Posted on 04/27/2017 3:02:31 PM PDT by SaveFerris
In my area, there seem to be a lot of Ethiopians. I’ve found them friendly and interesting to talk with - we usually wind up talking about food! - but some of them definitely bring their homeland approaches to driving to our roads ;-)
I enjoy the bus, and the system and drivers in the DC Metro area are generally very good; but there are times when it’s more convenient where I live to use the cab.
Ethiopia has a lot of Christians. Somalia, not so much, or Afghanistan. Those are two of the most common ones I’ve seen up here. I will get out of bed whenever to go drive someone than to let them take a cab.
Oh you’re right...SMH...
Gooly gee.... I wonder what religion he is and where he is from (insert Amish joke here)?
F) It wasn’t “rape rape.”
Yep uber/lyft used to be decent but now you get picked up by osama mujahadeen or some illegal that cant even read a map or speak english here in SOCAL. single female riders here are in danger using these services with all the lowlife drivers.
Uber now does random photo ID by asking the driver to take a selfie to compare with the driver’s license photo.
Well, I really believe the opposite is actually true. This guy has to be one of THE DUMBEST criminals EVER. When you use this type of service you use a phone application, with your account, the driver also has an account. The system pairs passenger requests with a local driver, SO IT IS ALL RECORDED. You know exactly whom drove who where and when. This is not the case with a taxi, especially if you pay cash. With that said, I’ve heard many horror stories about taxis, usually involving being driven somewhere, robbed and left in the middle of nowhere.
So while this guy was a moron and got caught, expeditiously I might add, it is extremely rare. They all know they’re being tracked....that’s how dumb this guy was.
My concern is how these drivers are vetted to start with.
I’m uncomfortable with a ‘sometime’ driver, who does it when he/she feels like it, catching a way to make a few bucks between other priorities.
In my area, the cab drivers with the old, highly regulated companies, are generally full-time. The only time I was ever afraid, was with one Indian or Pakistani driver who was obviously working too many hours - he had a serious problem with his right arm that was interfering with his driving, and kept shifting around in his seat so much that he wasn’t driving straight. The man was in pain from overwork, and was a menace on the road.
But that was only one time, and other than that I’ve never had a bad experience with the local cab companies.
On the other hand, I’ve personally known some people who have signed-up for these ‘do-it-now-and-then’ companies. I’ll let it suffice to say that my knowledge of them personally doesn’t exactly recommend their driving skills nor, in some cases, their personal senses of responsibility.
Generally, the full-time taxi drivers with long-established companies seem to be better vetted, and have more at stake.
(It doesn’t matter to me that these drivers are ‘tracked’. I could be dead before the ‘tracking’ is even called up and investigated.)
Jamestown you are wise.
I drive a cab. But I’ve driven Uber and Lyft before.
I won’t let my teen daughter in an Uber.
Most Uber drivers like most taxi drivers are, I’m sure, nice guys. So why the difference?
1. Screening
2. Getting caught.
3. Personal experience.
First of all taxi drivers are screened way more heavily. We have to pass an FBI Live Scan and get kept from work for all kinds of priors. It is way harder for an illegal or a criminal to pretend to be me in order to work (quite easy for an uber driver with any sort of similar looks). We get drug screened each year.
2. We have to have a 24/7 audio video in our cabs. Sure we could disable it but in the event of any accusation that is really condemning. Never heard of it happening, actually. So even if you have a bad driver he is pretty well certain to be caught and convicted if guilty. We know this.
3. I’m on driver boards of all kinds of drivers. Allow me to say the porn and comments and personal pics of passed out chicks and etc. posted by Uber drivers are way worse than the taxis. There’s a certain professionalism with taxis. I’ve only seen one taxi driver post a risque photo and it was NOT of a passenger and NO actual porn. Sorry but lots on the Uber driver pages.
So stick with taxis IMO unless you are a sober man or in a group. My two cents.
“they seem to be hated by the libs.”
the political correct tide against them is turning, but many just turn from them to Lyft, not to cabs. Lyft is still cool apparently. Although they have the same flaws.
“ou know exactly whom drove who where and when. This is not the case with a taxi, especially if you pay cash”
True if you flag a cab and pay cash no electronic record on your phone.
However if it’s like cabs here there is 24/7 audio video recording in the cab.
Also you can use dispatch or an app to call a cab and then record is there.
Thank You.
You have more knowledge than I do, but it makes me feel more secure that your knowledge validates my experience, feelings, and intuition.
-JT
Just FYI, I’ve done Uber a hundred times and I’ve never had a bad experience...and it costs a fraction of a taxi. You get to rate the driver after your trip too. The transaction is automatic and hassle free. It’s just +++ imo.
I have, however, had many instances of a taxi being one of the most dirtiest vehicles I’ve ever been in. Many times needing some obvious maintenance, squeaking shocks, along with a “professional driver” which doesn’t use the most optimal route and has a death wish.
In my experience the taxi industry has used legislation to push out competition and it shows in spades. Uber has been far superior on multiple levels.
I just believe this story is an exception, an incredibly stupid criminal - which you can’t protect against.
I mostly speak for my home town I suppose. If it works for you, it works for you.
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