else I wanted, too.

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="594411" data-time="1467772041">
<div>
Have not used Uber but know people who do - a lot - and think its a fascinating thing.
 
I'd like to win the lotto, buy a Tesla Model S and just do Uber whenever I wanted to keep me occupied. In addition to getting my pilot's license and whatever else I wanted, too.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
You should read Richie McCaws book, he dedicates a whole chapter to aviation.

NTA

I'll bet its boring

Rancid Schnitzel

Yeah I think that's everyone's dream. Win lotto, buy your dream car then work as a uber driver....

hydro11

Uber shows the benefits of innovation. Taxi companies did almost no innovation for years because they had no incentive to. Now they have to change their business model.

dogmeat

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="594398" data-time="1467769208">
<div>
A few years ago I had a client with a new Bentley and half joking asked him if he'd take me for a fang in it. One day he turned up out of the blue told me to hop in and we went for a drive in it, I was thinking " I don't remember this corner ever being this sharp" looked over at the speedo and we were doing 100 , the countryside was rushing by pretty fast so I had another look and it was in mph not kph . That thing was incredibly smooth, it had two turbos and there was no sign of when they kicked in it just got faster and faster. 
I've never had a nice car, mine get wrecked towing stuff ,carrying tools and other gear and kayaks dripping salt water on the roof.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
I have a nice-ish car but I still wreck it carrying shit on the back seat etc. I mean it's only a box for moving shit around in innit.
 
I was seriously considering upgrading to a V12 4.2 litre a couple of weeks ago but then realised just how much more fun I could get for the money doing other stuff.
 
I would gladly not drive in Akl if I could. If I worked in the CBD for example I'd ferry or bus in, but I do like a nice car on a roadie - somewhere "quiet" with open views where you can open it out and see exactly where the limiter kicks in - (except I've never quite had the balls to take it that far)

jegga

One thing I remember dad telling me from his cab driving days was that the drivers usually had a set of wheels and tires for commodores and falcons that they put on when their meter was getting calibrated. I think they were smaller than the actual set they drove on so when they put their usual set back on the meter read faster than the set they were calibrated for which meant more $ for them.

NTA

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="594437" data-time="1467775432">
<div>
Yeah I think that's everyone's dream. Win lotto, buy your dream car then work as a uber driver....
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Nah not my dream - just something I'd like to do when/if I get bored.
 
Let's say it was in the territory that you'd never have to work again - I still need to have the kids in school, so its not like I can suddenly embark on a world tour or anything. The wife would still probably want to work at something during that time and sure as fuck she's not spending it shopping. 
 
So why not sink $150K into a bloody nice car that doesn't need fuel, and every now and then log on and run a few interesting people around the joint for beer money. Wife still has an income, leverage my investment property portfolio over time, and just do interesting shit and meet interesting people.
 
I'm not a sit-on-a-beach kind of guy, but definitely over summer holidays I'd be hiring a Land Cruiser, getting a shmick camper trailer, and taking the family interesting places.

The Silver Fern

Uber v Taxis