Le Chic Geek
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With all the craziness with Uber in France, I’ve started reflecting on how my travel patterns have begun to change thanks to Uber.
For example, when visiting my parents, we’d have drinks in their house so no one would have to be a designated driver. Â I’ve found I go out more when visiting family because we can just Uber to and from the restaurant.
I never would have taken a taxi to do that. Â I’d have to call one, wait up to an hour for it to show and repeat at my destination.
But it’s even starting to influence my airport choice. Â I’m flying with a bunch of people to the Long Beach area in California. Â I tweeted asking about Uber at each airport there.
Technically, Uber isn’t legal in arrivals at either airport, but there are ways around it at LAX. Â At Long Beach, not so much.
Guess which airport I want to fly into now?
My decision wasn’t based on lounges or food options at either airport–it was based on the ease of leaving.
What about you? Â Have you changed your travel patterns because of Uber?
Depending on where you are headed in the LA basin, that could be a misguided choice. Assuming the airfares were the same (which of course they’re not) I would fly to the airport closest to where I’m going and worry about ground transport later. No way do I want to voluntarily spend extra time in LA traffic!
Uber has more than changed my travel patterns. It may sound like an exaggeration, but it has changed our way of life.
We travel too much and when we are back, drinking and driving don’t go together. Taxis are often hard to come by during peak hours. That issue is less prevalent with Uber. So we sold our car.
When traveling, we first check to see if there’s Uber available – regardless of whether its at the airport or anywhere else. Its now our preferred choice of transport. No more worries about the route or having to carry sufficient cash while in a foreign land. Our folks have an account paid by us. So now they don’t need to designate a driver when they are out having fun. Another worry taken away.
For an industry that is heavily unionised, protectionism is expected. But the world is changing fast. The traditional taxi industry needs to catchup or become irrelevant. It’s a matter of time.
I would fly into Orange county and Uber to Long beach. Uber Airport pick ups are allowed in SNA