Uber Brighton

[kip]

Well after last nights fiasco with 202020 cabs I'll definitely be using Uber whenever it's possible. Needed a cab for 5 to North Road and the driver started taking some very strange detours but I thought he might well know a better route via back streets than me. That was until we ended up at the Clock Tower. Once we finally got to North Road I told him that I thought that was a rip off route he'd used. He tried to argue but his English was frankly pathetic. He got given the fare I would have expected to pay not what he was demanding.

Time to go home and wander down to East Street. Mrs W suffers from travel sickness so needs to sit in the front. Well front seats seem to have been banned in 202020 cabs. First six on the rank had them taken out - when asked why some were down right rude. Finally got into cab number seven and some of the other six started having a go at him for taking us DESPITE us having already explained to them why we couldn't use them.

I will credit the final driver with being friendly and knowing his route - the return journey was a fiver less than the incoming journey yet it was longer and later.

202020 really do appear to be a show of shite so the quicker Uber expands the better in my book.

I think you are confusing Streamline taxis with the cars on East St. Taxi Ranks in Brighton these days are used by any licensed hackney, most of which on the ranks are independent drivers, not associated with any company - look on the door of the car for the company phone number, it's the only way to tell the difference, if there is no number they are independent.

I think a lot of people who use the ranks late at night who get over charged on long journeys also blame streamline but it is streamline's policy to charge the metered rate on all journeys, it is the independent cars that use a loop hole in the council hackney rules that say any journey outside of the city boundary doesn't have to be charged at the metered rate. When I used to drive a taxi we used this to give people a discount on long journeys, not to rip them off and charge double.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I think you are confusing Streamline taxis with the cars on East St. Taxi Ranks in Brighton these days are used by any licensed hackney, most of which on the ranks are independent drivers, not associated with any company - look on the door of the car for the company phone number, it's the only way to tell the difference, if there is no number they are independent.

I think a lot of people who use the ranks late at night who get over charged on long journeys also blame streamline but it is streamline's policy to charge the metered rate on all journeys, it is the independent cars that use a loop hole in the council hackney rules that say any journey outside of the city boundary doesn't have to be charged at the metered rate. When I used to drive a taxi we used this to give people a discount on long journeys, not to rip them off and charge double.

Ring 202020 and you get a white and green cab with 202020 on the side - go to East Street and you get a white and green cab with 202020 on the side. Are you suggesting they are different ? They may well be self employed and working under the 202020 banner but that makes it even more remarkable how non-customer friendly some of them can be. What was the most remarkable for me last night was how the other cabbies had a go at the one I used .... they couldn't offer the service I needed, he could .... and they all knew that yet they turned on one of their own.

 

[kip]

Ring 202020 and you get a white and green cab with 202020 on the side - go to East Street and you get a white and green cab with 202020 on the side. Are you suggesting they are different ? They may well be self employed and working under the 202020 banner but that makes it even more remarkable how non-customer friendly some of them can be. What was the most remarkable for me last night was how the other cabbies had a go at the one I used .... they couldn't offer the service I needed, he could .... and they all knew that yet they turned on one of their own.

Yes I am, I thought my post made that clear. Green and white cars are Brighton city council colours for hackney taxis, not streamline colours. Next time you go to East st, take a look at the numbers on the side of the cars, they don't all have 202020 on the side. The one's with no numbers are not affiliated with any company, they get all their work off the ranks or from being hailed in the street.
The only problem I've ever had with rude or overcharging drivers is from town late at night, I've always found streamline drivers polite and often outside my house within minutes of putting the phone down.

 

[geoff2021]

Type into your phone now a request for a FIVE seater Uber taxi .... can you get one ? Now try getting one from 414141 ..... can you get one ? The answer is NO. So I'm forced to use the crap service from 202020. Hence why I want Uber to expand quickly and put 'services' such as 202020 on the spot. Customer service isn't a difficult concept yet some taxi firms take customers for granted. Having to use 202020 is like the poor sods that have to use Southern for work.

obviously all the cabbies have read your negative posts on NSC try 204060 next time for a multi seater or maybe none in your area or try moving nearer to Brighton or keep using Uber before they lose their licence

 

[Wellesley]

Yes I am, I thought my post made that clear. Green and white cars are Brighton city council colours for hackney taxis, not streamline colours. Next time you go to East st, take a look at the numbers on the side of the cars, they don't all have 202020 on the side. The one's with no numbers are not affiliated with any company, they get all their work off the ranks or from being hailed in the street.
The only problem I've ever had with rude or overcharging drivers is from town late at night, I've always found streamline drivers polite and often outside my house within minutes of putting the phone down.

Exactly, he seems to talk a lot about something he obviously knows very little about, which leads me to wonder whether he is just an idiot or whether he has other motives.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

obviously all the cabbies have read your negative posts on NSC try 204060 next time for a multi seater or maybe none in your area or try moving nearer to Brighton or keep using Uber before they lose their licence

204060 are the same company as 414141. Thank you for your constructive advice .... maybe instead the local taxi firms could get some customer service training ?

 

[Tory Boy]

Type into your phone now a request for a FIVE seater Uber taxi .... can you get one ? Now try getting one from 414141 ..... can you get one ? The answer is NO. So I'm forced to use the crap service from 202020. Hence why I want Uber to expand quickly and put 'services' such as 202020 on the spot. Customer service isn't a difficult concept yet some taxi firms take customers for granted. Having to use 202020 is like the poor sods that have to use Southern for work.

Have you considered using a bus? Or walk?

To be honest I pity the poor cab driver that has you as a punter.

TB

 

[yxee]

Have you considered using a bus? Or walk?

To be honest I pity the poor cab driver that has you as a punter.

TB

The cheek of wanting a five-seater taxi...

 

[kip]

Since Uber launched, I've been checking my phone to see if there are any cars available. Initially I checked two or three times a day but I've no settled for every second day. In all that time, there's not been a single car available (I've just checked now). They need to get more cars in Brighton or it's going to die a death, they can't run a service with a handful of drivers

I don't think many Brighton licensed drivers are going to sign up with Uber because they take 25% of the cost of the journey, far more than the fixed weekly sum the traditional companies charge. Uber seem to be trying to operate with a handful of London mini cabs in Brighton which is against their license conditions. Why anyone would want to get into a London mini cab in Brighton is beyond me - if you think a Brighton cab has taken you the wrong way, good luck with an out of town driver. Also, if you need to make a complaint against a driver, Brighton council has no authority over London cars, you would need to complain to Transport for London.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

maybe instead the local taxi firms could get some customer service training ?

I think they've dealt with you perfectly

 

[Bozza]

I don't think many Brighton licensed drivers are going to sign up with Uber because they take 25% of the cost of the journey, far more than the fixed weekly sum the traditional companies charge. Uber seem to be trying to operate with a handful of London mini cabs in Brighton which is against their license conditions. Why anyone would want to get into a London mini cab in Brighton is beyond me - if you think a Brighton cab has taken you the wrong way, good luck with an out of town driver. Also, if you need to make a complaint against a driver, Brighton council has no authority over London cars, you would need to complain to Transport for London.

Uber drivers font decide which way to go, the Uber app does.

Every time I look for an Uber I find one. As just now.

 

[mickybha]

pretty much sums it up

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I guess the if the cheap fares offerred by Uber seem too good to be true, they probably are.

I can't see myself using them.

 

[Tory Boy]

Did everyone enjoy Uber's surge pricing this weekend?

Could have gone from the Marina to Gatwick for £81.

Or Old Steine to the Amex for £29.

All in a London minicab.

TB

 

[middletoenail]

The anti-Uber crew are out in force today! If only you understood, and had tried Uber, you'd realise just how stupid you look!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The anti-Uber crew are out in force today! If only you understood, and had tried Uber, you'd realise just how stupid you look!

I do understand thank you. And I think I prefer to support the taxi profession.

 

[amexer]

As a user of taxis 3/4 times a week can only say as I find. Now using Uber very good service

 

[middletoenail]

I do understand thank you. And I think I prefer to support the taxi profession.

That's great, and of course your choice. I travel quite extensively and use both, but what I don't understand is this notion that Uber is out there to rip me off and ruin my life? I'm not forced to sign into the app and use them.

 

[soistes]

The anti-Uber crew are out in force today! If only you understood, and had tried Uber, you'd realise just how stupid you look!

I've used it a number of times in different cities (London and overseas), and had very mixed experiences, including a couple of rides with very dodgy drivers and/or beaten-up vehicles, which made me feel uncomfortable, despite them having good ratings on the app (and because I needed the ride quickly, e.g. to catch a flight, I didn't really have the option of turning it down, and booking another). Pricing and availability have also been very mixed - I've had some long waits, and extortionate prices along with the good experiences. So, I don't agree that the objectors look stupid.

Interestingly, in the case of Brighton, where I live, I've been using the Brighton Taxi app which gets you a 204060 hire car, for several years, and never had a bad experience - you can specify your pick up and drop off location, track the arrival of the taxi on the map on the app, similar to Uber. The only difference is that you don't get a price in advance, you just pay the standard meter price, which I'm happy to do. You can also book a cab hours or days in advance, if you wish to, which doesn't seem to be an Uber option.

 

[Tory Boy]

If people want to pay Marks and Spencer's prices whilst shopping in Lidl, good luck to them.

TB