They have machines in the door which have the app there for public use for exactly that reason
Comment on Everything old is new again.
Matombo@feddit.org 4 months ago
But now you can’t just tell the driver where to go and give him cash, you have to use the app first and you are out of luck if you phone battery is dead. So technology makes the experience activly worse in this case.
WanderingCat@lemm.ee 4 months ago
Psythik@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Yeah but it’s cheaper than a taxi, and the best part is that you don’t have to interact with a human, which means you don’t have to tip (if you book a self-driving car). Furthermore, if you practice good charging habits, you never have to worry about a dead phone.
pyrflie@lemm.ee 4 months ago
[deleted]Psythik@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Then don’t use Uber. Like I said, self-driving cabs are best. No route fuckery to run up the meter, because they always take the most efficient path. I am aware that not every city has these yet, but that’ll change within a few years.
Matombo@feddit.org 4 months ago
why do you have to tip a taxi driver?
Psythik@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Short answer: America.
Long Answer: Because American companies are so greedy that they won’t even pay a livable wage; they expect working class citizens to pick up the slack with tips in every industry they can get away with doing such a thing. All thanks to the policies of a long dead president from the 80s (Reagan), that were never rolled back. In other words: America.
SuperApples@lemmy.world 4 months ago
I’ve been overcharged/“taken for a ride” by five or so taxis in my life, never had trouble with a ride-share service, even in countries where they are operating illegally. Never had a clearly drunk driver, too, unlike a couple of taxis I’ve taken.
When there’s any kind of language barrier, choosing the destination in the app rather than trying to speak it is so much easier, and using in-app translation messaging, too. When arriving in a new country, not having to get money out at the airport (avoiding rip-off ATMs or money exchangers) and being able to pay online is so much better than cash, especially when you’re not familiar with the currency.
Certainty of price, and ability to give instant feedback are great at keeping things honest. Sure, Uber/Grab etc are terrible companies, but I swear most taxi licenses in the world are owned my organized crime, so not much of an alternative. There is so much that needs to be done with regulation to get rid of the ‘gig economy’ and make sure that drivers are properly compensated/employed, but the app-powered ride service is just so superior in every way for the passenger, in my opinion.
May I suggest a back-up battery for your phone (I just use my laptop USB as it’s always with me and works when the PC is off).
jol@discuss.tchncs.de 4 months ago
Yes, but there are also taxi apps for that now.