Uber, Lyft and Taxi stories.

[garrett]

I drove regular taxi in Honolulu years ago. My first night out I picked up a good looking call girl on her way to a "date" at a hotel. When I told her I was new and she was my first customer she laughed and said "pull over here." She pulled a tube out of her purse and proceeded to lay out a couple of lines of coke.
After doing the coke I took her on to the hotel.
Another time I picked up a stripper from one of the local clubs. She said, "I don't have much money but if you come inside I'll give you free lap dances.
Done!
Another time I pulled up to some strung out chick on Kalakaua Ave in Waikiki and she handed me this big plastic bag full of pills. I drove off but then thought, "What the fuck am I doing!" I drove around the block, called her over and said, "I don't want this, and threw it out the window.
I never made much money but met some interesting people!

Waikiki funny that you mention it is actually the single handed most memorable place ive been to, that has absolutely drop dead gorgeous working girls lmao.

Its been since 1997 so maybe has changed but. The most memorable place I can think of that had, actually very very hot hookers working the street. Waikiki in the Middle of it all, at night had some LOL redic hot, working girls.. That was what Ill never forget about Waikiki back then actually lol. We stayed at Outrigger Reef there in Waikiki but its been since 1997 and I want to go back and may actually do it one of these years, Waikiki was a blast. We went to the North Shore and all that too, surfed Ala Moana and Sandy Beach, good fn times. Good memories, thanks for that =)...

[Kalam]

Uber is one of the great missteps allowed in a free enterprise system. It's a long story based on money influencing governmental decisions in favour of the company. Uber is in Canada in places and I admit I do not know what measures they had to meet to do so.

In B.C. they are actively trying to avoid the drivers as employees model. I doubt they will be successful in that effort

i disagree. Uber and Lyft made taxi cab companies who previously held monopolies step up their game. In Florida, many taxis were at least a dozen years old or more and in poor condition. Often, there would not be air conditioning in the taxis and in Florida that is not a good thing. Uber and Lyft also are cheaper than taxis and you know exactly who is driving. Most of the taxi drivers at MIA speak Creole and do Not speak Spanish or English.

Yeah. Uber and Lyft are definitely better for passengers. However, they don't make any money at all. It is basically a Ponzi scheme, where you are constantly looking for new investors to sucker in.

Also, most drivers in most places at most times make well below minimum wage after expenses, which is why turnover is so astronomically high.

Taxis definitely got complacent and allowed their customer service to slip, and rideshare took advantage. However, they didn't get replaced by rideshare because rideshare was a leaner, meaner, more profitable better business model. They got replaced because investors subsidized Uber/Lyft money losing business model so the taxi companies couldn't compete.

[Kalam]

Uber is one of the great missteps allowed in a free enterprise system. It's a long story based on money influencing governmental decisions in favour of the company. Uber is in Canada in places and I admit I do not know what measures they had to meet to do so.

In B.C. they are actively trying to avoid the drivers as employees model. I doubt they will be successful in that effort

They don't make any money as is paying their drivers below minimum wage with no benefits. If the drivers ever had to be classified as employees and treated as such, there isn't enough investor money to make that work. California tried, but the measure was overturned by proposition. It didn't help that the left wing CA legislature threw in a bunch of left wing pork that noone wants when they attempted to force the rideshare companies to pay livable wages.

[Texter]

Honolulu had the most hookers of any place I’ve been....and that includes Amsterdam.

You see so many tall blondes with Japanese guys in suits.

[Bilbodoggins]

Back when I drove there was no internet, no gps. You had a map book and a phone book. The dispatcher would put out a call and ask if anyone was near. God help the poor driver who took the call and then couldn't find the location. The dispatcher would scream, "Turn off your radio and go play the shopping center!"
Ala Moana Shopping center was a guaranteed but usually short fare."

Part of the cab driver test was this: At the beginning of the week you got a list of 50 locations around the Honolulu/Waikiki area.
At the end of the week you sat with the tester and he would name 2 locations. You had to verbally tell him the route turn by turn. My first question I could picture the whole thing in my mind but I could not remember one of the street names. D"oh!!!
But I passed it easily after that.

[desertrunner]

[FRANKRIZZO]

Ive heard of people using the vomit tactikt , for 150 cleaning fees where do they get the picture of the vomit or they don't have to provide?

[Kuntmissioner]

PAGING SIXTOEDPETE

[Kuntmissioner]

PAGING SIXTOEDPETE

[desertrunner]

Bump.

Druff- please post the Las Vegas Airport Long Gaul story here.

Thanks.

[desertrunner]

This is good news. -DR

10/4/25-

Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bill giving 800,000 Uber, Lyft drivers in California the right to unionize

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- More than 800,000 drivers for ride-hailing companies in California will soon be able to join a union and bargain collectively for better wages and benefits under a measure signed Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Supporters said the new law will open a path for the largest expansion of private sector collective bargaining rights in the state's history. The legislation is a significant compromise in the yearslong battle between labor unions and tech companies.

California is the second state where Uber and Lyft drivers can unionize as independent contractors. Massachusetts voters passed a ballot referendum in November allowing unionization, while drivers in Illinois and Minnesota are pushing for similar rights.

[desertrunner]

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/VitalVegas/status/1978412417194373248

[Sanlmar]

I used Uber twice yesterday. Same route to and fro.

First driver was an ex truck driver who was chatty and made an effort to entertain me. Smooth operator and he showed me a route I wasn’t familiar with.

Mohamed was my second driver. Booming some middle eastern rap on the radio. Not two words. Drove with a lead foot and a hard brake.

I did not pay the same amount of money for unequal service - as it should be. Made me happy to tip one generously and slight the other.

Wonder what tipping in Vegas at a mid grade like Caesars is like now.