# Tell me about Uber **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2014, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829 "2014-08-29T02:45:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/42 "2014-12-08T20:32:48Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > As far as I can tell, most of the rules that legitimate taxi companies have to abide by were created with the purpose of creating a barrier to entry in the market and maintaining high profits for the owners of taxi medallions, or are no longer necessary in the age of smartphones. I’m fairly happy that Uber is forcing an upheaval in that market. I am happy with that, too. At least in NYC, regulations clearly make sure that the number of cabs is lower than what the market would “naturally” bear. If nothing else the idea of “hail using your phone instead of standing at the curb trying to catch the attention of a cab” is a great benefit that the taxi companies would not implement on their own. > [@](#): > > Uber GPS must be accurate enough to locate the person within, say, a block, because otherwise they couldn’t the passenger to pick up. Similarly, the destination has to be about that accurate, or they wouldn’t drop you off at the right place. Since you have the two endpoints, the distance between them can be calculated precisely regardless of whether the GPS accuracy during the ride is affected. I can confirm the problem with GPS in NYC for running. Among the buildings, my position is often off by something like a block. (The Uber app itself lets you update the pickup point on the map when your phone GPS is not good enough). I don’t know if the car’s GPS is any better, but it certainly is easier to track a car than a human, if the car is constrained to be following a path on the streets. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/43 "2014-12-08T22:34:44Z")
Uber has recently bullied their way into the Portland market, despite the rigid rules for running a taxi service here. Uber has basically just said “fuck it, we’re gonna do what we want”. Portland has responded by saying “Okay, but we will fine any driver we catch $1,000 and we will prosecute”. Uber has said they will support their drivers with cash. Should be an interesting sideshow. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/44 "2014-12-08T22:36:39Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Uber has recently bullied their way into the Portland market, despite the rigid rules for running a taxi service here. Uber has basically just said “fuck it, we’re gonna do what we want”. Portland has responded by saying “Okay, but we will fine any driver we catch $1,000 and we will prosecute”. Uber has said they will support their drivers with cash. Should be an interesting sideshow. Yes, I’ve been getting emails from Uber asking for help contacting Portland government types to allow freedom, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/45 "2014-12-09T00:13:51Z")
What happened to Lyft? It seems like you hear about Uber a lot more these days. To be fair, I haven’t really used either, but preferred Lyft because of Uber’s unfair business practices re calling Lyfts and cancelling them en mass, and threatening that one journalist. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/46 "2014-12-09T00:34:24Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > A rape in India by an Uber driver is being reported. Note its not reported as a _taxi drive_r but headlined as an _Uber taxi driver_. **Of all the hundreds(if not thousands) of rapes by taxi drivers around the world in any given year** suddenly one by an Uber driver gets most of the publicity. Not just any publicity but publicity explicitly shouting of Uber’s involvement. Had this been done by a driver working for a local firm called New Delhi Cab Co. it would have barely registered abroad. Certainly the company name would not have appeared in the headlines. **Uber is being dragged through the mud when most taxi companies would not**. Are there hundreds(if not thousands) of rapes by taxi drivers around the world in any given year? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/47 "2014-12-09T00:39:07Z")
Uber’s executives appear to be a bunch of criminal, thieving dickwads, IMO. [http://uberlawsuit.com](http://uberlawsuit.com) They aren’t a “ride sharing” business at all; they’re a fucking taxi/limo/bus service that doesn’t want to have to pay attention to laws or regulations. **Smapti** also mentioned that they break the law at times, like, oh every fucking second they were doing business in Nevada. Good riddance, asshats. ---
**Author:** ![BOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@BOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOOM)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/48 "2014-12-09T02:53:12Z")
Great ap, really great marketing but the business model seems to be to just undercut the market, and want the public to buy into the ‘cool’ when it’s just an agency cab service. Probably good in a city with a grid road system. Those GPS drivers drive me batshit in London. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/49 "2014-12-09T03:04:37Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > the quotes are pretty accurate. I’ve never had a quote exceed my actual cost. > [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > I’m hoping you mean that you’ve never had your actual cost exceed the quote. Whoops, that’s what I meant, yes. I’ve never had to pay more than what the quote said. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/50 "2014-12-09T03:13:07Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Uber has recently bullied their way into the Portland market, despite the rigid rules for running a taxi service here. Uber has basically just said “fuck it, we’re gonna do what we want”. Portland has responded by saying “Okay, but we will fine any driver we catch $1,000 and we will prosecute”. Uber has said they will support their drivers with cash. Should be an interesting sideshow. Uber just came to Ottawa a few months back, and same thing. Normally I’d support this kind of innovation, but circumventing the established regulations just because you want to isn’t gonna cut it with me. Sorry. I audit nuclear facilities. We abide by site licences; we can’t just unilaterally decide to disobey agreements. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/51 "2014-12-09T03:33:58Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Are there hundreds(if not thousands) of rapes by taxi drivers around the world in any given year? In a world of 7 billion people I’d guess there are at least hundreds. Even in the UK it was recently disclosed cab drivers in Rotherham were in large part responsible for abusing thousands of vulnerable teenagers during the past decade or so. The firms involved dont seem to have been headlined for their part in the abuses. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-29729574](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-29729574) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/52 "2014-12-09T04:16:14Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > In a world of 7 billion people I’d guess there are at least hundreds. Even in the UK it was recently disclosed cab drivers in Rotherham were in large part responsible for abusing thousands of vulnerable teenagers during the past decade or so. The firms involved dont seem to have been headlined for their part in the abuses. > > [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-29729574](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-29729574) “I’d guess” isn’t a cite. What part do you think John Worboys’ employer had in his crimes? Did he even drive for a taxi company, or did he own his own cab? Your link doesn’t say. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/53 "2014-12-09T04:22:31Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Uber has recently bullied their way into the Portland market, despite the rigid rules for running a taxi service here. Uber has basically just said “fuck it, we’re gonna do what we want”. Portland has responded by saying “Okay, but we will fine any driver we catch $1,000 and we will prosecute”. Uber has said they will support their drivers with cash. Should be an interesting sideshow. Same thing is happening in Philly. UberX drivers have had their vehicles impounded and are being fined $1000 plus towing costs. The drivers claim that Uber told them it was perfectly legal. So it sounds like Uber is setting these people up as test cases in their legal battle without their consent. I can’t feel much sympathy for a company that does this. It’s not like this is some scrappy little upstart fighting the good fight. This is a multi-billion dollar company trying to undercut the competition by not playing by the same rules as the rest. If you don’t like the laws then lobby to change them, but it’s hardly fair to undercut the law abiding competition by ignoring the law; and it’s wrong to tell the drivers that it’s perfectly legal when it isn’t. > **[Philadelphia Impounds 5 UberX Drivers on Service's (Abrupt) Launch Weekend](https://www.pcmag.com/news/philadelphia-impounds-5-uberx-drivers-on-services-abrupt-launch-weekend)** > > Catching UberX drivers is pretty easy and, when that happens, it's a $1,000 fine and towing fees. > [@](#): > > According to a subsequent report from Philadelphia Magazine, five vehicles in total were impounded for operating as UberX drivers. And how said drivers were found was almost too easy for investigators. All the plainclothes investigators had to do was pull up the Uber app, call for an UberX vehicle, and let the driver know what was going to happen. > > Fish in a barrel—an expensive barrel. The impound will set an UberX driver back $1,000 for the fine plus an unknown amount for the actual towing costs. Those who don’t want to pay up can ask for a hearing as early as Monday. Still, we suspect that those doing so won’t have much of an argument to go with given the ease at which they were found. > > “I almost felt sorry for two of the drivers. They both had the same exact story that they were told it was legal and that everything would be fine,” said an unnamed parking authority official. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/54 "2014-12-09T05:03:34Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > “I’d guess” isn’t a cite. > > What part do you think John Worboys’ employer had in his crimes? Did he even drive for a taxi company, or did he own his own cab? Your link doesn’t say. A cite isn’t needed. Of all the millions upon millions of cab rides each and every year its a safe bet hundred or so(at least) end in rape. Just google the words _taxi driver_ and _rape_, there are plenty of examples out there, plenty others that barely get reported anywhere online, and many more that go unreported by victims. I have just given you a link to a report on thousands of teenagers sexually abused in Rotherham alone. Believe me if you wish, but taxi drivers and rape go together like rape and college frats, rape & truck drivers and rape & gangbangers. Im not sure why you mention Worboys in this instance. Other than him being a black cab driver his employer or licensing authority were not held accountable for his actions. Though I believe Worboys was self employed so the licensing authority would be the likely organisation responsible for him. Little or no finger of blame was pointed towards the licensing authority in his case. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/55 "2014-12-09T15:04:59Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > It’s not like this is some scrappy little upstart fighting the good fight. This is a multi-billion dollar company trying to undercut the competition by not playing by the same rules as the rest. > > If you don’t like the laws then lobby to change them, but it’s hardly fair to undercut the law abiding competition by ignoring the law; and it’s wrong to tell the drivers that it’s perfectly legal when it isn’t. > [Philadelphia Impounds 5 UberX Drivers on Service's (Abrupt) Launch Weekend | PCMag](http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2471008,00.asp) Yeah, that’s what troubles me, is the skirting/ignoring laws and leaving their drivers out to hang for it. I like the idea behind Uber, but I am troubled by some of their practices. Some of the regulations regarding taxis might be out of date or too broad or something, but the solution isn’t to just not follow those regulations. If a company feels free to ignore some regulations, I’m worrited about what other ones they might not be following. I’m guessing in a few years the laws will be worked out better, and Uber (or some other taxi app successor) will be having less issues. > [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > A cite isn’t needed. Of all the millions upon millions of cab rides each and every year its a safe bet hundred or so(at least) end in rape. Just google the words _taxi driver_ and _rape_, there are plenty of examples out there, plenty others that barely get reported anywhere online, and many more that go unreported by victims. I have just given you a link to a report on thousands of teenagers sexually abused in Rotherham alone. Believe me if you wish, but taxi drivers and rape go together like rape and college frats, rape & truck drivers and rape & gangbangers. A cite is needed if you are going to say that one is less safe than the other. I looked for statistics regarding taxi drivers and rapes, taxi drivers and assault, safety of taxis vs Uber, and was having trouble finding anything definitive. Especially because when looking it’s mainly the big profile cases that come up, but that doesn’t let us know whether those dangerous taxi or Uber drivers are 1 in 1 million or 1 in 100. If anyone does have definite statistics, I’d like to see them. But one thing I did find regarding safety was [in this article](http://www.cnet.com/news/how-risky-is-your-uber-ride-maybe-more-than-you-think/): > [@](#): > > Taxi drivers have assaulted passengers. The difference, Sutton said, is that cab companies are usually accountable in such instances. > > Regulations for taxi companies vary from city to city, but all cab companies must have liability insurance of at least $250,000. The key, however, is that most taxi companies also have a backup umbrella policy to cover rare occurrences, like a passenger slipping on ice or being attacked by a driver, Sutton said. > > San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency says on its website that the insurance that city cab companies carry means “when you hire a San Francisco taxi, you have proper legal recourse should the need arise.” > > While Uber requires its drivers to have $1 million of liability insurance coverage, which is higher than many cab companies, it’s unclear if this would cover incidents like a driver attacking a passenger. This type of insurance coverage is typically meant for car accidents. I don’t want to be attacked or injured at all. But if I am attacked, I definitely don’t want to have to end up paying for my own hospital bills. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/56 "2014-12-09T17:02:14Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > A cite isn’t needed. Of all the millions upon millions of cab rides each and every year its a safe bet hundred or so(at least) end in rape. Just google the words _taxi driver_ and _rape_, there are plenty of examples out there, plenty others that barely get reported anywhere online, and many more that go unreported by victims. I have just given you a link to a report on thousands of teenagers sexually abused in Rotherham alone. Believe me if you wish, but taxi drivers and rape go together like rape and college frats, rape & truck drivers and rape & gangbangers. That sure was a lot of words for “no, I don’t really have any facts to back up my claim, but I really really really think what I said is prolly true”. **Sam** made a good case for why your evasion is inappropriate; I don’t think I could add much to what he said. > [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > Im not sure why you mention Worboys in this instance. Other than him being a black cab driver his employer or licensing authority were not held accountable for his actions. Though I believe Worboys was self employed so the licensing authority would be the likely organisation responsible for him. Little or no finger of blame was pointed towards the licensing authority in his case. I didn’t mention him; you did. You held him up as an example of a taxi driver rapist who’s employer wasn’t held accountable for his actions, but the link didn’t even mention an employer. Now you come in and say that YOUR EXAMPLE doesn’t even fit the criteria YOU set up; you gave us an apples vs. oranges situation, apparently. Why would a finger of blame have been pointed at the licensing authority? Are they responsbile for background checks? AFAICT from a little reading online, getting a license to drive a cab in London requires extensive knowledge of the city, but I see no mention anywhere of a background check of any kind. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/57 "2014-12-09T17:10:31Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > A cite is needed if you are going to say that one is less safe than the other. I don’t see where Fuzzy made that claim, or even implied it, which is why I’m having a hard time understanding why people are foaming at the mouth for cites in this instance. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/58 "2014-12-09T17:33:43Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > I don’t see where Fuzzy made that claim, or even implied it, which is why I’m having a hard time understanding why people are foaming at the mouth for cites in this instance. It’s true that Fuzzy didn’t say that Uber is safer, but he did say that “but taxi drivers and rape go together like rape and college frats, rape & truck drivers and rape & gangbangers.” That is very troubling to me if it is true, I don’t take taxis often, but I have occasionally going to and from the airport, or when I’m in other cities. I’m not foaming at the mouth, but there are a lot of article and cites of specific incidents of assaults by Uber drivers, and some people say that Uber critics are nitpicking. Some people feel that Uber is safer, and some people feel that regular taxis are safer, and there’s definitely arguments on both sides, but I haven’t seen a lot of specific numbers. It is very possible that Uber is overall safer, and that while assaults from Uber drivers have made a lot of news, that it happens less often per customer than from taxi drivers, but I’m having trouble finding any numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/59 "2014-12-09T17:42:06Z")
Isn’t that pretty much what he’s saying? Before we go out of our way to include the name Uber in every headline, why don’t we figure out if they’re any worse than any other cab company. That’s what I took away from his comments, yet there are posters above who ignored the general sentiment, instead rushing in to scream “CITE! CITE! You have no cite!” ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/60 "2014-12-10T01:31:00Z")
I saw this [article](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141209160450-9652774-in-defense-of-uber-in-india?trk=tod-home-art-list-small_1) on Linkedin which presents an interesting angle on the rape case in India. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829/61 "2014-12-10T03:56:37Z")
BTW, in case anyone cares, I ended up not using it for my trips 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-uber/696829.md?page=4)