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To Hail A Real Taxi Or Tap An App? That Is The Question For Millions Of Passengers

19 February 2015

Flenn Austin

While modern technology does a lot to make life easier and in many cases, less expensive, rideshare taxis appear to be really taking people for a ride. Even if the classic yellow cab isn't perfect, it's still likely to be your best bet for site-to-site transfers, no matter where you are or where you're going. Here's why:

Who Are You Trusting Your Life With?

Statistically speaking, cars are not a very safe place to be. In fact, they kill approximately 37,000 Americans every year. Naturally, you want the person driving you around town to be up to date on their training, certificates and other beneficial knowledge and abilities.

Even in New York City, where taxi drivers are notorious for aggressive tactics, you're safer than the general driving populous. Do you really feel comfortable climbing in the back seat with someone qualified to drive based on the fact that they own a car and a smartphone? Would you feel more at ease with a career minded individual, or someone working after hours for beer money? Most "real" taxi drivers put in regular hours, just like you probably do, while the rideshare types chase the after hour surge, which is the time of day or occasion when cabs are more in demand and therefore, more costly to the consumer and profitable to the driver.

How Much Are You Going To Pay?

Consumers are quite accustomed to paying too much, particularly when an item or service is scarce and in demand; however, when you don't know how many other people are requesting the services of an app driven business, you can't be sure how much you will be charged until the money is already taken from your account. That's how the rideshare bill is calculated.

On the other hand, most often, you can ask a taxi driver how much the fare is going to cost you before you make the commitment. You can even call a taxi cab company like White Top Cab Company in advance and be given a rough estimate as you plan a trip across town for business or a night at the movies.

What If Other Industries Went Utterly Unregulated?

Being in any business means being responsible, and that's why so many merchants are required to have a license and answer to regulatory bodies. Especially when lives are at stake, such as with driving people around, you want reassurances that safety is a priority. Rideshares popping up on the Internet overnight that answer to practically nobody turn an otherwise civilized, predictable ride across town into who knows what and at what cost, both long and short-term.

Imagine a comparable policy to the rideshare boom in the food industry, for example. What if anybody could sell hot dogs from the back of a trunk with no law to prevent them from doing so? You might get a great snack at a reasonable price, or you could end up with food poisoning and a bill inflated by 10x the "normal" price during peak hours. Laws are in place with good reason and most often, to protect people.

You yourself (hopefully) have gone through rigorous training to obtain a license to drive, but you probably know a few people who barely made the grade at the DMV. Should such questionable abilities be trusted to operate as drivers for the masses? Isn't it bad enough that they're on the road to begin with? There are times when regulations really do serve the public interest, and human transport is definitely one of them.

Should Being Female Make A Difference?

While women have come a long way in modern times, some app driven cab companies are still in the dark ages, unapologetic in their use of sexists slurs and practices. It's a fairly good bet you're taking a wrong turn when the business you're riding with sounds more like a frat house than civilized corporate executives.

However, if the thought of being picked up by someone who follows a code of both conduct and dress is more your style, a traditional taxi is probably more your style. When the industry is being over taken by people with little regard for anything other than pure profit, consumers are bound to pay the price.

Despite the advantages afforded to society by modern technology, there are times when the best tool for the job is the human brain, and when you give a little thought to the app-driven cab business, you realize that old-fashioned still has its merits, as does walking, whenever possible.

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