Uber/Lift Questions

[Lawdwaz]

I'll have to travel a bit later this year and would like to use Uber or Lift.  Tell me about your experiences with them and why one might be better than another?  Also, how do I go about using them, app?

[turkeyfeathers]

Uber is app. Press button to pick me up here effect. About a third of what a taxi will cost. No money in transaction Comes out of pay pal like account. Tip built in too I believe. This comes from asking a friend who uses it a lot but I think I've got my info correct.
Not sure on Lift.


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[Elmo]

Lyft and Uber are competing companies.  Uber is the more popular one but many are now gravitating towards Lyft because it's the cheaper competitor.  You download the app, create your profile, and enter in your info (which includes your credit card info but don't worry, its safe).

When you want to go some where, you simply open the app and enter in where you want to go along with what it'll cost to get there (close estimate).  You get a satellite map view of all available cars around you and they all get alerted of your request.  One of them will accept your request and come by and pick you up.  You are alert of who accepted your request (a photo of the guy, the car he/she drives, and a rating based on previous customers.  You no longer have to stand around to wave a cab down.  If you see from the real-time map that the driver is several blocks away, stay in the bar an hammer another drink.  Once you see that the driver is pretty close, go outside and wait for them.  Driver come up to your location (if you put your photo up, it'll be easier for the driver to find you), asks "Are you Lawdwaz?"  You say "Yes, you must be <drivers_name>."

You get in car, don't need to do anything else.  Driver already knows where you're going based on the destination you entered in the beginning.  They take you to your destination.  You say "thank you" and leave.  Don't take out your wallet.  No need to dig through your pocket for loose bills.  Just leave the car.

A few seconds later you get a notification on your phone that you've been charge X amount of dollars for the ride which generally is cheaper than a traditional cab ride since they don't have as much overhead cost.  You also get a notification on if you want to leave a tip and how would you rate your driver.  You enter tip amount if you so wish and rate the driver...again, if you so wish.

Done.

[Elmo]

He's a screen shot of the Lyft app. I placed myself at Grand Central station. The cars are the available Lyft drivers near me in real time. You actually see the cars moving around as they're driving. I just hit the request pickup button on the bottom and enter an address for my destination and one of these drivers will turn around and pick me up.

One thing to remember though. You will be charged if you are in the car for a minute. If you get in the car and notice right away that the driver is me, you can get out of the car and not be charged. If you get into the car and I drive for a minute and then you decide, you know what? You rather walk. You'll get charged for the full ride as if I took you to your requested destination.


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[turkeyfeathers]

Elmo, I hit " send" for you. Did the uber car show up ?


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[WNYBuckHunter]

Uber is great, I use it all the time when I travel. I have never had a bad experience, and its way cheaper and easier than a regular taxi. I wish NY would get out of the stone age and allow it in the whole state.

[BizCT]

I use Uber, works great. You should be able to score a free $20 or so off your first ride.


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[BizCT]

Here's a screenshot. The blue dot is me, and u can see nearby cars. If I put destination in, I will see price options. It's linked to my credit card, so once I get dropped off at a destination i get an email with my receipt




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[Elmo]

17 hours ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Elmo, I hit " send" for you. Did the uber car show up ?


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I use Lyft so no.  Uber didn't show up.  But I wouldn't no because most of the time I use the app is when I drank too much, out too late, (or both) to take the train home.

[The_Real_TCIII]

I uber all over the country, it's fantastic. So reliable I barely rent cars any more. It's infuriating that we don't have it here in WNY

[Moho81]

So it's allowed in New York City and not the rest of the state is that correct? 

[The_Real_TCIII]

Law make sure you google the airports you will be in, some
Only allow rideshare pickups in certain locations. It can be a PITA but not the end of the world


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[BizCT]

So it's allowed in New York City and not the rest of the state is that correct? 

It's in westchester. Not sure about the rest of the state.


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[Moho81]

It's in westchester. Not sure about the rest of the state.


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I know it's not in Buffalo. It's been a huge topic for sometime. Politicians being politicians won't allow it right now. The city did take a pretty good beating over it when the first round of the NCAA was here and everyone coming here just expected it.


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[The_Real_TCIII]

Looks lIke it's coming in July