The Fight Against Uber In South Africa
South Africa's modes of transportation are fairly commendable. We have the Rea Vaya a bus transit system in Johannesburg that operates on time, those that utilize it has to be on time so as not to miss it as it work with time schedules with loading units on a card for payments.
Gautrain is a high-speed express rail system that operates between O.R. Tambo International Airport through Johannesburg to Hatfield Pretoria. I could be missing other destinations, but the point is it is a reliable mode of transport in Gauteng.
It's been over a decade since I used the local train, not of high speed like Gautrain but does its part in transportation in the country.
Back onto the road, we have the mini-bus taxis and the maxi taxi cab with the mini-bus taxi being the cheapest on the road which accommodates +- 15 commuters. Maxi taxi cabs are a bit like Uber but have no mobile Application to it.
I did the Uber driver business around 2019, briefly for about 3-4 months which eventually didn't work out for me having to combine my job with Uber.
During my time as an Uber driver one thing, I learned quickly before I get beaten up is never to pick up passengers from taxi ranks because taxi drivers see Uber as a threat to their business. There was a time when I was in a hurry to get home from a mall and I requested Uber at the rank, it became a problem, I chose to walk further on to request Uber but the taxi association members followed me with threats to beat me, I had to settle for the mini-bus taxi that took time to fill up commuters. It was a day I felt I need to get a car ASAP.
I got into a conversation with a Uber driver earlier this week, I explained to him why I stood where he picked me up so as not to get him into trouble. Then he had a story to tell.
He had to drop off a passenger in the maxi taxi cab territory, and before he knew it he was surrounded and asked to get out of the car, he instructed the passenger not to get out. He saw an opening at the rear and reversed, but was closed down by other maxi cab drivers.
One of the two cars blocking the front of him moved in an attempt to block his rear, that was his opening for escape as he drove head-on against the one standing car that eventually gave way to avoid a head-on collision.
Had he obeyed and gotten out of the car, the chances of him walking away without his car consciously are slim. He mentioned that maxi taxi cab drivers are the most dangerous, they take your car and you have to pay a fine of R2500 ($147).
Now the question that comes to mind is, why not take advantage of what Uber has to offer and run the Uber business as well, there is also Bolt which is a Uber competitor that could be utilized instead of waiting for maxi cab passengers which people rarely use these days.
There is an opportunity to earn more money here but these guys can't see beyond their noses.
This is a typical stick-in-the-mud attitude of fighting a change that could be utilized for better benefit. We are witnessing a mindset of this kind in the cryptocurrency space as well where some do not see a use for cryptocurrency.
One of the worst states men will find themselves in is fighting against the opportunity right before them.
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It's like this maxi taxi cab drivers are leaving in the stone age. Outright fighting against the competitor in this day and age is a limiting perspective to have. Disruption is inevitable and one has to always be ready for it. I wonder what they will do when autonomous vehicles become mainstream.
It is a limiting perspective, one that has caused them to remain in the past. Sadly they are fighting against better opportunities to earn more.
Am sure they will set autonomous vehicles on fire when it does become mainstream.
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Exactly! If they could just shift their perspective and see it as an opportunity. That would have made all the difference and saved them a lot of pain and trouble.
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Uber is really great but unfortunately it is still not legal in our country. Taxi drivers and bus drivers hate Uber :) Because Uber does its job properly.
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Oh, I didn't know it is not available in Turkey, I wonder why.
Uber is a convenient way of transportation with I like.
!PIZZA
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They existed in Turkey until 2 years ago, although they were not legal, but they are no more. Its legalization was prevented by the pressure of taxi drivers. I would preferred only Uber for transportation and it was incredibly comfortable.
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I see, it is a similar case here with taxi drivers against it, the only difference here is it is still allowed to operate.
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So taxi drivers are strong everywhere :)
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Lol by the looks they are!
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Hahaha!
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The taxi business doesn't make sense anymore to me. There just isn't really any reason to do so and I am a bit surprised to see that the law doesn't crack down on them. Maybe get them on video and destroy them over time? Then again, is there something like a license that taxi drivers need? I remember New York having something like that and they started complaining when Uber started up too.
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In SA taxi drivers are strong with their association and they can get violent to be realistic, so the idea of getting them to go obsolete is most likely not going to be a success. To avoid picking up and dropping off passengers at taxi ranks is the way to avoid trouble with them over here.
It appears Uber is a threat to taxi drivers globally.
!PIZZXA
To me it is very sad, that the other taxi drivers would beat up an Uber driver or any other taxi driver for that matter, one should have a free choice to use what you want, without being intimidated!!
These ones are ignoring the fact that everyone has choices to make and shouldn't be forced to use their taxi.
!PIZZA
oh yes! This is indeed a big problem in SA. Currently, most Uber drivers avoid accepting requests for any pickup or destination near a transit station. But they are more functional within residential areas.
I remember two experiences with Uber when I had to catch a Gautrain from the main Pretoria transit station. The Uber guy requested to drop me off at a nearby garage saying if the taxi guys spot his Uber sticker they will give him trouble.
I had a similar experience for pick up too but with a different driver-the Uber guy that finally accepted to pick me up called me back and request I walk to the next street. He does that so the taxi guys will think it is just a relative picking me up or his Uber sticker will get him in trouble if he parks nearby.
All these fights cause a lot of inconvenience to the clients, and I find it much safer to use Uber since one can get access to driver's details and read reviews.
Common sense should tell anyone that people will prefer Uber over a public taxi or maxi cab if they can afford it.
I just think it a wiser move, especially for the maxi cab drivers to do Uber rides as well since some of them might be owners of the cars.
It was a narrow escape for the Uber guy I rode with, he was going to be beaten up badly.
!PIZZA
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Eish, that would have been another Uber driver sad case that just get normalized and there is really not much being done to regulate these attacks.
Thank God for his escape!