<story><title>Lyft gaining on Uber as it spends big on growth</title><url>http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Lyft-gaining-on-Uber-as-it-spends-big-on-growth-7251625.php</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>nemo44x</author><text>I&amp;#x27;ve used Lyft a few times recently.  I&amp;#x27;m a little suspicious Uber is using surge fair tactics on users that have agreed to the pricing in the past when there is in fact no surge occurring.&lt;p&gt;When traveling for work I often use Uber and recently there was consistent surge pricing.  The first day it made sense since it was raining.  But then the next few times I used it there was surge pricing - not much, like 1.1x or 1.3x.  I agreed because it wasn&amp;#x27;t too much more and I needed to get to my meetings and it can be expensed.  I mentioned to my Uber driver there was a surge and he said it didn&amp;#x27;t come up as a surge for him.  The next trip later that day the surge was 2.2x&lt;p&gt;But then when I got back home I noticed every time I&amp;#x27;ve brought the Uber app up there is a &amp;quot;surge&amp;quot;.  Even during fine weather and non-traditional surge times.  I look outside and there are taxis available (NYC) and I opened Lyft and there were plenty of options without any surge.&lt;p&gt;It was probably bad luck (I don&amp;#x27;t really think they&amp;#x27;d get that greedy that quickly) but it made me try Lyft and I had the exact same experience as Uber.&lt;p&gt;I suppose this is the market at work.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>twoodfin</author><text>I strongly suspect that Uber has (or will, depending on a particular market&amp;#x27;s maturity) smooth the curve on surge pricing.&lt;p&gt;I think most customers are initially averse to ever paying more than 1x, but once you&amp;#x27;ve gotten used to paying 1.1x or 1.2x, you realize it&amp;#x27;s still typically much cheaper than a taxi. It&amp;#x27;s ultimately in everyone&amp;#x27;s interests for prices to adjust quickly and smoothly to demand.</text></comment>
<story><title>Lyft gaining on Uber as it spends big on growth</title><url>http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Lyft-gaining-on-Uber-as-it-spends-big-on-growth-7251625.php</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>nemo44x</author><text>I&amp;#x27;ve used Lyft a few times recently.  I&amp;#x27;m a little suspicious Uber is using surge fair tactics on users that have agreed to the pricing in the past when there is in fact no surge occurring.&lt;p&gt;When traveling for work I often use Uber and recently there was consistent surge pricing.  The first day it made sense since it was raining.  But then the next few times I used it there was surge pricing - not much, like 1.1x or 1.3x.  I agreed because it wasn&amp;#x27;t too much more and I needed to get to my meetings and it can be expensed.  I mentioned to my Uber driver there was a surge and he said it didn&amp;#x27;t come up as a surge for him.  The next trip later that day the surge was 2.2x&lt;p&gt;But then when I got back home I noticed every time I&amp;#x27;ve brought the Uber app up there is a &amp;quot;surge&amp;quot;.  Even during fine weather and non-traditional surge times.  I look outside and there are taxis available (NYC) and I opened Lyft and there were plenty of options without any surge.&lt;p&gt;It was probably bad luck (I don&amp;#x27;t really think they&amp;#x27;d get that greedy that quickly) but it made me try Lyft and I had the exact same experience as Uber.&lt;p&gt;I suppose this is the market at work.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>jonknee</author><text>It&amp;#x27;s highly dependent on the market. I rarely see surge where I live (Seattle), but I was in a different city a few weeks ago and only saw surge pricing the whole time I was there.</text></comment>