www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I agree with your points, but not with the competition point in taxi services. Collusion is the problem here, and we see it in action outside the HDR. Because they have a 'captive audience', they charge us whatever they want, and lucky for us, we can catch a regulated taxi if we see one around.

It's an open market until you get into the taxi, and at that point, you've lost your options. Uber is no different in this regard, except that they've got you at the time you opened the app. 'Competition' only works when you've got options at the time you need the service.

A majority of taxi service is short-haul, especially dependent upon weather. Uber's got no hope for this business. Long-haul business not only hurts taxis, but legal, private transporters like PVT and OLD as well.

Oh, and you can rant to me as much as you want.

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

As previously stated, the explanation of taxi rackets & syndicate type operations would simply be too long to place on a forum such as CRT. They definitely do exist in many types of businesses. Uber is disrupting the status quo everywhere & the places it is causing the biggest waves are the places with the largest syndicate type operations. Yes, I do have experience in this subject.

As far as socialism not being so bad. PHUCK a bunch of SOCIALISM! Communism & socialism prevents countries & their people from progressing economically. True capitalism allows countries & their people to progress economically. Capitalism allows hard working people to improve their lifestyle & living standard. Look at former communist or socialist countries that have finally embraced capitalism & you see the economies grow along with a middle class that previously did not exist. Look at former capitalist countries that have embraced socialism & you see just the opposite. Yes, the USA has embraced socialism & is now a "crony" capitalist economy with a shrinking middle class along with growing level of poverty.

Uber is a capitalist idea & from my experiences offers a much better service at a cheaper rate. That's known as creating competition & is good for the consumer which is EVERYONE! Am I only interested in myself or what's best for me? Financially, hell yes! I want the most bang for the buck & I guess in CR that expression could be taken literally.

+100 well said!

50 billion Pre IPO valuation by smart money and 10 billion in annual revenue in only 6 years says your wrong...

and again... just a cab company today the same way amazon was just a bookseller in 1996...

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its easier to fool people than to convince them they have been fooled- mark twain

You nailed it!

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The most dangerous adversaries are the ones that come with a smile instead of a sword

Are you telling me that you will actually use Uber's app to go from the HDR to Zona??? In chepe, most taxi rides barely break the 630. These are short-haul rides, especially popular in the rain. Even a chepe to Escazu ride is too small for Uber to be useful, at least for me.

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

heheh ... "Capitalism allows hard working people to improve their lifestyle & living standard" ... that's a good one, brother! Tell that to the railroad workers, Model T assembly line workers, and coal mine workers. And if it comes to that, ask the pre-Civil War African workforce in the deep South how those "lifestyle & living standard" worked out for em!!!

Unfettered capitalism is not good for the working class. It led to unions, labor laws, and eventually big gov't. However, a balance of capitalism and socialistic constraints can make for the environment you speak of. Also keep in mind that 'Capitalism' depends upon the point of view: gov'ts raising taxes on a captured market is capitalistic, though negatively affects markets.

Anyway, I agree that Uber operates like this, but it actually exploits the workforce. Zero benefits, and exposure to additional taxation comes from being an Uber driver. Once they go public, we'll see a change in how they deal with this situation, and I think it will lead to very interesting things for consumers.

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!

BD, excellent post! You were able to regurgitate some of the biggest liberal talking points in 3 short paragraphs even though you had to go a ways back in history. You covered evil big business or "big money" which to most liberals is synonymous with "the evil white man". You drove that point home by following up with slavery. You were able to mention exploitation of employees & even displayed the entitlement mentality by stating "Zero benefits".

I stated what I have learned in my 52 years of life through real world experiences here in the U.S. as well as communist and socialist countries. I stated what I know from my 38 years experience in the workforce, career changes, investing, business failures & business successes. Capitalism works & I am living proof. Yes, hard work alone does not guarantee success but I believe most people understood my meaning.

You & I are on opposite ends of the spectrum regarding this topic. I realize that a Uber driver you claim is being exploited has a choice to go work elsewhere. I realize that a Uber driver you claim has no benefits accepts that job with the understanding of no benefits. I realize that the "evil big businesses" so many people love to hate actually create jobs which support families. I realize that simply working 40 hours per week (now 30 due to the socialist agenda) may not provide enough money to support a family. I realize that financial success & failure is the result of individual choices or decisions but I was taught to accept responsibility for my own actions.

I sincerely hope you were not disagreeing with my point of view based solely on what you have read in history books. I would also like to think that your views on capitalism vs socialism were learned from actual experiences in more than simply working in the U.S. & investing in the CR prostitution market.

GO Uber!!!!

+1 Well said, BD!

All these points of view are interesting. And I stand by my statement that UBER is technology, not a transportation company. Punto. Also...it is much more secure to know the name and license number of your driver before you get in the car. Worth any extra paid.

Now...can we get back to discussing options for getting laid? Thats what this site is for.

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All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts...

+1

Regarding socialism, ask the citizens of Cuba, Venezuela, Greece, North Korea and Russia how socialism is working out for them
As for Venezuela, I'm a little surprised that Maduro hasn't been overthrown yet. I don't know who's worse...Maduro or his predecessor Chavez

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"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)

Maduro has not been overthrown because he owns the no cojones Venezuelan military...maduro is worse than Chavez...he is a puppet of the corrupt system. Worst part is that those who suffer the most are the poorest, those very same ones they claim to be for

Last night I went from the Del Rey to the Pirate Club and used the Easy Taxi app. I requested the car on my phone while sitting in the bar and it found a taxi 2 minutes out. So, I walked over to the front door of the Colonial Casino where I requested the pickup. The car showed up and the license plate on the vehicle matched the information in the app.

For me, the big plus was not having to deal with the "cab service", which operates in front of the Del Rey and then not be bothered by street people when they see you trying to hail a red taxi.

Leaving the Pirate Club was even better. I was sitting at the bar, requested the taxi on the phone and stepped out of the club when the app said that the driver had arrived.

I have been using Easy Taxi for two weeks now. It's great for short trips in San Jose, Escazu and Heredia.

Last week it was especially good because I was leaving an isolated subdivision in Heredia, at night with no real address. The taxi locked right on the GPS on my phone and arrived in 8 minutes.

In every case the taxi was clean and the driver didn't even think of doing the "lets not run the meter game". You get the plate number and full name of the driver on your phone when they accept the fare. You have the option to specify that you only want a taxi that takes a credit card. If there is a problem with the driver, then you can make a complaint to Easy Taxi.

The drivers have to register with the company in person, and for now there is no extra charge. I suspect they will eventually charge the drivers who will absorb the cost. The red metered taxis are prohibited from charging fees that aren't approved by ARESEP.

http://www.easytaxi.com/

They have an office to register drivers in San Jose, and only used licensed red taxis. Unlike Uber you pay the driver directly, either cash or credit card. For the last week my Uber app keeps telling me there are no drivers available.

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Costa Rica, the Number ONE party destination in Latin America!

None of these are socialist countries. Cuba, Venezuela, and North Korea are all dictatorships! Russia is also being run by a dictator, but is somewhat more free at the moment. As for Greese, they have been phucked over by the EU. Too many Americans have been brainwashed into believing that dictatorships are socialism. They are not. Would any of you anti-socialists really want to give up our fire department services? They are socialist! As are our libraries and police and many other services we take for granted in this country. If you want to end socialism in this country you can start with the military. It's the biggest socialist system we have.

Very nice info, Admin. Looking forward to seeing you (and this app in action) at the Zona party.

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bypassin' kinky, and usin' the whole chicken!!!