Virginian here. I'm currently on business in Texas. On Friday morning, I had an Uber car pick me up at 4AM to take me to the airport. He showed up in 3 minutes, was courteous, safe, and fast.
The last time I tried to call a taxi (the night before) to get me to the airport, the driver never showed up. So I ended up walking to the train station, luggage in hand, to get to DCA.
I'll be flying in to DCA tomorrow, and I won't be able to call an Uber. I'll have to go get in a dingy, unsafe taxi with some asshole who is almost always driving while taking on the phone.
If the regulations actually worked (I felt safe in taxi cabs, the drivers weren't pieces of shit chewing khat and refusing to turn on the AC, and constantly overcharging you every chance they get by taking longer routes that any local knows are not the quickest way) then maybe I would feel good about it.
But guess what? Technology is crowdsourcing regulation now. We don't need a top down body of lazy fucks who sluggishly work their 9-3 shifts (with 2 hour lunch breaks) going around making sure taxis don't overcharge or are safe. If an Uber driver gets less than stellar feedback, they are gone. I'd call that much better than a fucking bureaucrat. The results speak for themselves. Uber is safer, cleaner, and superior to a taxicab in every way.
When I fly back to Virginia tomorrow, I'll have my wife pick me up. I'm not getting in a goddammed taxicab ever again unless I have absolutely no choice.
The last time I tried to call a taxi (the night before) to get me to the airport, the driver never showed up. So I ended up walking to the train station, luggage in hand, to get to DCA.
I'll be flying in to DCA tomorrow, and I won't be able to call an Uber. I'll have to go get in a dingy, unsafe taxi with some asshole who is almost always driving while taking on the phone.
If the regulations actually worked (I felt safe in taxi cabs, the drivers weren't pieces of shit chewing khat and refusing to turn on the AC, and constantly overcharging you every chance they get by taking longer routes that any local knows are not the quickest way) then maybe I would feel good about it.
But guess what? Technology is crowdsourcing regulation now. We don't need a top down body of lazy fucks who sluggishly work their 9-3 shifts (with 2 hour lunch breaks) going around making sure taxis don't overcharge or are safe. If an Uber driver gets less than stellar feedback, they are gone. I'd call that much better than a fucking bureaucrat. The results speak for themselves. Uber is safer, cleaner, and superior to a taxicab in every way.
When I fly back to Virginia tomorrow, I'll have my wife pick me up. I'm not getting in a goddammed taxicab ever again unless I have absolutely no choice.