In some countries, taxis are so often criminal that tourists are warned to avoid them. In some less extreme places, drivers simply never use the meter and the passengers must negotiate every ride. Uber and its competitors have been wonderful for hailing rides in these places.
I remember areas of Bali where local cabs would threaten and drive away cabs from outside the area, including private-hire ones ordered via app. Their argument was local drivers should be supported, but the cab prices were really high for short rides as a result (because the clientele was foreign tourists, many from Australia and Europe).
Apparently in Mexico it used to be the case 5years ago but nowadays you can't rely on Uber either anymore if you are a woman and you don't want to just be a dead raped corpse the next morning.
Source: mexican gf and her family still living there.
Not sure if the issue comes from Uber not giving out drivers info, drivers blaming someone borrowed their car but not disclosing identity of supposed borrower or police not even asking but it seems to be the true reality.
Also a quick google search shows there are occurences of this in the USA as well. The fact the driver may be charged and found guilty after that sadly do not prevent the crime from happening in the first place.
"In Mexico" is really too broad to say what to expect. Cancun, Tijuana, CDMX, and Queretaro, as examples, are going to be vastly different experiences.
Well Cancun is not mx anymore. GF is from Queretaro, which is somewhat considered a safe place. She would not take an Uber alone anymore as she used to do.
And why shouldn't Uber be forced to be a platform where the drivers can negotiate price with riders? Seems rather bad that Uber is one dictating the pricing and their cut...
I don't want to put myself at the mercy of some asshole who is trying to dicker with me over the price of a ride. I do not want to argue about the price at all; I certainly do not want to argue about it with the person who is shortly going to drive me around. Better for them to direct whatever feelings of greed or disappointment they may have toward the operator of the service than toward me.
