Uber

[alteredst8]

OK I ma now a Uber-er.

In San Antonio we took Uber everywhere. It really was a great service.

Few things...

First for the riders I think it's great. Fast, less expensive than a cab. You know when the car will be there and can follow it's progress. I also like the you know how much the ride is going to cost up front and don't have to worry about the meter running while the driver is driving in circles because he took a wrong turn -- like in a cab.

Uber's greatest asset (GPS) is also their weakest link. Sometimes the GPS has drivers frustrated because many don't even have any idea where they are going without the GPS. So if where you are standing is a little complicated, say at a shopping mall, the driver can get confused and frustrated.

For Drivers I don't think Uber is a good deal. I have no idea how those drivers are making any money. Most of them we rode with had been doing it for a few months, one guy a year but I think after six months drivers figure out they can't make a go of it. Gas, destroying your car with high milage etc. So that is why Uber constantly looks for new drivers,. The more the merrier and as ones drop off new ones are taking their place daily.

Anyway for me it was a good experience and I'll keep doing it. We first used Uber in Paris last month using my friends account and I found that even better than in San Antonio. Clean newer cars, clean drivers and very efficient.

Fucking GPS... I told my 16 year old son (learning to drive) to drive me to Home Depot. He didn't know where it was, so I said "look it up on his phone." So he looks it up and gets in the car. I took his phone and said "Now drive me to Home Depot."

The fucking kid took me like 5 miles out of the way before he looked at me and said "I think I'm lost." I'm like "No shit, you missed your turn about 3 miles back you dumb ass."

He wanted to know why I didn't tell him. I said "I didn't get GPS to tell me where to go, you should have read the map better, now you owe me $3.00 for wasting my gas."

Either way I'm trying to teach him to be less reliant on GPS. You need to know your town based on landmarks and how the major roads intersect. GPS doesn't teach you how to get around, it just gets you where you need to go. Unless it's wrong, and if it is you'll never know because you have no basis to go on.

 

[Crossbones]

That's the problem with GPS.

If you are in your own city and going someplace a little obscure but you generally know where it is, GPS may tell you "turn left at 4th street" and you're like "why the fuck would I go that way"?

The good and the bad. Overall GPS is pretty good for getting around new places. Not perfect by any means but better than a paper map most of the time.

 

[JohnQ]

As a professional who uses GPS a lot I have to say it's very good.I use Google maps. Even in a truck it's very good.Even out in the country where addresses are imprecise you can get where you need to go.But pay attention.Its gotten better over the years though.Ive had some interesting experiences in the past.

 

[DonkeyKilla]

OK I ma now a Uber-er.

In San Antonio we took Uber everywhere. It really was a great service.

Few things...

First for the riders I think it's great. Fast, less expensive than a cab. You know when the car will be there and can follow it's progress. I also like the you know how much the ride is going to cost up front and don't have to worry about the meter running while the driver is driving in circles because he took a wrong turn -- like in a cab.

Uber's greatest asset (GPS) is also their weakest link. Sometimes the GPS has drivers frustrated because many don't even have any idea where they are going without the GPS. So if where you are standing is a little complicated, say at a shopping mall, the driver can get confused and frustrated.

For Drivers I don't think Uber is a good deal. I have no idea how those drivers are making any money. Most of them we rode with had been doing it for a few months, one guy a year but I think after six months drivers figure out they can't make a go of it. Gas, destroying your car with high milage etc. So that is why Uber constantly looks for new drivers,. The more the merrier and as ones drop off new ones are taking their place daily.

Anyway for me it was a good experience and I'll keep doing it. We first used Uber in Paris last month using my friends account and I found that even better than in San Antonio. Clean newer cars, clean drivers and very efficient.

welcome to this century dude...

 

[Crossbones]

welcome to this century dude...