Im fortunate to live in an area dense with traditional taxis and Ubers, no Waymo yet.

I rarely take taxis, the exception is when I have to haul my gear to the studio for a jam session. I always take a taxi, because it’s cheaper and faster than using an app to call an uber.

On 80% of the trips, I end up having a nice chat with the driver and learn something new about humanity or myself.

I really enjoy these interactions, but I feel for the drivers, it’s a very tough job where most taxi drivers have to scramble to find places to urinate or do so in an empty bottle between their legs. There is not much dignity in the job. I feel a negligible segment enjoy it as a reliable career.

I wonder what will happen to the drivers if a large representation of the 1 million+ daily trips are displaced by automation?

For me, this is the major selling point to own a car. I may drive a few times a week, and taxis might be much cheaper, but no way I'm going to deal with human taxi drivers if I have a choice.

> No product had such a fast transition from novelty to "omg i never want to interact with a human again".

I still recall when taxi services were the only offering, and Uber et al were marketed as ride sharing services instead of ride hailing services. It's hard to put into words the transformative effect that ride hailing services had throughout the world. Overall rides are now far safer and more reliable, to the point where the old days feel like the dark ages.

> We need this in europe.

No we don't. Your github says you're from Berlin, why the hell would you ever need a taxi in your life?

Someone should just find a cure for for the fear techbros have of being near poor people.