Discussion
  • Read More
    MisterPigginsJordan Sargent
    2/24/16 7:10pm

    Would you blame the post office if he was a letter carrier? Tying this to Uber is dumb and a mistake. Go after Uber for the bad things Uber does.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Tribe89MisterPiggins
      2/24/16 8:11pm

      That seems to be where America is headed. Instead of saying “Gun owner commits mass shooting” headlines say “Uber driver commits mass shooting.” Instead of expecting gun dealers or gun manufacturers to prevent their products from ending up in the wrong hands we expect companies like Uber and Apple to assume this responsibility. I think that if gun control ever becomes a reality in this country it's going to be because big corporations like Uber and Apple get tired of guns hurting their bottom lines and demand that legislators do something about it.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      CharitybTribe89
      2/24/16 10:12pm

      To be fair, in this one situation it makes sense to refer to him as an Uber driver since he was driving for Uber (picking up fares and dropping people off) during his shooting rampage. I definitely agree that we tend to assign a weirdly high level of blame to an offender’s employer even when his crime has nothing to do with his job. Dalton didn’t shoot any of his passengers; he didn’t need or even use the app to commit these crimes. Uber has some issues but it’s not really plausible to connect this tragedy with their platform.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    puncha yo bunsJordan Sargent
    2/24/16 6:01pm

    As a total Uber noob, just a question to all you out there in the know:

    Is Uber typically significantly cheaper than taxis? I hear this stuff about surge pricing, but how much does it happen, and is it usually that bad? Does Uber typically come quicker than a taxi? For those who used to call a cab before Uber existed, do you see significant benefit to using Uber instead?

    My dad kind of has the same opinion about Uber that he does about TFA—that being that it’s an organization that typically involves young people coming to work for them for short periods of time and fucking up an existing system that was already in place, to the chagrin of the workers who are a part of that system, whose jobs are oftentimes displaced. (he’s a teacher). I think this is largely bitterness on his end, but I wouldn’t mind hearing from other people. Haha

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      caekislove-caekingituppuncha yo buns
      2/24/16 6:02pm

      Sometimes. Whenever you want to call an Uber. It’s bad. Yes.

      Uber is like any other gypsy cab. Plusses and minuses.

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Richard M Tysonpuncha yo buns
      2/24/16 6:03pm

      I think it depends which city. In San Diego I used uber and it was about half the price of a cab and a lot more convenient. In Portland it’s about the same price, but wayyyyy more convenient since the cabs here are garbage.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    Fresh Courage TakeJordan Sargent
    2/24/16 8:18pm

    It’s remarkable to me, given the statistical rarity of criminal conduct by its drivers, just how hard the media tries, on behalf of its corporate shills, to take down Uber. It’s disgraceful.

    Yellow cab lobby much?

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Michael ZaiteFresh Courage Take
      2/24/16 11:57pm

      Fuck “Yellow Cab Lobby”

      Uber is shit, it’s a shit company, it’s a shit premise, it’s a shit way to do business, and so, you end up with shit like this happening.

      You just like that it’s cheaper. Congrats, you’re winning the race to the bottom!

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      Fresh Courage TakeMichael Zaite
      2/25/16 12:05am

      You must have ZERO experience with Uber. There are 49,000 reasons Uber is better than a conventional taxi. And you must know ZERO about criminal statistics, particularly as it pertains to conventional taxi drivers in contrast to Uber drivers.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    e30s2kJordan Sargent
    2/24/16 6:38pm

    Also relevant, Uber’s actual onboarding process. At least based on this article based on actual drivers’ interactions with Uber, it seems to be very lacking and just a “check the box” and CYA process just to be able to say they did something -

    http://brokeassstuart.com/blog/2016/02/2…

    Kind of leaves a lot of holes open as far as being able to flag a potentially unstable person or even someone clearly using fraudulent information to sign on as a driver.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Brian, The Life ofe30s2k
      2/24/16 7:41pm

      How do taxi companies differ? Do they do background checks?

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      e30s2kBrian, The Life of
      2/24/16 8:03pm

      Yes, they do. One of the big talking points in the taxi vs rideshare debate is that rideshares have much lower background check requirements that do not include finger print testing like the taxi regulations require in most (if not all) cities.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    HypnoCatJordan Sargent
    2/24/16 5:59pm

    may lose access to the Uber platform.

    Whoa! Slow down there with your over-the-top zealous punishments!

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Zombie CucumberHypnoCat
      2/24/16 6:23pm

      Repeat offenses may result in a stern talking-to. Or a note in your file!

      Reply
      <
    • Read More
      jrfunkensteinZombie Cucumber
      2/25/16 5:28am

      A note?

      Damn; these guys play hardball.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    Vanguard KnightJordan Sargent
    2/24/16 6:23pm

    U bet is just holding out til they van replace their drivers with autonomous vehicles.

    They don’t really care about this issue.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      Drake's TurtleneckVanguard Knight
      2/24/16 7:29pm

      Then they’re gonna need to cash out of this thing quick because they’re gonna be waiting a long time for that.

      Reply
      <
  • Read More
    VanNostrandJordan Sargent
    2/24/16 6:27pm

    Riders who carry are a bigger problem. I personally know of an Uber driver who a drunk rider “pranked” by holding him at gunpoint during the ride, then when the stop was reached, laughed it off and told him he was playing. Fucking terrifying.

    Reply
    <
    • Read More
      BurnmymindJordan Sargent
      2/24/16 6:05pm

      Wait, because of some random asshole, you want the government to force Uber to make me ride in a cage in the backseat? Do you know how many people cars themselves kill a year? You can’t create safety nets around everyone and insulate us from all the crazy pissed off people. Instead, figure out why there are so many crazy pissed off people! Help society to evolve to prevent such people and help those who become so messed up.

      Reply
      <
      • Read More
        cepalgBurnmymind
        2/24/16 6:09pm

        my god, next the government might force you to strap yourself into your car while it’s moving

        Reply
        <
    • Read More
      Spacecase908Jordan Sargent
      2/24/16 6:33pm

      I driver I had in Houston a while back had a gun in the car. He was pretty young (like college age) and we got to talking and I asked him if he had any crazy stories. He told me a few and ended up mentioning he got a gun (legal concealed carry) because drunk passengers can be huge assholes and sometimes violent and parts of houston are crazy dangerous at night.

      Reply
      <
      • Read More
        dothedewJordan Sargent
        2/24/16 11:27pm

        Ever since this shit happened, all I can think about is this scene. “You kept making all the stops?”

        Reply
        <