uber taxi

[Flute56]

I have always known about uber taxis but never used them because I prefer to stick to a regular cab company who I know and the drivers know me..

I recently had to go somewhere and got an ordinary regular taxi. I was unable to get a taxi back so someone said get an uber. I do not have the uber app on my phone so this person booked it from their phone. The cost of the uber was half the price going back to where I got the original taxi from and I was surprised. I was told that ubers are always cheaper than a regular taxi cab and they are very safe because you can track the cab via your app and you have the drivers details etc.

Are ubers really safe? For my journey I paid £30 from a regular cab company and to return the uber was only £15

Can someone explain if they are safe for a female to use on her own and why they are so much cheaper and if the uber driver is dodgy or you have an issue with them, who can you complain to? I once had an issue with one of the drivers from my regular mini cab company and so did some other people so the mini cab companya got rid of him. Are ubers run on the same lines as a London black cab so if you have a problem you can complain to the body of people who manage the black cabs and quote their number

Uber is a lot safer than it used to be now that they have to comply with TFL’s rules on licensing. If you’re not in London, I would suggest that you check whether the same rules apply for your town.

A perceived risk with Uber is that several different drivers can share one account, but I don’t see how that is any different to black cabs and mini cabs, where the same thing can happen. Personally, I like that you can see the driver’s face and registration in the car, and you can send that to a friend just in case, as well as sharing your ride with someone.

Thanks. You did not say anything about the cost. I am curious as to why the uber I got was half the price of the regular taxi

If you Google ' why are Uber so much cheaper than taxi's '. Gives you a whole host of reasons

Exactly. It's to do with dynamic pricing - plenty of information online.

I’ve used Uber regularly in the UK and around the world. Travel as a lone female. I’ve never felt vulnerable and have never had a bad experience.

I check the reg and driver photo on pick up and always wait for them to say my name first.

In the US I invariably get female drivers. I suspect some female drivers only accept female passengers.

Unlike regular taxis prices fluctuate on demand.

A 11am Uber on a nice Monday morning will be a lot cheaper than at 10pm on a wet Friday evening

Uber will increase the price by an absolute of ridiculous amount during peak times. A journey that usually cost £10 can easily end up £30 if it's raining/ rush hour etc

It is just my opinion, but Ubers (and the equivalent world over - GRAB, Bolt etc.) are safer than any other option, and nearly always cheaper. You know what you are going to pay in advance, it is cashless, you can only tip by the app (so no awkwardness) you can give feedback if you don't like the trip (likewise they can do you !), you can track exactly where they are in their effort to get to you, you can forward the details of the journey to your OH or someone else and they can track it too (not so much a paranoid thing, more of a "when are you getting home" thing) you can send a concern up mid journey etc. should you really need to You have a decent record afterwards of the journey you made, and the cost. If there were any moans at all, all minor, mine would be "dead spots" (no uber avail, (usually no taxis easily avail either), occasionally, scruffy-ish cars ( I actually don't give two hoots about this, but some might, also only abroad). Never get in a car that has the wrong registration plate (happened once to me in Russia) make sure you actually know where you are trying to go (pick up is fine as it is "where you are" most of the time, but get the end address right, also if it is not easy to pick up where you are, they may suggest 100m down the road). Also if you are doing "multiple drop offs" this doesn't suit uber, they take you from A to B usually.

I remember once my uber being stuck in traffic and I got a message on my uber app asking me if I was OK as we hadn't moved and I could press a button to get help.

Ubers are fine, I’ve used them for years. Mine is set up so DH can see which car I’m in and where it is etc. (I travel for work a lot).

And yes, almost always cheaper. But I like the convenience mostly. No cash needed and they don’t get annoyed at any destination you give.

I know someone out in the US who's daughter was murdered after mistakenly getting into what she thought was the Uber she'd booked at the end of a night out, but it wasn't. Look up SAMI. There's a big push out here now to make sure people can verify that the car they're expecting is the one trying to pick them up. Obviously she was just heartbreakingly unlucky but just wanted to share that it's super important with Ubers that you're making sure it's the actual driver you requested.

No one can tell you how safe they are, you've got to decide that yourself.

ubers are not licensed in my area! Got them all over the world, but alas, can’t get them from home.

Awful experience in Egypt in an Uber- but otherwise fine.

prefer to use local companies but good when I’m away and don’t know who to call