Hacker News Reader

Comment by thaumasiotes | Hacker News Reader

> Visiting europe felt like a breath of fresh air in comparison—technically they have uber, but there was no point in using it because taxis were so prevalent, reliable, and cheap.

Taxis in Shanghai have been largely replaced by app-related taxis. I have no particular knowledge of whether this moved prices up or down.

But there are two obvious changes:

1. It's now possible to get a taxi when it's raining.

2. The app drivers feel free to smoke.

Point 2 is a negative, but point 1 is a huge positive. How do European taxis respond to the rain?

View on HN

TBH, Uber wouldn't be so much of a problem with decent competition. But the critical mass required for a transit app is quite difficult to establish, and Lyft offers essentially the same deal with a slightly better margin for drivers. It's a de-facto duopoly here in the US where the two companies are incentivized to drive prices as high as the market will sustain, and the local apps (for instance we have one here in DC that is a co-op) are often legislated out of existence.

> Taxis in Shanghai have been largely replaced by app-related taxis.

The APP itself isn't the issue, it's the pricing. But it sounds like China has a much healthier market than we have.

> 1. It's now possible to get a taxi when it's raining.

Why would this make so much of a difference? I'm very curious.

>> 1. It's now possible to get a taxi when it's raining.

> Why would this make so much of a difference? I'm very curious.

I have no idea.† But the fact remains that traditional taxis in Shanghai (1) leave the streets when it's raining; (2) won't stop for you when it's raining if you do see one that hasn't pulled its disappearing act yet; and (3) won't let you in even if they have stopped for you and learned where you want to go. And believe me, getting stranded in the rain sucks.

Rain is common in Shanghai at all times of the year, by the way.

† That is, I have no idea why taxi drivers refuse to take passengers when it's raining. It's obvious why taxi apps will still do so - the app allows you to contact them at all times.

> How do European taxis respond to the rain?

What do you mean? What happens with cabs when it rains where you live.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com