Uber - You Can't Cheat The Process, Nothing Is Built Overnight

[James Fake]

Here's UBER's first blog post: http://ubercab.tumblr.com/ made 5+ years ago..

I always thought Uber was only 2-3 years old and grew crazy from viral growth. Cause that's about the time I heard some "early adopter/hipster" type friends talking about it; I should have known better.. silly me; that's just when Uber began to hit the exponential growth part of the curve. The first 3 years was spent in the grind, in the trenches, banging away, stress, worries, etc. etc.

 

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[blackhat]

Yep, Uber is another "overnight" success story.

 

[Mattie]

Yes, I always like the phrase: Rome wasn't built in a day.

 

[JAJT]

They are still fighting tooth and nail every day all over the place.

In my city the cab company is trying everything in their power to ban them from the city. Uber came here... geez, 1 year ago? If that? They've taken over 40-60% of the cab business in that time. The driver's supposedly can't pay expenses to make being a cab driver profitable. And the cab drivers have tremendous support behind them (although not from joe public, generally speaking). They will likely have a few court cases to go through in this city alone. And this is one city.

They've crippled an entrenched and long standing industry in record time. They have a hell of a lot more "process" to go. Likely many, many year's worth of it still.

 

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[Phones]

Same in Portugal,

and they don't even have UberPOP in here, only UberX and UberBlack with licenced drivers.

Previously, these drivers did services like hotel/airport transfers, corporate stuff, and even the average joe could request them but for long rides only.

Now, because Uber facilitates the request of these kinds of transfers and the century old industry is frightened, they want the app banned (they actually got a court to approve the ban), and they say their drivers must have the taxi cab licenses and the company must own the licence to operate in the city (that cost >100k for each taxi) . There are cabs in Lisbon older than me (I'm 20), they always try to rip off foreigners, and it's a mess to pay because they always claim not to have change. Oh, and don't bother calling the cab central, if you don't live in a known street, you'll loose 20 minutes giving instructions. Among the insane arguments, are that drivers don't get paid directly, that the 20% goes to a foreign company, and... wait for it... that Uber has been banned in many countries, of course they forget to inform that in most countries it was UberPOP that was banned.

It's really a messy path for Uber, and what's worse is that, once they start breaking barriers, their competitors will benefit from it with-out having participated in the "battle".

 

[jazb]

I think it just goes to show. so many ambitious, talented entrepreneurs are obsessed with the new exciting stuff. but there's so many old boring businesses (AND RICH) that have tons of problems which you can solve.


just think, you have a taxi company for years, same old shit year after year. then uber come along.

you could do the same thing in other industries...provide great value. competitors are bored and won't even see it coming.

 

[RHL]

There are cabs in Lisbon older than me (I'm 20), they always try to rip off foreigners, and it's a mess to pay because they always claim not to have change. Oh, and don't bother calling the cab central, if you don't live in a known street, you'll loose 20 minutes giving instructions. Among the insane arguments, are that drivers don't get paid directly, that the 20% goes to a foreign company, and... wait for it... that Uber has been banned in many countries, of course they forget to inform that in most countries it was UberPOP that was banned.

It's the same story in India. Hell, it was the same in Phoenix. Handed the cab driver a $50 on a $22 fare and he had the balls to ask me (in nearly incomprehensible English) if I wanted change.

 

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[nzerinto]

Then you get taxi drivers in France acting like this....

 

[hellolin]

Seriously F*ck France, that country is the most overly unionized/lazy first world country I have ever heard of, seriously how hard is it to get your hands together and do some work? Spain and Greece closely follows....

 

[MJ DeMarco]

It's the same story in India. Hell, it was the same in Phoenix. Handed the cab driver a $50 on a $22 fare and he had the balls to ask me (in nearly incomprehensible English) if I wanted change.

I think its the same everywhere which is why the industry is running scared and leaning on the government for protection. Hell I remember being in one Vegas cab from the airport and the cab in front of us spilled it's luggage out from it's trunk. (Wasn't secured well).

Our cab driver slammed on his brakes and ran outside the car to retrieve the luggage, threw it in HIS trunk, and sped away -- with me and the GF in the passenger seat. In other words, this guy stole right in front of us and didn't give a shit. I for one am glad they are disrupting the industry as it needed a serious kick in the face.

 

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[RHL]

In other words, this guy stole right in front of us and didn't give a shit. I for one am glad they are disrupting the industry as it needed a serious kick in the face.

When you need regulation to beat better ideas into submission in order to help you survive, you're already dead. This is evolution in action. Same way with net neutrality, and the big companies freaking out about Google Fiber rollouts. The market rewards the best product. If you try and force people by law to accept a crappier, less valuable product, it's already game over, the poison just hasn't reached your heart yet.

 

[James Fake]

Very well put @RHL

 

[AgainstAllOdds]

Here are 3 great quotes from one of the cofounders:

"Stay self-funded as long as possible"

"It all starts with a great idea and teamwork"

"You have to be ready for hard work and frugal spending to get the idea off the ground"
​

In essence: work your a$$ off. Stay smart.

 

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[Rawr]

Saw uber being fought in 3 cities i lived in..they won in all after protests in all.

in barcelona,uber tells you where to go for food though..