The sharing economy

[malumbu]

I've used Uber. I understand that there are some issues about employment and the gig economy but at the same time I've been at a bus stop on the Strand which is half full of black cabs looking for a client, whilst being some of the most polluting vehicles on the road so no sympathy there.

I was dead excited by Airbnb but in a matter of months I've seen this change from people letting out some spare space in their accomodation to being dominated by buy to lets.

I've just found an ad on the EDF for someone 'sharing' out their car on Easycar.com and asked them for their views on their experience. Like most our car sits outside not being used for 95% of the time taking up space.

what do we reckon to the sharing economy boys and girls?

[Loz]

Doubt Easycar it will work. If I still owned a car, I wouldn't want any old stranger driving it. I do, however, see the advantage of Streetcar and I've been a member for a couple of years now.

I know people that have used Air BnB - frankly, when I'm away, the last thing I want to be doing in sitting in someone else's lounge especially while they are still there. But, some people like that sort of thing.

As for Uber, you can see them coming on the screen, you know the car reg, have a record of the driver and know the approximate fare. So, over and above the fare differences, it's just a great service.

Plus, I've never had an Uber say "Oh, sorry mate, I'm not going in that direction..."

[keano77]

The idea of the sharing economy conjures up the notion of altruism. I've got x why don't you share it. The truth though it that it is to make money, pure and simple.

Personally I would never think I'm off on a European weekend break so I'll let out my home on Air b&b that weekend to help cover my costs. I know others do and good luck to them.

What about the insurance on my house though, or my car if I rent it out. How will that be affected if things go wrong?

It sounds great to rent out a driveway as a parking space 5 days a week for 40 weeks of the year at ?10 a day and given parking costs it might well be a bargain to a commuter. Great until the tax man comes knocking.

In short, I'm not sure what the sharing economy means. I only see people making a quick buck unless we're talking of people car sharing to get to work, taking it in turns to drive and everybody contributing to petrol etc

Edited to add:

Uber has nothing to do with a sharing economy - it it a multi-million dollar middle man. Uber doesn't 'share' the cost of the driver's wear and tear, servicing, MOT, car insurance, car tax etc. Doesn't pay holiday pay, sick pay, provide pensions. It's a very clever business model and does provide valuable work for many on a very egalitarian basis. And a good service as testified to above. However, 'sharing' it isn't.

[TheCat]

Loz Wrote:

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>

> As for Uber, you can see them coming on the

> screen, you know the car reg, have a record of the

> driver and know the approximate fare. So, over

> and above the fare differences, it's just a great

> service.

>

> Plus, I've never had an Uber say "Oh, sorry mate,

> I'm not going in that direction..."

to be fair, black cabbies have responded to the threat, and now the Hailo app (which is changing name to MyTaxi), does all of those things which you list above, but for black cabs. Sure its a touch more expensive, but I'm happy to pay a few extra quid for someone that can improvise if traffic/raodworks etc....

[Jeremy]

TheCat Wrote:

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> I'm happy to pay a few extra quid for someone that can improvise if

> traffic/raodworks etc....

Not sure about that. The Waze app is much more useful for avoiding traffic jams and roadworks. Also, "the knowledge" seems to run out as soon as you get south of the river, and have to give the driver directions. Uber is an excellent service. Yes the drivers get paid peanuts, but I tip when not on "surge" fares.

As for renting out my car... never going to happen. I'm not ultra-protective of my car, but at the same time I don't want a stranger thrashing around in it all day. But I was wondering if perhaps buying a second hand car specifically for this purpose could be a bit of a money spinner? (similar to the direction Air BnB has taken)

[Earl Aelfheah]

Yeah, not sure about the term 'sharing economy'. I think the idea of using technology to match spare capacity with latent or unmet demand clearly has the potential to generate value.

[malumbu]

Not sure why I lumped Uber in with this thread, probably because I was thinking of Airbnb, and they share the same business model in not owning the vehicles/properties they trade.

Not sure why there is a resistance to share - I've always bummed things of others and expect others to do similar. If we give a little financial incentive then why not? Had some hippy friends who did the 'Lets' system for trading time eg I cook for you and you do my financial records.

'Big Society' had some great proposals including building on 'time banks'. One example is whilst you are young and fit you bank community activities and get that time returned when you are older, a sort of pension. BS was mocked and quietly dropped.

I should have referred to the lift sharing schemes - we car pooled when I first worked and before I ditched the car for a bike. It was perfectly natural yet now there is much disdain for sharing space.

And finally I thought economics meant the efficient use of resources. Sharing must b e part of this

[womanofdulwich]

I have not used uber, but is it possible to distinguish which cars are diesel or not when they quote you?

[Jeremy]

malumbu Wrote:

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> Not sure why there is a resistance to share

Specifically related to renting cars? I would have though it's obvious. Given how expensive cars and maintenance are, nobody wants their car damaged or abused by bad drivers.

Lift sharing is of course a different kettle of fish, used to do it all the time when I worked outside of London. It saves money, and nice to have a bit of company.

[jaywalker]

This is already an obsolete post. The new business model for car manufacturers (e.g. BMW) is, over the next decade or so, to produce automated shared cars - you simply pay to rent for your specific journey the model you think reflects your status :-). Car ownership will go the same way as house ownership (or more prosaically, software or music ownership).

It is of some interest that late capitalism eviscerates the subject (their groundedness in the things they own) in this way, in favour of an idealised 'rationality'-thought-to-exist-beyond-the-incarnate-social (that extends already to zero-hour contracts for example).

[????]

I think you're right there's much more of a trend towards 'experience' than things; the mobile and apps replace many 'things' we needed; the nomadic life of the modern renter makes owning many 'things' cumbersome and inflexible; etc etc

[TheCat]

How about the sharing of drunk people who want to gibber?

[Seabag]

You can often share lifts. I hate sharing them personally, id rather go arse/fart level up an escalator any day, as long as I get my own step.

Very important that.