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Comment by bhickey | Hacker News Reader

Uber isn't replacing street hails. When you call a taxi company there's no certainty if or when they'll actually turn up.

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What does "certainty" mean to you?

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=uber+did+not+show+up&ia=web would suggest there are people who ordered an Uber ride that never showed up.

Uber says it's possible for a ride to not show up: https://help.uber.com/riders/article/i-would-like-to-get-a-r...

Uber even says it's possible for someone else to take the trip you requested, without your knowledge. https://help.uber.com/riders/article/i-was-charged-for-a-rid...

> When you call a taxi company there's no certainty if or when they'll actually turn up.

Ah, that's a good one actually. So, with Uber is there any certainty? Do they give you money back or something if the Uber doesn't appear on the specified time?

It has happened to me that I have waited a bit over the usual time for my taxi, but not very often.

It happens with Uber sometimes that your designated driver just dallies some other place until you have to cancel the ride and hail a normal cab - then the canceling charge will be on you. Pretty neat trick, I'd say.

You can trust the price and not get shaken down, I had to take a local small town taxi the other day and they charged me $20 for a very short ride with no meter.

I needed a ride from queens to NJ and many cab companies simply hung up on me.

I dislike uber the company but cabs were worse, for me.

No, but Uber adds a market signal - if there is a shortage of drivers, rates will go up to entice more to get on the road.

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