“Call a Uber” or “Call an Uber”?

[jsmiam]

I think either could be right, since some pronounce it “oo-ber” (rhymes with goober), and some pronounce it “you-ber“

I’m taking the easy way out and changing it to “Call a cab”.

But I’m still curious what others think.

 

[lovecraft68]

Out loud An sounds much better. '

Just like A sounds better for cab.

 

[RejectReality]

Don't be surprised if you get complaints about product placement from disgruntled Lyft fans and cab drivers. I've had it happen twice, which prompted me to eliminate the brand name whenever I decide to reference ride-share.

 

[SimonDoom]

In America the word is typically pronounced "ooh-ber", so you would use "an" before it.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

In the UK I have only heard oo-ber (an Uber). Never heard yoo-ber.

 

[jsmiam]

Thanks for the thoughts. It turned into just a question, because I already am not going to use either uber or lyft’s name. (In addition to dodging the topic, I’m also no fan of sleazy companies whose very existence is based on circumventing rules. Innovation, fine. Radical new thinking, fine. Transformational thinking, fine. Cheating to circumvent rules, not so much. Not that, of course, I’m implying that’s what Uber does, of course).

I guess it’s also true, relatively few people say “you-ber”, although some do. And the umlaut, maybe everybody should be saying “you-ber”

 

[KeithD]

In the UK I have only heard oo-ber (an Uber). Never heard yoo-ber.

I've only heard it this way, as well. Of course I've never used one.

 

[Trionyx]

I keep thinking of the German word über (over) and it it pronounced oo-ber. So I'd go with "an Uber." Or just switch it to a Lyft.

 

[Handley_Page]

I'd say "Call an Uber."

agreed

 

[Handley_Page]

I'd say "Call an Uber."

agreed

although I am not quite au fait with the difference between that and a
Taxi (=cab)

 

[TadOverdon]

"Call an Uber."

Peculiarly enough, my MC "called an Uber" two paragraphs and half an hour ago.

Don't be surprised if you get complaints about product placement from disgruntled Lyft fans and cab drivers. I've had it happen twice, which prompted me to eliminate the brand name whenever I decide to reference ride-share.

People talk the way they talk, and I don't give a damn if someone accuses me of shilling for a rideshare company, a smartphone manufacturer or a Japanese suitmaker. LOL

 

[TadOverdon]

My MC just took a Tylenol. Is there a portal online where I submit my invoice to Johnson & Johnson?

 

[RejectReality]

"Call an Uber."

Peculiarly enough, my MC "called an Uber" two paragraphs and half an hour ago.




People talk the way they talk, and I don't give a damn if someone accuses me of shilling for a rideshare company, a smartphone manufacturer or a Japanese suitmaker. LOL

I would probably still use it if it was dialogue, but when it's narrative, there's plenty of ways to get around the brand name that still get the point across. Just looked, and one of my in-progress stories handles it exactly that way. Same for Excedrin, which comes up in the same story.

I've never had anyone complain about branding until those two about Uber. That in-progress story involves someone who's never used it before, and someone else showing him how, so the dialogue is naturally going to use the brand, and I don't balk at that.

When it's a generic reference only necessary to move someone from A to B, no sense riling up the haters. "Opened the app and called for a ride" or something of that nature serves just as well. "Took a couple of pills for his headache", "Grabbed some tissue"

I'd be willing to bet that there's some who will complain about Velcro as well. That's so successfully overpowered the generic "hook and loop" that a large percentage of the readership wouldn't know what you were talking about without the brand name, and there are people who feel strongly about that.

That's a reverse situation where the brand is my go-to, and hook and loop would be the character-driven version. No matter who it irritates, avoiding a speed bump for the majority of readers outweighs it.

 

[jaF0]

I'd just drive myself.

 

[GinnyPPC]

I think either could be right, since some pronounce it “oo-ber” (rhymes with goober), and some pronounce it “you-ber“

I’m taking the easy way out and changing it to “Call a cab”.

But I’m still curious what others think.

If I remember my high school grammar correctly, any word that starts with a vowel should be preceded with "an" otherwise "a". I'm sure the more grammar minded (you know who you all are), will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I agree - my story Wheelchair Bound? makes use of the properties of Velcro as a plot point. I'd heard the manufacturer was litigious (eBay listings get reported) so ended up with the following:

"I have one word of advice for you both."..."That word... is Velcro."
...
"You're sceptical, of course. I suppose I should say 'hook-and-loop fastenings', given it's a brand name and all. One moment."
He reached down, with the careful stretch of the elderly, to his briefcase ...


Use of brand names can date a story or narrow the audience - especially clothes. I have no idea what the connotations of wearing Converse are.now, but I'd bet they've changed since the 90s. Similarly citing a brand name medication is unlikely to be understood by foreigners - I know Tylenol is a thing Americans take for headaches but can never remember what it actually is.

 

[Earthlyone]

"Call a Uber" is grammatically horrific. You wouldn't say or type "eat a orange" would you?!

 

[jsmiam]

Thanks everyone.

the topic came up when I was wondering if there was a way to make people who say “ooh-ber” and “you-ber” both happy. Clearly more people say “ooh-ber“ though. I still am just avoiding the situation altogether. I made a U-turn long ago.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Thanks for the thoughts. It turned into just a question, because I already am not going to use either uber or lyft’s name. (In addition to dodging the topic, I’m also no fan of sleazy companies whose very existence is based on circumventing rules. Innovation, fine. Radical new thinking, fine. Transformational thinking, fine. Cheating to circumvent rules, not so much. Not that, of course, I’m implying that’s what Uber does, of course).

I guess it’s also true, relatively few people say “you-ber”, although some do. And the umlaut, maybe everybody should be saying “you-ber”

The umlaut isn't in the business name, but "über" in German is closer to "oo-ber" than "you-ber". For instance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLHGTJjHXLo

 

[Bramblethorn]

agreed

although I am not quite au fait with the difference between that and a
Taxi (=cab)

It pretty much is a taxi service, but with some smoke and mirrors. It's generally cheaper than taxi services for now, because it is heavily subsidised by the initial investors - Uber has been running at a loss since it was founded, with the hope of attracting enough new investment to make it profitable for the founders, and perhaps to drive competitors out of business. Once that happens, presumably they'll either collapse or they'll raise the costs back to what an old-fashioned taxi would have charged.

They make some noise about self-driving cars, but that seems to be mostly a distraction to stop people from thinking about why they would want to bet money on something that's been running at a loss for years.

 

[mynameisben]

Either way, they're still gonna pick your dumb ass up.


Ben

 

[SimonDoom]

It pretty much is a taxi service, but with some smoke and mirrors. It's generally cheaper than taxi services for now, because it is heavily subsidised by the initial investors - Uber has been running at a loss since it was founded, with the hope of attracting enough new investment to make it profitable for the founders, and perhaps to drive competitors out of business. Once that happens, presumably they'll either collapse or they'll raise the costs back to what an old-fashioned taxi would have charged.

They make some noise about self-driving cars, but that seems to be mostly a distraction to stop people from thinking about why they would want to bet money on something that's been running at a loss for years.

People want to bet money on it because it provides a better service than taxis. Everybody I know thinks this. Uber is more flexible than taxis, the cars usually are better and cleaner. It's extremely convenient. It provides a service that people want and people know this. I've found almost all the drivers to be pleasant to deal with. The taxi system rests upon an ancient guild-mentality that rests upon state approval and licensing. That's not what consumers want.

Many new businesses in the modern economy lose money at first. Amazon did. Amazon obviously is not going anywhere -- it provides a service people want. And it's making money now.

Tesla probably is a better example of a company that is where it is because of subsidies and tax breaks, but the bottom line is people like the product, and that's becoming more and more true, and it still has an edge over its competitors, something that surprises me.

I don't pretend to have any crystal ball about the fate of the company Uber itself, but as long as the taxi guilds don't convince the state to get in its way there's no doubt in my mind that this model is here to say, because people want it.

 

[Emirus]

Why would you want to include a line in a story such as “I called an Uber” rather than calling a cab or a taxi? They are all cars where you pay the driver to transport you from A to B. Although the Uber is, supposedly, cheaper. Does it have any relevance to the story? If not why the hell would you want to use it?

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Why would you want to include a line in a story such as “I called an Uber” rather than calling a cab or a taxi? They are all cars where you pay the driver to transport you from A to B. Although the Uber is, supposedly, cheaper. Does it have any relevance to the story? If not why the hell would you want to use it?

From about 2018-2020 calling an Uber would show that the person was tech-savvy and even cool, if they got an Uber in an area where taxis were hard to find.

But now (in London at least) minicabs and taxis have got their own apps working, and Uber's service isn't what it was. Add the court cases about whether Uber drivers are employees or not and a couple assault cases, and their use is plummeting.

 

[TadOverdon]

Why would you want to include a line in a story such as “I called an Uber” rather than calling a cab or a taxi? They are all cars where you pay the driver to transport you from A to B. Although the Uber is, supposedly, cheaper. Does it have any relevance to the story? If not why the hell would you want to use it?

It's a common phrase now, like using Kleenex. I know folks who hail cabs on the street, but it's been ages since I called one in New York or Washington or anywhere.

'Course I haven't been out of the U.S. since the pandemic. That would be something I'd research.

And people usually say "an Uber" not "a Lyft" - even if it's a Lyft. LOL

Which I guess annoys Lyft drivers as much as someone ordering a Venti annoys baristas at Peet's.