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Comment by puranjay | Hacker News Reader

It's very interesting in India where you have enormous supply of auto-rickshaws ('tuk tuks') available in most public spaces.

Often, when I'm in public, I'll choose an auto-rickshaw instead of an Uber because the rickshaw is right there. I don't have to wait for it, don't have to give it directions to find me.

The service is worse - I have to haggle about prices, endure bumpy rides and dangerous driving - but the easy availability makes me choose them.

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Amusingly, India is the only place where I've used Uber so far, precisely because using an app is the best way to not get screwed over as a foreigner.

I wouldn't be so sure - Ola is a lot more popular in India and using Uber is usually a giveaway that you may not be familiar with the routes.

I think the point is that as a foreigner, you're more likely to have Uber already installed than even knowing about Ola/Didi/whatever happens to be popular in a given country

While I didn't use Uber in India, Mexico City was the same experience for me. In fact our local office strongly encouraged us ONLY to use Uber over anything else. It was by far the quickest, and safest way to get around.

Ironically, in multiple parts of India, auto-rickshaw drivers are infamous for having rigged price meters, or flat out refuse to use the meter. Bangalore auto drivers have their unofficial motto as "One-and-half" which basically means you have to pay 1.5x what the government stipulated rate meter reads at the end of your trip.

Uber, in these cases, is a breath of fresh air. Upfront pricing, reasonably friendly drivers, decent customer service in case of issues etc. is very welcome, even if it involves waiting for 2-5 mins. I'd rather wait for a cab than have insults hurled at me for not wanting to get ripped off. :/

I'm from Chennai, where the auto-drivers are very very infamous. I usually don't mind waiting for the Uber if that means no interaction with auto drivers.

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