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We live in the future!
(lemmy.world)
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this post was submitted on 13 Dec 2023
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I swear that most commenters are young people because back in the 90s-2000s, taxis and hotels were hot fucking garbage.
Taxis would go on joy rides to up the cost or refuse you if you were black.
Hotels would tell you to go suck a dick because their price listed outside is not for you, and if you want a place, they have a room with roaches near the heater.
Uber/Airbnb were gamechangers that broke that monopoly.
Unfortunately, they have gotten to shit. But you know what? Taxis and hotels have cleaned up their act. Because the moment they go to shit again, Uber/Airbnb will come in and eat their lunch.
Taxis in my country would routinely ask for extra (usually 25-30% of the total fare) or have you pay them a fixed amount that's way higher than if only the meter was used (about 2-3x the normal fare) . There are also taxis that have meters that are way too fast. Uber was a godsend when it first came out here.
In Italy taxis are a monopoly and uber is forbidden. For a 1h ride they ask you 120-150€. Luckily by train you can do the same ride quicker and for 5-10 euro.
When you call a cab it was often a game of 'will the can actually show up?"
Ah yes, I too remember the good old days of stumbling home drunk in the dark because my cab never came.
I have fond memories of sitting drunk on a driveway waiting for the promised cab for hours. Because if they drive up and didn't see you, they were gone.
Don’t forget they take you the long way and go slow
I only know taxis and hotels as normal boring things in this time range.
They always where. Except in big touristic cities. There everything still is shit.
So nothing changed. We went from shit taxis and hotels to shit taxis and hotels complemented with shit uber and shit airbnb.
Ssdd.
I've never really had problems with taxis and hotels from the late 90s-2010s, only if I had a language barrier or a unique circumstance, mostly all my hotel problems involved other guests. Hotels were definitely cheaper I'd prefer to go back to that.
Almost as if it’s not the commodities that are the problem, but the economy they operate. 🧐
Where I lived and traveled, hotels never had a monopoly. Small B&Bs and hostels have always existed, it was never a choice between big hotel and staying in a tent. There was no need to wreak havoc on the housing market.
The problem with the gig economy is that these platforms are not content with being what they're advertising themselves as. "Be your own boss". "Make some money in your own time". Guess what, if you drive for Uber, Uber is your boss. You're an employee in anything but name. They penalise you if you reject too many jobs. They penalise you if you go on break too long. They penalise you for all kinds of other things. Here in Australia most rideshare vehicles have at least two badges, because the drivers can't make ends meet driving for just one. And then they've gone and fucked up the delivery market as well. It's an economy of rent-seekers and middlemen.
Uber and Airbnb DID break that monopoly but they got their competative advantage by simply breaking the laws that existing taxis and hotels were required to adhear too. Still do break those laws but weight of cash > law.
Laws that the taxi and hotel companies lobbied for to stop competition.
And also (for Airbnb at least) regular zoning laws meant to prevent subletting and the loss of affordable housing to illegal hotels.