Even bollards aren't going to stop some people taking over a cycle lane
Just saw this tweet and I thought of this thread...
This is more or less the problem with all "sharing" apps which seem sensible on first look and then fall into a hole of becoming professionalised without the oversight and regulation. For now BlaBla works quite well (and its better/safer than hitchhiking), but as anything becomes more popular you get those looking to take advantage of it. And then eventually everyone realises why regulations were brought in in the first place.
That sounds like a bad approach as there is little to no oversight or regulation.
More so everyday
Newstalk really is the GBNews of Ireland
@Sam Russell have used Blabla car in France. You put up your journey on the app and a set amount. The passanger her books it with card. Nó cash changed hands. Set amount taken out when you rate the journey if I remember. Much cheaper than the train if. There were 4 of us in the car as passangers from the train station in Brest i think to Quimper. Myself and my OH and two other singles. Paid the petrol for the journey easily. Seems to be in the U.K. now too.
https://www.blablacar.co.uk/
People shoplifted from this man's business because of pedestrianisation apparently.
If AGS are really interested in making a difference they’d be arresting people constantly down there for driving on the footpath.
It's weird how they just randomly do this from time to time. You could have probably 1000s of staff issuing tickets in Dublin for footpath parking every day and they'd be kept busy. Like census enumerators. The people freaking out in the comments are hilarious.
Germany has Mitfahrzentrale
I think the money side of it would be a problem.
There are lots of reasons why, and it would be best if money was not allowed. The possibility of the passenger paying for a coffee might be the most that should be permitted.
There is a service in France, called BlaBlaCar, that does exactly that.
I still see people hitchhiking from Waterford in an idiotic place just off the north side of the bridge where it is dangerous and stupid for cars to stop, but some still do.
Even that would not be enough. A modern form of hitchhiking would be via ride share app where drivers can advertise the journey they intend making (e.g. Dublin 15 to Douglas Cork leaving Friday 19.00), or those looking for a lift could state their intended journey for others to then offer them a lift.
Perhaps an official DoT/NTA app with users verified would give people confidence in the service to use it. Everything would have to be at no charge officially lbut passengers could offer the driver some money for fuel if they wished.
Well, it was the motorways that killed it. Hard to get drivers to stop as pedestrians are not allowed on the motorway and the vehicles just cannot stop on the approach.
If it was encouraged by recognised areas for potential passengers to wait, it might come back.
I can't see it returning in a big way to be honest. I think 2013 is the last time I gave hitchhikers a lift. A French couple, down in West Cork.
There was a time when hitch-hiking was a thing.
The would be passenger would stand at the side of the road looking for a lift from passing motorists or truck drivers. It has gone out of uses for some years.
Perhaps it could return.
I'd suggest you submit a ticket
https://gocarsupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
No idea, the driving license verification has just been stuck on "Pending" for months in the app
I'm curious, what did they say was the problem with verifying your license? Was it image clarity of your photo or something to do with your license records etc?
It was about 8 months ago I was trying to get verified and couldn't, so there's still some issues tbh. I wish it was as slick and as easy to use as like the e-scooter rental apps you get in some countries.
The app used to be utter rubbish and half the time the door wouldn't open/lock which resulted in calls to the service line. They resolved a load of those issues and its been about 18 months since I've had any issues with using the service.
I'm the same, got rid of the car 8 months ago. I've needed a car about 8 times since, 7 times was with the GoCar equivalent here for €20-50. The one time i needed a car for a week I rented one for €300. So I've spent €640 on the car in 8 months and that includes petrol costs. Its definitely a saving, and previously when i would have taken the car due to laziness i now take a bike or walk so i'm definitely healthier as well.
I wish GoCar was a bit more professional of a company though - they never bothered to verify my driving license and their app is a mess
People are simply brainwashed into thinking there are no alternatives in so many cases.
I have a version of this conversation many times a year when I tell people I got rid of the car and use GoCar for the very rare times when legitimately need a car. I lay out the costs and the number of times a year I need the service (10-12 times a year) for a cost of around 1k for the year. They seem aghast at spending that much until I outline that the car cost me the same for 7 weeks of ownership when I had it.
Unless you have zero other options, car ownership is for mugs
Requiring a personal car for day-to-day living is insanely classist and a massive financial burden. You'd get a lot of taxis and car rentals before you'd have spent as much as it costs to run a car for the year.
It's weird how the narrative is always "you couldn't replace all journeys with buses/cycling/walking". No single method covers all journeys. Even when you drive you walk some of the distance.
Because taxis are clearly the only possible alternative to cars. No one could consider any alternatives that involve cycling, walking, cargo bikes, ebikes or ( and you may want to sit down for this) public transport.
Can read the full article here.
https://archive.is/qfSsW
But yes... Yes he does...
Car use is not simply the prerogative of the odious and hysterical middle class. Huge numbers of people from every class depend on having a car. Only the very well-to-do middle class could afford the routine use of taxis for their daily life activities such as bringing children to creches and school, collecting kids from dances and gigs, attending sport events, doing the weekly shop, looking after elderly relatives, and collecting them for family events.
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