Bay Area Thread

[drgarage1]

Surge charging is actually the way things should work. When demands spikes prices should spike too so that you don't get scarcity.

That's fine as a principle, but in reality, the process is totally opaque. Clear pricing is as or more important than pricing that matches demand perfectly.

 

[drgarage1]

Man, cabs are the worst though. I'll chance it with Uber or Lyft any day. Generally cheaper (and surge pricing is something they tell you about ahead of time), way cleaner/nicer cars, nicer drivers, no direct payment (the only part Flywheel seems to fix).

Flywheel also fixes hailing, which is the most important thing.

Nicer drivers, you say?
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Uber-hammer-attack-may-clarify-firm-s-5810352.php

At least in a cab, you can sue the company directly if your driver beats you with a hammer.

 

[stupac2]

That's fine as a principle, but in reality, the process is totally opaque. Clear pricing is as or more important than pricing that matches demand perfectly.

What's not clear about it? You open the app and it tells you the price. Do you expect to be able to figure out the surge pricing multiplier by looking out the window or something? No **** you won't have access to that.

 

[drgarage1]

What's not clear about it? You open the app and it tells you the price. Do you expect to be able to figure out the surge pricing multiplier by looking out the window or something? No **** you won't have access to that.

No, it tells you the multiplier. Which, depending on how far you're going, can be a total mystery. They are completely opaque as to how much they actually charge per mile, per minute, or any other metric. Instead, they show "average price" comparisons relative to cabs. Which you can work back from, but they deliberately want things to be vague.

And I know they now have the price estimator feature in the app, but that has been wildly inaccurate for me in the past. All that, and they want me to lobby on their behalf for less regulation! Not shady at all.

 

[jtmartino1]

No, it tells you the multiplier. Which, depending on how far you're going, can be a total mystery. They are completely opaque as to how much they actually charge per mile, per minute, or any other metric. Instead, they show "average price" comparisons relative to cabs. Which you can work back from, but they deliberately want things to be vague.

And I know they now have the price estimator feature in the app, but that has been wildly inaccurate for me in the past. All that, and they want me to lobby on their behalf for less regulation! Not shady at all.

Uber has been cheaper than taxis for me. Always. Substantially cheaper too - 20% or more on average on routes where I've taken both (to/from SFO, etc.) I should note that I don't often take Uber when the multiplier is in effect, but I have tried calling a cab during a peak hour and it absolutely sucked - getting cabs from Noe Valley to downtown on Halloween, New Years or Gay Pride weekend was nearly impossible.

Also, I don't pick my vendors by my ability to litigate against them or the prospect of a large court settlement.

The convenience of Uber, combined with the "no tip" thing, and clean cars, and generally excellent experiences means I will always choose it above hailing a cab.

Taxis are a ******* racket in the Bay Area. It's stupid.

 

[jtmartino1]

Ok seriously, why are taxis so damn expensive here? The only other place that compares is Vegas, but even that's cheaper than here!

 

[drgarage1]

Uber has been cheaper than taxis for me. Always. Substantially cheaper too - 20% or more on average on routes where I've taken both (to/from SFO, etc.) I should note that I don't often take Uber when the multiplier is in effect, but I have tried calling a cab during a peak hour and it absolutely sucked - getting cabs from Noe Valley to downtown on Halloween, New Years or Gay Pride weekend was nearly impossible.

Also, I don't pick my vendors by my ability to litigate against them or the prospect of a large court settlement.

The convenience of Uber, combined with the "no tip" thing, and clean cars, and generally excellent experiences means I will always choose it above hailing a cab.

Taxis are a ******* racket in the Bay Area. It's stupid.

Calling for cabs has always been horrible. Flywheel has completely fixed that for me.

 

[jedwards]

I only take it around in the city, but Flywheel works great for me, particularly when Uber is surging. I think the longest I've ever waited was around ten minutes while Uber was surging at 4.5x. Also at least so far, all my Flywheel drivers have actually known where to go when I tell them an address, as opposed to asking me for directions or driving with a phone GPS held directly in front of their face.

 

[stupac2]

No, it tells you the multiplier. Which, depending on how far you're going, can be a total mystery. They are completely opaque as to how much they actually charge per mile, per minute, or any other metric. Instead, they show "average price" comparisons relative to cabs. Which you can work back from, but they deliberately want things to be vague.

And I know they now have the price estimator feature in the app, but that has been wildly inaccurate for me in the past. All that, and they want me to lobby on their behalf for less regulation! Not shady at all.

I don't take cabs much since they're ridiculously expensive and I've never gotten a driver who seemed capable of driving anything less than "not quite criminally recklessly", but isn't this par for the course? I've never had the faintest idea what a cab ride was going to cost me. Getting an estimate seems like a huge step up.

 

[flexabull]

Was thinking of stopping at Cellar Maker this Sunday afternoon, no kids though right?

 

[drgarage1]

Was thinking of stopping at Cellar Maker this Sunday afternoon, no kids though right?

Correct. 21 and up only.

 

[flexabull]

Correct. 21 and up only.

Damn, that's puts a damper on those plans.

 

[walterfredo]

does cellarmaker have a TV with sports on? I'll be in the city a week from this saturday. Potentially game 6 of the NLCS. Would love to spend some time at cellarmaker, but watching the Gigantes is a must.

 

[drgarage1]

does cellarmaker have a TV with sports on? I'll be in the city a week from this saturday. Potentially game 6 of the NLCS. Would love to spend some time at cellarmaker, but watching the Gigantes is a must.

They do have a TV, and it's tuned to the Giants whenever they play.

 

[flexabull]

Anyone know if kids are ok at Rare Barrel? Trying to find a new place to check out.

 

[tosh1]

Anyone know if kids are ok at Rare Barrel? Trying to find a new place to check out.

yep - kids are fine at The Rare Barrel

 

[rrryanc]

No, it tells you the multiplier. Which, depending on how far you're going, can be a total mystery. They are completely opaque as to how much they actually charge per mile, per minute, or any other metric. Instead, they show "average price" comparisons relative to cabs. Which you can work back from, but they deliberately want things to be vague.

And I know they now have the price estimator feature in the app, but that has been wildly inaccurate for me in the past. All that, and they want me to lobby on their behalf for less regulation! Not shady at all.

I've taken cabs from the airport to my house in Redwood City that have charged me $65 before tip, hassled me about paying with credit card, had no idea where to go and at the end often try to charge me double because I'm .5 miles past the 1x rate.

I took a Lyft last time that was some nice lady, who just asked me for the address and followed the directions on her phone instead of pestering me, dropped me off without hassling me for any payment and it was $35 before tip.

Similarly I took an Uber from the city to my house the other night and it cost $53, no tip expected.

Uber and Lyft are mostly priuses (priui?), without some big plastic shield and ads strewn everywhere, though I've been picked up in immaculate Mercedes before. With Uber, I can get an estimate of the cost before calling for the car, while in a cab the prices just ticks up and up (biggest downside to Lyft is the lack of estimate).

I'm not worried about getting my head beat in with a hammer, especially not more so than from your average cabby: http://blog.sfgate.com/crime/2012/05/30/s-f-cabbie-attacks-fare-with-tire-iron/

Seriously, every single thing is better about using Lyft and Uber than a cab. Everything!

 

[walterfredo]

They do have a TV, and it's tuned to the Giants whenever they play.

great, thanks.

 

[Sage1]

With Uber, I can get an estimate of the cost before calling for the car, while in a cab the prices just ticks up and up (biggest downside to Lyft is the lack of estimate).

Uber has some sleazy business tactics, but the only reason I still have the app on my phone is that I use it to estimate the fare, then I book with Lyft, which is usually the same or a tiny bit cheaper.

 

[drgarage1]

I've taken cabs from the airport to my house in Redwood City that have charged me $65 before tip, hassled me about paying with credit card, had no idea where to go and at the end often try to charge me double because I'm .5 miles past the 1x rate.

I took a Lyft last time that was some nice lady, who just asked me for the address and followed the directions on her phone instead of pestering me, dropped me off without hassling me for any payment and it was $35 before tip.

Similarly I took an Uber from the city to my house the other night and it cost $53, no tip expected.

Uber and Lyft are mostly priuses (priui?), without some big plastic shield and ads strewn everywhere, though I've been picked up in immaculate Mercedes before. With Uber, I can get an estimate of the cost before calling for the car, while in a cab the prices just ticks up and up (biggest downside to Lyft is the lack of estimate).

I'm not worried about getting my head beat in with a hammer, especially not more so than from your average cabby: http://blog.sfgate.com/crime/2012/05/30/s-f-cabbie-attacks-fare-with-tire-iron/

Seriously, every single thing is better about using Lyft and Uber than a cab. Everything!

Here we agree to disagree.

 

[rrryanc]

Here we agree to disagree.

I liked your post, but you're still wrong .

 

[falc0n26001]

I agree that SF taxis are horrible. But Uber and Lyft both just received big fat "F" grades from the Better Business Bureau: http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/bits/2014/10/09/uber-flunks-the-better-business-bureau-test/

My friend took an Uber from the Haight to Soma last weekend and it was $60. WTF?

 

[rrryanc]

I agree that SF taxis are horrible. But Uber and Lyft both just received big fat "F" grades from the Better Business Bureau: http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/bits/2014/10/09/uber-flunks-the-better-business-bureau-test/

My friend took an Uber from the Haight to Soma last weekend and it was $60. WTF?

Surge pricing. Don't take Uber or Lyft if it's surge pricing. When it's not surge pricing, it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaay cheaper, at least that's been my experience.

 

[falc0n26001]

Just saw a quote from a guy who talked to Tim from Cellarmaker at GABF:

The brewery also intends to make quite a few of its selections barrel-aged ones, and will be bottling its first barrel-aged beers in the next few weeks. First on the docket: A sauvignon blanc barrel saison with peaches and pluots.

 

[RyanG1]

Just saw a quote from a guy who talked to Tim from Cellarmaker at GABF:

Great news! Excited for them to start releasing more bottles.

 

[RyanG1]

 

[tosh1]

Been enjoying the regular version of this a lot, looking forward to this version!

 

[evilhead]

Dewd.

 

[jtmartino1]

We need more canned Berliners w/ fruit.

Or canned, fruited tart ciders.

 

[falc0n26001]

We need more canned Berliners w/ fruit.

Or canned, fruited tart ciders.

We need more canned sours/mixed fermentation beer, period!