wrote:
On Tue, 20 Sep 2016 13:10:55 +0100
Recliner wrote:
Perhaps they will, but not for the reasons you think.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/08/ubers...e-on-shaky-fou
dation.html

Like the majority of the current crop of silicon valley start ups then. I'm
amazed the bubble has lasted this long. There must be a boatload of gullible
rich idiots out there bankrolling them all.

Yup, I can never understand the huge valuations put on high profile SV
startups. But sometimes they actually prove they can eventually make real
profits (eg, Facebook), and in many other cases they exit on a decent
valuation. So the early investors often make a very good multiple, which
pays for the others that don't make it.

With Uber, the investors aren't betting on the current business model, but
on an imagined future where people don't own their own cars, but rent
transport as they need it. Uber's plan is to dominate that market, and the
VCs are prepared to fund it to do so.

On Tue, 20 Sep 2016 14:08:48 -0000 (UTC)
Recliner wrote:
With Uber, the investors aren't betting on the current business model, but
on an imagined future where people don't own their own cars, but rent
transport as they need it. Uber's plan is to dominate that market, and the
VCs are prepared to fund it to do so.

Only people who only ever lived in a city flat would think renting a car on
an as-you-need-it basis is a viable model for family life out in the sticks.
If taxis and rental cars were the solution to every car problem then there
wouldn't be 15 million private cars in the UK.

Equally stupid is the rent your self driving car out when you're not using it
idea that I've seen put forward. Oh sure, I'll just let any old tom, dick or
harriett use the 2nd largest capital investment in my life as they see fit.
Vomit on the carpet and everything nicked from the boot is just what I want
the next day. Honestly , some of these californian techies live on another
planet. And I speak as a techie.

--
Spud

On Tue, Sep 20, 2016 at 03:17:06PM +0000, d wrote:
On Tue, 20 Sep 2016 14:08:48 -0000 (UTC)
Recliner wrote:
With Uber, the investors aren't betting on the current business model, but
on an imagined future where people don't own their own cars, but rent
transport as they need it. Uber's plan is to dominate that market, and the
VCs are prepared to fund it to do so.
Only people who only ever lived in a city flat would think renting a car on
an as-you-need-it basis is a viable model for family life out in the sticks.

There is an implicit "most" between "where" and "people".

Obviously there will still be a small market for people with their own
cars, just like there is a small market today for people who use horses,
and people who generate their own electricity, and people who insist on
speaking Welsh. If you want to make lots of money you can do it by
concentrating on and pandering to little minorities like that. But if
you want to make a vast amount of money you just don't care about those
minorities, at least when you're starting out.

--
David Cantrell | Reality Engineer, Ministry of Information

All children should be aptitude-tested at an early age and,
if their main or only aptitude is for marketing, drowned.

On Wed, 21 Sep 2016 15:34:22 +0100
David Cantrell wrote:
On Tue, Sep 20, 2016 at 03:17:06PM +0000, d wrote:
Only people who only ever lived in a city flat would think renting a car on
an as-you-need-it basis is a viable model for family life out in the sticks.

There is an implicit "most" between "where" and "people".

Obviously there will still be a small market for people with their own
cars, just like there is a small market today for people who use horses,

Cars were an enormous improvement on horses. Renting a car is zero improvement
upon owning one unless you have nowhere to park it or can't afford to buy one.
There are plenty of places to rent cars at the moment but do you see people
replacing their own cars with rentals or just using taxis? No. And just because
in the future a car might be able to drive itself will make zero difference to
that.

--
Spud

In message , at 14:48:42 on Wed, 21 Sep
2016, d remarked:

There are plenty of places to rent cars at the moment but do you see people
replacing their own cars with rentals or just using taxis? No.

The convenience of rental depends a great deal on where you live. I once
had a house in quite a small village and there was a (mom and pop)
rental place within a minute's walk. It was usually possible to turn up
and rent a car on spec.

Today living in a town ten times the size, I have a choice of a half
hour walk to a place that's usually booked up at least a week in
advance, or taking the train for a 45 minute trip to one of the majors.
And then it's at least another half hour drive back home to pick up
whatever it was I needed the car for.

There are a few other places closer, but they specialise in contract
hire and aren't interested (nor have availability) for periods of less
than a week.
--
Roland Perry