Taxi or Uber for a 14 year old

[Anonymous]

I don't get the live affair with uber just bc there's an app -- you're getting into a car w a person off the street who may or may not be properly insured.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Taxi. I honestly don't understand why people perceive Uber as safe. Taxis are at least regulated. Walk out of station, get in can on cab line, go home.

Agree.

+1000000

[Anonymous]

Uber Black (not Uber Taxi and definitely not UberX).

[Anonymous]

Everyone at my DC's high school uses UberX because the kids don't need to carry cash and the kids think its cooler. But, Uber, Lyft and Sidecar have explicit policies that forbid children under 18 from establishing an account and riding unaccompanied. Felons can be UberX drivers, while taxis and UberBlack limo drivers are required to have commercial drivers licenses and better insurance that felons can't get. Lots of parents think the app provides a measure of safety but that's all after the fact.

[Anonymous]

My 15 yo son will need some rides home from a short term job which is about 3 miles from home. We want to use uber, but see the policy is 18 or older. How are the teens riding it? We are in centreville, so grabbing a taxi is not realistic. Anyone have other ideas? No family in the area.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Taxi. I honestly don't understand why people perceive Uber as safe. Taxis are at least regulated. Walk out of station, get in can on cab line, go home.

You take a risk anytime you get in a car with a stranger. I wouldn't classify Uber as "safe" but it's more traceable than cabs--which is why many probably believe it's "safer".

At least with Uber there is technology "paper trail" with every transaction and real time tracking on the location of the vehicle. The same cannot be said with most cabs. Not that it applies here, but if you are picked up by a random taxi on the streets of DC and whisked off into the night (God forbid), there would be very little information to track you down. I'm not sure what cab "regulations" you are referring to that increase safety?

As it applies to OP's question, I'd say a 14 year old should be OK with either option. Taxi may be simpler since the taxi stands are right there.

+1

There are little, if any, "regulations" in this area - exactly why Uber is flourishing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 15 yo son will need some rides home from a short term job which is about 3 miles from home. We want to use uber, but see the policy is 18 or older. How are the teens riding it? We are in centreville, so grabbing a taxi is not realistic. Anyone have other ideas? No family in the area.

Thanks.

My daughter who will be 15 in a couple off weeks used uber this weekend. They don't ask you your age, you just hop in as if you know what you're doing. I do need to figure out why the display on my daughter phone wasn't showing up. The driver called my phone to check location and I had to call my daughter on three-way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Taxi. I honestly don't understand why people perceive Uber as safe. Taxis are at least regulated. Walk out of station, get in can on cab line, go home.

You take a risk anytime you get in a car with a stranger. I wouldn't classify Uber as "safe" but it's more traceable than cabs--which is why many probably believe it's "safer".

At least with Uber there is technology "paper trail" with every transaction and real time tracking on the location of the vehicle. The same cannot be said with most cabs. Not that it applies here, but if you are picked up by a random taxi on the streets of DC and whisked off into the night (God forbid), there would be very little information to track you down. I'm not sure what cab "regulations" you are referring to that increase safety?

As it applies to OP's question, I'd say a 14 year old should be OK with either option. Taxi may be simpler since the taxi stands are right there.

+1

There are little, if any, "regulations" in this area - exactly why Uber is flourishing.

There are lots of regulations, thats why the medallian system was invented. Uber just found a way around them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 15 yo son will need some rides home from a short term job which is about 3 miles from home. We want to use uber, but see the policy is 18 or older. How are the teens riding it? We are in centreville, so grabbing a taxi is not realistic. Anyone have other ideas? No family in the area.

Thanks.

How about bicycling? Three miles is not too far to walk if necessary.

[Anonymous]

Op here. I'd like to be him to bike, but there are no sidewalks and narrow roads. It's too dangerous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Uber Black (not Uber Taxi and definitely not UberX).

What is wrong with Uber Taxi?