RickyM Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 (edited) Yes. A. The first ride is always free up to 10 or 15 quid. B. They are at least 20% cheaper, usually more compared to black cabs. It amazes me how judgemental people can be about something they haven't tried. I've just looked on their fare finder on their website. I searched from my address to the Out of Hours GP Collaborative at the Northern General. It gave me a range of £6-£9. I phoned for a taxi last October to take me there and it cost £6.80. Taking the average of the range above it would be £7.50 - so I saved 70p Edited June 18, 2015 by RickyM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuriousGeorg Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 (edited) ...so I saved 70p No, you would have spent £6.80. As I said, free rides are abundant, you always get one for signing up. So after your first Uber trip you would actually be 6.80 up. It would take you another 10 trips at the 70p more expensive Uber price before you'd have saved any money by sticking with City, I think... Assuming City's prices haven't gone up since last October. And also assumung the Uber estimate is accurate, it's usually at the lower end of the estimate, I think because it factors in a fair amount of waiting time on top of the distance. Edited June 18, 2015 by FuriousGeorg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyM Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 No, you would have spent £6.80. As I said, free rides are abundant, you always get one for signing up. So after your first Uber trip you would be 6.80 up. It would take you another 10 trips at the 70p more expensive Uber price before you'd have saved any money by sticking with City, I think... Assuming City's prices haven't gone up since last October. I see your point. It would have been worth using Uber for the free ride and the 70p cheaper fares as after ten times it would have made up for the rest. I don't use taxis very often but as others have pointed out, if there is a group going somewhere then it's worth getting a taxi and sharing the fare than getting a bus or tram. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ECCOnoob Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I see Uber has been on BBC Watchdog tonight with account hacking problems, mismanaged accounts, details going missing and general incompetence. Another problem I don't seem to have when I book a regular taxi through a regular firm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris99 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Apparently people have had money taken from their accounts by Uber and found it impossible to get back, with difficulties in contacting them. One person paid £200 for a luxury taxi in America, with Watchdog showing tracking of it from state to state. Fortunately persons' banks refunded them eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincentb Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I see Uber has been on BBC Watchdog tonight with account hacking problems, mismanaged accounts, details going missing and general incompetence. Another problem I don't seem to have when I book a regular taxi through a regular firm. To be fair, normal taxi firms might have the same kind of problems too for all we know - but none of them are as big as Uber so they're not attracting the same attention from BBC Watchdog, are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegas1 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 To be fair, normal taxi firms might have the same kind of problems too for all we know - but none of them are as big as Uber so they're not attracting the same attention from BBC Watchdog, are they? The lady on Watchdog last night seemed pleasant enough, and that things would be sorted. Bank accounts also get "hacked" or whatever, these things happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyM Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 (edited) I find the more these new methods become widespread, the more chances of being scammed. I prefer traditional methods of payment, like cash and cheque. I don't mind queuing to withdraw cash at a cash machine then going into the shop to buy things. I only use cheques to post to people for gifts as I wont send cash in the post. All these mobile phone apps and shopping online are making it easier to be ripped off by companies and scammed. Beware!!! Edited June 19, 2015 by RickyM Typing error. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm06 Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Are they now the same? not entirely sure. Anyway, I don't have much call to use taxis, however me and my friend often go out in to town every Friday evening. Normally we're quite on our way as we have a couple of drinks before heading out, and my friend often tries to talk to the driver about his job, Last night we had a fella in VW who was an absolute delight, couldn't chat and have a laugh with us enough, he told us all about the tests he had to do for his job, and how he grew up in Sheffield going out in the same places we were going to. To be fair we get this quite often, I like a lot of our drivers in Sheffield. We used Uber last week, and the fella there was just as nice. So 3am rolls around and the clubs close and it's time to leave, and the taxi drivers seem to completely change. I thought it would be easier to share a taxi with my friend and her cousin, home (She gets out at Heeley, I get out on East Bank Road) Personally, I thought it was a reasonable request - a journey I've done often. We get to the point where my friend is jumping out, the driver tells me how much the fair is, I explain to him (Again) that she's getting out here, I'm going to East Bank, she would pay the fair up to that point, I would pay the rest when I get out. He seemed to find this confusing and told me I have to pay the full fair or no one gets out (including the fair to East Bank) I asked how I would pay the fair for my journey as I haven't got there yet? Anyway, this went on for a little while, before he started to say if we don't pay, he isn't letting us out. He was stood still in his cab, so at this point I opened the door slightly so it couldn't be locked when he started moving. This sparked an argument with the driver, at which point I told him the situation was extremely simple, they will pay the fair that is showing on the meter, I will pay the remaining fair when I got to where I asked to go. He once again denied, and asked for all money upfront. I then got out of the taxi with my friends (as we were outside her house) they went home and I headed on my travels walking The problem is, I see this a lot, I have got in to taxis dozens of times where they have asked me for £10 or £20 before they go anywhere, which I always refuse, and I have had the problem of splitting fairs very often, they are often rude and seem to get annoyed when I interrupt them to tell them where to turn on to my road or to pull over for me to get out, when they're talking on the phone to their mates or what have you. I don't see how there is this contrast between extremely polite and nice drivers, and ones that seemingly hate their job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgksheff Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Just to be clear, do you expect the departing friend to give you the money or pay it to the driver? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now