Uber Drivers In India Will Start Accepting Cash

jfruh writes: One of the main selling points of ridesharing services like Uber are that they streamline the payment process: everything is taken care of in the app, which is already linked to your credit card. But in many places in the developing world, most people are unbanked and use only cash, and Uber will have to accommodate them to achieve its global ambitions. Thus, the company is launching a pilot project in India where passengers can pay in cash.

Avoiding Cash

[Etherwalk]

Your FEDGOV already knows where everyone is from cellphones.

One of the advantages to uber is the Cabbie has a strong disincentive to waste your time trying to pry cash out of you. Regular cabbies in the US commonly pretend their credit card readers aren't working so that they can collect off-books income.

Re:Avoiding loss

[Errol backfiring]

Funny, if they can steal your card along with the codes (you have to pay, right?), this means that all your money can be stolen. If I pay with cash, they can only steal the amount of cash I happen to carry on my person. Apart from that, digital currency is just made up by a regular bank when issuing a loan, while paper money is at least a bit more official. Our banking and money system is so fucked up we should depend less on banks, not more.

Re:

[Etherwalk]

Funny, if they can steal your card along with the codes (you have to pay, right?), this means that all your money can be stolen.

You know that most credit card companies can be set up to alert you to extraordinary spending and don't charge you for fraud, right?

Yes, but do they accept dupes?

[erice]

http://tech.slashdot.org/story... [slashdot.org]

Re:

[SeaFox]

No, not dupees. Rupees.

Re:

[ThatsMyNick]

Nah, they print their own. It is cheaper.

Re:

[Errol backfiring]

Oh yes. I don't think they have zero rupee notes [boingboing.net] or an equivalent in the USA. At least in Europe we sure could use a € 0,- note. Just look at how Greece is being extorted by the international financial sector.

Wait. Ssergorp lurking here.

[vikingpower]

Before Uber: person needs a ride. So they get a car that's available. It has "Taxi" written on it, and stands in line waiting at the kerb, or can be waved down. Person gets a ride, and pays in cash.

With Uber: person needs a ride. So they get a car that's available. It can be found by an app - without the app you're helpless. Person gets a ride, and pays in cash.

Am I missing something here, or is this ssergorp, the reverse of progress ?

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

Before mobile phones, people paid attention to their surroundings instead of fondling their phones all day long. Before social media, people talked to other people around them instead of ignoring everyone. Mobile phones and social media are already the reverse of progress, and you're complaining about one particular app? Get some perspective.

Re:

[ThatsMyNick]

You speak as if Taxis dont take anyone with an Uber app. With Uber: person has two options, take the Taxi that is available, ot use the Uber app. They get to decide what they want. How is this reverse of progress?

Re:

[vikingpower]

This is the reverse of progress because Uber has the potential to push traditional taxis out of the market. It will then be impossible to wave down a cab, or to jump into a waiting one. You'll need an app for getting a taxi - and you'll be dependent upon one single commercial venture, operating worldwide. That is not progress. That is an ingredient for sheer misery.

Re:Wait. Ssergorp lurking here.

[qbast]

Yes, you are missing something - uber thing is mostly about cheating on taxes, license and insurance. That's how you get cheaper than taxi.

Re:

[fluffernutter]

Uber is like the non-handicapped person who parks in the handicapped spot at the supermarket and actually thinks they deserve to be there.

Re:

[ericloewe]

And somehow convinced people it was a valid business model an not a bullshit crowdsourcing effort that effectively crowdsources all the difficult parts.

Re:

[dejanc]

Before Uber: person needs a ride. So they get a car that's available. It has "Taxi" written on it, and stands in line waiting at the kerb, or can be waved down. Person gets a ride, and pays in cash.

In Belgrade, Serbia, I can phone a taxi and request a ride. I tell them where I am, and they give me a pretty exact estimate and the number of the cab that's going to pick me up so I can identify legitimacy of the car I am entering. I can also specify smoking/non-smoking vehicle, or I can request a vehicle with

Re:

[ArsenneLupin]

In Belgrade, Serbia, I can phone a taxi and request a ride.

Actually, not just in Belgrade, but everywhere where there are taxis. Or at least it's the case in Europe (personally used this in Metz, Toulouse, Berlin, Luxembourg), not sure about the United States. Reliability can vary though (stiffed by a taxi in Metz).

Re:

[Nidi62]

In Belgrade, Serbia, I can phone a taxi and request a ride.

Actually, not just in Belgrade, but everywhere where there are taxis. Or at least it's the case in Europe (personally used this in Metz, Toulouse, Berlin, Luxembourg), not sure about the United States. Reliability can vary though (stiffed by a taxi in Metz).

I was able to call a cab company and ask for a pickup in Nashville, which is a medium-sized city in America. So yes, it can be done in the states as well.

Re:

[tehcyder]

In Belgrade, Serbia, I can phone a taxi and request a ride.

Actually, not just in Belgrade, but everywhere where there are taxis. Or at least it's the case in Europe (personally used this in Metz, Toulouse, Berlin, Luxembourg), not sure about the United States. Reliability can vary though (stiffed by a taxi in Metz).

Here in the UK there are two types of taxi: minicabs, which are those you phone and go to your house (or you go to a designated taxi rank to find them) and those you can hail in the street (basically London black cabs).

Uber is just the former accessed through an app instead of a phone, although I suppose they're edging towards the latter, in which case there will be blood.

Getting them banked

[Crashmarik]

looks like a much bigger market.

Do you have to pay extra to not be raped?

[TwoStep]

Or is that a credit-card only feature?

Not a taxi, oh no

[tehcyder]

There is clearly no connection between a private service that conveys you from A to B in a car for a cash payment and Uber. Taxi, I mean. Hold on...

So India Uber is no different than Call Taxi

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

Some 15 or 20 years ago India introduced "Call Taxi" service. Before that all taxis (and autorickshaws) are the roaming type, or they wait in cab ranks. You luck varies with the driver and there was no reliable repeat-customer relationship to build. Once the cell phones became ubiquitous, this Call Taxi service started. You call the number, either from landline or a mobile and they dispatch the cab for you, it has a meter and you the meter fare. It is a big deal to be able to pay the meter fare and walk way