On Tue, 7 Jun 2016 09:42:11 +0100
"tim..." wrote:
wrote in message ...
On Tue, 7 Jun 2016 08:42:56 +0100
Someone Somewhere wrote:
On 06/06/2016 16:57, Robin9 wrote:

Incidentally, apparently in another LBC programme, Sadiq Khan
said he though TfL had made a mistake in giving a licence to
Uber. Did anyone hear that programme?

No - but why was it a mistake, compared to any other minicab type firm?

Because you're essentially hailing a cab on the street rather than
pre-booking
it. The fact that hail is via electronic means is neither here nor there.
Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around waiting
for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

but isn't that what they do (subject to them actually having an empty cab
available, of course)?

No. Uber drivers take pickups from whatever area they're in at the time which
is often of their own choosing just like a black cab. Minicab drivers however
have an office they're based at and usually only take pickups from nearby that
office. If a minicab company had its cars posted around strategic places in
central london and allowed its drivers to take direct bookings from customers
via an app or phone, TfL would soon have something to say about it - but how is
that different to what Uber do?

--
Spud