Those of you who in your lifetime have used both taxi cabs and Uber/Lyft/other such transportation services:
In your opinion, how does the old fashioned taxi experience compare with the more modern transportation services, especially in regard the interaction with the drivers? ~
I really like Uber/ Lyft drivers because they always have a story to tell and they can be quite chatty. Most of them work another job, so I hear a lot about what they do in their daily life. One of my more recent ones was a woman who claimed she had been in the military- I don't recall the exact details, but she was in some special group... She certainly had the poise and behavior of someone who had been through intense training. Anyway, she was now doing non-profit work. She was a seriously awesome chick. Another one said he was an Iranian refugee who had worked with the US military. A lot are from other countries and they tell me about what brought them here and how they've adapted. Quite a few are in marketing and creative careers. A few weeks ago, I was in a Lyft right after someone from a well-known band had been. I was totally stoked and commented on how I had touched fame. The driver just laughed at me and said that the guy actually sat on the other side of the car. :( I also wound up with a Lyft driver who had gone to junior high at the same school I had, which was weird because we were nowhere near there.
I have met so many cool people doing ride-shares. I never once met someone even remotely interesting, friendly, or chatty while riding in a cab. I also find it much easier to order a Lyft than to call a cab. It's cheaper too.
I drove limos for a few years. Limo drivers only have to have a perfect driving record to get the job, but they have to know the streets very well to keep it. Quite often a driver is a homeless drifter, sleeping in his car to save enough to rent a pad.
A limo driver always speaks English, knows the streets better, serves a smaller area, only gets passengers who are employed somewhere, keeps the car in much better condition, and charges about twice what a cab does.
Just Asking 