Uber in Israel

Reading “Let Uber drive in Israel” (Editor’s Notes, November 3), it is hard not to recall ads on our radio stations warning soldiers against accepting rides: “You never now how the ride will end.”

Would that the security situation here warranted Yaakov Katz’s comparisons with Montreal, Australia or New York (the latter being something of a problem these days, with the writer’s cavalier statement that a background check “does not always weed out potential criminals” reflecting little understanding or sensitivity).

Our enemies, who do not have to travel all the way from Uzbekistan, make no secret of considering the kidnapping of Israelis a most lucrative achievement. There is, tragically, no shortage of examples. Allowing UberX on our roads could prove much like letting in a Trojan horse for terrorists. EMANUEL KRASOVSKY Tel Aviv

As a long-suffering elderly Anglo, I heartily agree with Yaakov Katz. I must point out that bad, unpleasant or just plain incompetent taxi drivers can be found worldwide – I recently rode from Brooklyn to Kennedy Airport with a driver who spoke only Spanish.

Even worse is the situation where you need a shared taxi to the airport (one company has the monopoly for this).

A few months ago, I tried to book a ride for my teenage niece. Hearing my English-accented Hebrew, the controller switched to a very poor English. I gave him the necessary details, but in hindsight, I guess I should have stuck to Hebrew, as the vehicle did not arrive at the appointed time.

(The next day, I called the company. The controller started yelling at me. He said my name was not on his list and he called me a liar. Shocked and panic-stricken, I hung up without stopping to take his name.)

The trick is, when you find a good driver, keep his name and number. My “good driver” saved the day, and 15 minutes later, my niece was on her way. SHEILA BRULL Jerusalem