Uber refused London licence - but it can continue to operate for now - MSE News

AdrianC

Yes, well - the black cab trade body not liking minicabs is hardly news, is it?

It's really no more "plying for hire" than any other minicab app - Addison Lee have one, and then there's various third party ones that other minicab operators sign up to, such as Kabbee - or even phoning up and asking "How soon can you get me a cab here?"

TooManyPoints

Quite agree, Adrian. Just livening up the debate. :beer:

I seem to recall many years ago the London Taxi Drivers objecting to "minicabs" when they first came to the fore. They had to reluctantly accept them and I imagine the same will happen with Uber (should Uber remain licensed, that is!)

unholyangel

TooManyPoints wrote: »

Quite agree, Adrian. Just livening up the debate. :beer:

I seem to recall many years ago the London Taxi Drivers objecting to "minicabs" when they first came to the fore. They had to reluctantly accept them and I imagine the same will happen with Uber (should Uber remain licensed, that is!)

Not quite sure I'd go that far, taxi drivers can be quite petty More likely they just see Uber as the bigger threat given their global brand recognition/presence.

tonyh66

And most of the cash Uber rakes in goes to some rich guys in California and out of the UK/local economy, but hey it's super convenient so thats ok.

Astar1809

tonyh66 wrote: »

And most of the cash Uber rakes in goes to some rich guys in California and out of the UK/local economy, but hey it's super convenient so thats ok.

When I am faced with a £7 uber trip home form the station or a £35 minimum fare from the black cab, the £28 pound saved in my pocket makes me magically have no care for where the remaining £7 is portioned off to.

Roger1

Well, Uber are not the only fruit.

I'm a little surprised that MSE hasn't discovered Bolt and Kapten, offering similar services to Uber. I have used all three in the past month (in suburban London).

For airport runs, my local minicab company is best value and, guess what, they have an app too.

tonyh66

Astar1809 wrote: »

When I am faced with a £7 uber trip home form the station or a £35 minimum fare from the black cab, the £28 pound saved in my pocket makes me magically have no care for where the remaining £7 is portioned off to.

I guess your also happy that the person serving you at the supermarket and the barista at your local coffee shop are paid less than living wage so you can save your money, its a race to the bottom, support your local cab company.

Scrapit

neilmcl wrote: »

Taxis are not and have never been defined as part of a public transport system, end of.

From all the posts above it doesn't sound remotely like the "end of" anything at all. But good attempt.

Astar1809

tonyh66 wrote: »

I guess your also happy that the person serving you at the supermarket and the barista at your local coffee shop are paid less than living wage so you can save your money, its a race to the bottom, support your local cab company.

I actually shop at Aldi and as I understand they pay the staff rather well compared to other supermarkets. They match or exceed the living wage scheme so not sure your example holds any weight here.

I get a better service, at the cheaper price more conveniently (better, faster, cheaper and easier) if it were just the price you would have a point but for the user Uber is a wonderful service.

TooManyPoints

When I am faced with a £7 uber trip home form the station or a £35 minimum fare from the black cab, the £28 pound saved in my pocket makes me magically have no care for where the remaining £7 is portioned off to.

I quite agree. The "Global Economy" which we are told we are part of leaves no room for isolationist philosophy and in any case the lion's share of that fare goes to someone who is probably just a "local cabbie". It's just that he pays his rent to Uber instead of to his local minicab outfit. But I am intrigued as to where it is you travel by cab. Your £7 Uber fare is probably for a journey of no more than two or three miles. When and where does a black cab charge a minimum of £35 for such a journey?