On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

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.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs
outside London.

Neil
--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the @ to reply.

On 08/06/2016 00:08, Neil Williams wrote:

On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

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.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs
outside London.


In London too.

On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 00:08:13 +0100
Neil Williams wrote:
On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

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.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs
outside London.

So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick someone up?
I doubt that. Even if they did , its still a call from a central dispatch
office, not a direct call from a customer which is the crucial difference.

--
Spud

On Wednesday, 8 June 2016 10:11:28 UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 00:08:13 +0100
Neil Williams wrote:
On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

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.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs
outside London.

So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick
someone up? I doubt that. Even if they did , its still a call from a
central dispatch office, not a direct call from a customer which is the
crucial difference.

Difference between what? There is no direct communication between driver and customer with Uber, save for any incidental conversation they might have in the car. The requests for cars are submitted to a central dispatch service that matches customers to drivers and gives drivers instructions where to go. Just like with any other minicab.

Robin

On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 02:05:47 -0700 (PDT)
wrote:
On Wednesday, 8 June 2016 10:11:28 UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 00:08:13 +0100
Neil Williams wrote:
On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around wait=
ing for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs=
=20
outside London.
=20
So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick
someone up? I doubt that. Even if they did , its still a call from a
central dispatch office, not a direct call from a customer which is the
crucial difference.

Difference between what? There is no direct communication between driver a=
nd customer with Uber, save for any incidental conversation they might have=
in the car. The requests for cars are submitted to a central dispatch ser=
vice that matches customers to drivers and gives drivers instructions where=
to go. Just like with any other minicab.

https://help.uber.com/h/9a5b1660-9de...3-62569c3cd749

--
Spud

On Wednesday, 8 June 2016 11:23:40 UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 02:05:47 -0700 (PDT)
wrote:
On Wednesday, 8 June 2016 10:11:28 UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 00:08:13 +0100
Neil Williams wrote:
On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around wait=
ing for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs=
=20
outside London.
=20
So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick
someone up? I doubt that. Even if they did , its still a call from a
central dispatch office, not a direct call from a customer which is the
crucial difference.

Difference between what? There is no direct communication between driver a=
nd customer with Uber, save for any incidental conversation they might have=
in the car. The requests for cars are submitted to a central dispatch ser=
vice that matches customers to drivers and gives drivers instructions where=
to go. Just like with any other minicab.

https://help.uber.com/h/9a5b1660-9de...3-62569c3cd749

Which describes a system where their central dispatch system can pass a message from the customer to the assigned driver.

Robin

On 2016-06-08 09:23:38 +0000, d said:

https://help.uber.com/h/9a5b1660-9de...3-62569c3cd749

Quite a number of minicab companies (certainly the one I use locally in
MK) now offer the ability to call the driver direct in case, for
example, you've just seen him shoot past the end of your road (as
happens to me a lot, my house is a bit hard to find). This has nothing
to do with dispatch or booking, and is not illegal.

No different for Uber.

Neil
--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the @ to reply.

In message , at 08:11:26 on Wed, 8 Jun
2016, d remarked:
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.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs
outside London.

So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick someone up?
I doubt that. Even if they did , its still a call from a central dispatch
office, not a direct call from a customer which is the crucial difference.

In my experience they respond to "pick-up" requests (which are
broadcasts, not one-to-one) during the last five to ten minutes of the
trip they are currently engaged on.
--
Roland Perry

On 2016-06-08 08:11:26 +0000, d said:

So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick someone up?
I doubt that.

No, they park up in strategic locations waiting for such calls.

Even if they did , its still a call from a central dispatch
office, not a direct call from a customer which is the crucial difference.

Uber has a "central dispatch office", it's just electronic. The call
is not direct, it goes via the servers which allocate the vehicle. You
can't choose which one you get.

Neil
--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the @ to reply.