Do you think apps like Uber impoverish citizens?

[hexagonal]

Today, I was going to request an Uber and realized how much higher the rates are compared to a few years ago. This sucks because 20-50% of the fare now goes to investment funds, big corporations, and banks. In the past, when you requested a taxi, a small part of the fare went to the taxi owner and another part to the government, keeping the money within the local economy rather than going overseas.

 

[BassTrackerBoats]

I use Uber every Tuesday, twice, and have no issue with the pricing.

It costs money to run a business.

 

[hexagonal]

I use Uber every Tuesday, twice, and have no issue with the pricing.

It costs money to run a business.

Sure, it costs money, but in the past, it used to go to local citizens. Now, in developing countries, it goes to hedge funds, banks, etc.

Previously, business expenses were a commission to the taxi owner or the taxi company. Now, expenses are for AWS, software engineers, etc.

 

[DrWhat]

In the UK, Uber is the same price as a normal taxi service, so if you regular take a taxi like i do, using uber makes no difference. Unless you go for XL, Black or Luxary ubers

 

[Alpha1404]

For too long, in my country, cabs have had the monopoly and behaved like crap (pardon the vulgarity).
Uber has liberalized the market, introduced real competition. As a result, cabs have made a real impact on customer service.
So, from my point of view as a customer, I won. And when Uber is too expensive, I take a "traditional" cab.

 

[Orozuz]

People use it willingly, it hasn't being imposed on anyone. Price wise and running away from the awful taxi drivers. So according to that, it actually helps citizens, and if the government intervened via banning it or charging an extra commission, it would hurt citizens more than not using taxis.

If we were focused just on local economies and prefer them over international stuff, this website wouldn't exist and none of our overseas endeavours.

Is this post just old fashioned anti globalism? because if it is, I can't think of a worse place to think that way.

 

[TheoTheGreat]

All of the major companies that started off good have slowly turned to shit. Uber for instance doesn't do the job it was intended to do all those years ago. Now it's cheaper for me to call a local cab and get to wherever. Google/Youtube doesn't even show me relevent results anymore.

 

[SpaceYams]

it - along with the likes of DoorDash - seem exploitative to the workers. i use none of these services.

 

[eric968]

I always use Public Bus and Metro. Never travelled to unconnected places. Travelling and leisure is a waste of money. I could invest that money in buying niche edits for my website if there is any genuine provide, but sadly there are no out there.

 

[BassTrackerBoats]

Funny events with Uber this week.

The driver in the AM was a Crypto player and we had a great conversation.

The one that took me home in the afternoon smelled like he got a great deal on weed and reeked like Snoop Dog. I could care less if someone smokes weed but dang, at work when you interact with the public?

AM driver got a nice tip, PM driver got nothing.

Pro tip: if you are an Uber driver, don't do weed when working.

 

[Dopious]

The one that took me home in the afternoon smelled like he got a great deal on weed and reeked like Snoop Dog. I could care less if someone smokes weed but dang, at work when you interact with the public?

Ain´t it illegal to smoke weed and drive there? Like driving drunk.

 

[BassTrackerBoats]

Ain´t it illegal to smoke weed and drive there? Like driving drunk.

It is illegal but I was not going to narc on the guy.

I slept most of the 1 hour drive anyway so I have no idea if he was swerving, running red lights or other stuff that your typical under the influence person does when they drive.

I'll give him this, he had nice music on the radio though.

 

[Dopious]

It is illegal but I was not going to narc on the guy.

You sir are to fckn nice, I would not tolerate being driven by a "drunk" guy and paying for it .. Wonder what a crash would have cost you when you ended up in the cheap hospital. People under the influence driving should be locked up for the next 25 years in my mind. You are way to nice.

 

[Jave]

We don't even have Uber in Germany the way like you have because of taxi monopol - Sucks hard, prices are ridiculous