this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2023
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Uber CEO balks after a reporter tells him the cost of his 2.9-mile Uber ride: 'Oh my God. Wow.'::undefined

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[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 year ago (2 children)

In a faint way, I might almost frame this as a positive thing.

The gig workers driving Uber vehicles are generally the sort of people that absolutely need it. And, especially in a hub like New York City, $50 fares should be the sort of thing that pushes people into making use of either the bike share system or subway, rather than promoting increased traffic congestion at peak times. And yes, I am aware in many cases that results in increased trip times; which should be a motive to invest further in these systems to make them faster and more convenient.

I don't think it's just Uber - America will at some point have to wake up to the expected costs of its heavily service-focused industries, the value of an individual person's time, and of one's own personal vehicle for a trip.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Actually I live in NYC and often public transportation, especially bikes, are faster to get around Manhattan than car services. Outer boroughs need more infrastructure though. Places like Queens and Brooklyn as you get away from the city become harder to navigate without a car or car service and taxis can be rarer

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

As someone from rural Scotland, hearing Brooklyn described as 'getting away from the city' is unintentionally hilarious!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Ha, it is definitely a local slang. People in outer boroughs will say "I'm going into the city for the day" if they are going into Manhattan, even though all the boroughs are "New York City" and high density

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I miss going out to that far little hamlet of Whitestone Queens and getting a sandwich at Cherry valley.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I visited NYC this spring with my wife and we took precisely one Uber ride, from the airport to our hotel. It was $80. We then proceeded to spend less than $80 total the rest of our several day trip crisscrossing all over Manhattan on public transit, including back to the airport to leave. Public transit was faster, cheaper, and easier than the Uber, for sure.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Uber jacks up prices in "airport zones" to an insane degree. For example an Uber from Seattle to Sea-Tac is about $75. I rented a car in Portland, drove up to Seattle for the weekend, and drove myself to the airport for $60. An Amtrak ticket from Portland- Seattle is around $40 usually.

This doesn't work everywhere, but when I'm flying back into PDX (the best airport) I'll take the light rail public transit two stops and get a ride share from the Target parking lot. Ends up being about half the price once you're far enough away.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

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