Following Uber - good or bad? Page 4

  • disusedgenius 22 Sep 2017 11:54:01 10,677 posts
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    whatfruitlivesagain wrote:
    @RichDC Or they could all go work for Lyft?
    They're not over here yet. There's mytaxi, Gett or Addison Lee as alternative apps, but I don't think they're gig economy companies.

    Edited by disusedgenius at 11:54:19 22-09-2017
  • Psychotext 22 Sep 2017 11:54:33 70,652 posts
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    If any of this is true, it's well deserved...

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greyball

    According to the New York Times report, which was based on interviews of four current and former Uber employees and a review of internal Uber documents, Greyball used several methods to identify and deny service to government officials who were investigating Uber for violations of local laws. Those methods included:

    Geofencing.
    Uber would create a digital map that identified the locations of city government offices. If a potential rider attempted to hail a ride from the area around a government building, Greyball would flag the individual as a possible law enforcement agent.

    Mining credit card databases.
    If Uber identified a credit card as being associated with a government agency or police union, it would flag that individual in Greyball.

    Identifying devices.
    Since government agencies would often buy cheap cellphones for use in sting operations, Uber employees would visit electronics stores to obtain model numbers for inexpensive phones and input those model numbers into Greyball.

    Searches of social media.
    Uber employees searched social media profiles to identify possible law enforcement agents. Uber then flagged those individuals in Greyball.
    It's the kind of behaviour you'd expect from the Mafia, not a fucking cab company.
  • Tonka 22 Sep 2017 11:57:37 31,979 posts
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    It's all true but you don't have to go that techie to liken them to the maffia.
    The fact that they are openly breaking the law in many countries to make a profit means they are organized crime.

    Vile company that actually offers nothing new. They exploited an existing market by disregarding regulations. Sooner or later governments will wake up to the fact that the tech giants are extracting enormous amounts of money without paying their dues and stat taxing them. Like what the EU is doing to Google.
  • Deleted user 22 September 2017 11:59:35
    disusedgenius wrote:
    whatfruitlivesagain wrote:
    @RichDC Or they could all go work for Lyft?
    They're not over here yet. There's mytaxi, Gett or Addison Lee as alternative apps, but I don't think they're gig economy companies.
    Fair but my point was a new app or operator will emerge to take its place and many of those 40,000 drivers will just switch.

    Uber doesn't own the cars or the workforce.

    Edited by whatfruitlivesagain at 11:59:54 22-09-2017
  • JoelStinty 22 Sep 2017 12:05:18 9,530 posts
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    taxi for uber!
  • Load_2.0 22 Sep 2017 12:06:04 33,582 posts
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    Tonka wrote:
    Vile company that actually offers nothing new. They exploited an existing market by disregarding regulations.
    OK right. Good one.
  • Tonka 22 Sep 2017 12:06:05 31,979 posts
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    RichDC wrote:
    Uber do have a lot of shitty goings on, but this is hardly painting TFL in a great light either. Effectively telling 40,000 people they don't have a job next Friday.
    This is a straight up lie. It's all on Uber for not doing something as basic as following the law.
  • cowell 22 Sep 2017 12:07:11 2,254 posts
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    If you were planning to buy a Prius. Maybe give it a few weeks....
  • disusedgenius 22 Sep 2017 12:07:41 10,677 posts
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    whatfruitlivesagain wrote:
    Fair but my point was a new app or operator will emerge to take its place and many of those 40,000 drivers will just switch.

    Uber doesn't own the cars or the workforce.
    Sure, but they're not the same job markets. For anyone who was a student, single parent etc who gained from a flexible, gig-based lifestyle then there isn't really a place for them to go.

    That I know of, anyway, I might be wrong on that.

    Edit: Since you mentioned the cars, iirc Uber offered loans to a lot of people to buy them, which could end up being 'interesting'.

    Edited by disusedgenius at 12:09:15 22-09-2017
  • jaangus 22 Sep 2017 12:09:35 5,405 posts
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    cowell wrote:
    If you were planning to buy a Prius. Maybe give it a few weeks....
    Haha
  • Deleted user 22 September 2017 12:13:00
    disusedgenius wrote:
    whatfruitlivesagain wrote:
    Fair but my point was a new app or operator will emerge to take its place and many of those 40,000 drivers will just switch.

    Uber doesn't own the cars or the workforce.
    Sure, but they're not the same job markets. For anyone who was a student, single parent etc who gained from a flexible, gig-based lifestyle then there isn't really a place for them to go.

    That I know of, anyway, I might be wrong on that.
    Calm down will you. Uber can appeal which I'm sure they will and are licensed to operate whilst the appeal takes place.

    This is willy waving by both sides. TFL will seek to impose conditions on Uber as part of offering a new licence. This is lawyers at dawn situation.

    But for the sake argument Uber is not granted a license to operate do you not think that a new "gig" operator would quickly step in to meet the demands of the market.
  • disusedgenius 22 Sep 2017 12:16:16 10,677 posts
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    whatfruitlivesagain wrote:
    Calm down will you.
    Piss off, cuntbag.
  • Deleted user 22 September 2017 12:17:39
    disusedgenius wrote:
    whatfruitlivesagain wrote:
    Calm down will you.
    Piss off, cuntbag.
    Do you suck your dad's dick with that mouth?
  • Tomo 22 Sep 2017 12:17:55 19,565 posts
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    You-can-call-me-kal wrote:
    RichDC wrote:
    Uber do have a lot of shitty goings on, but this is hardly painting TFL in a great light either. Effectively telling 40,000 people they don't have a job next Friday.
    None of them are employed by Uber in the first place. That's just one of the many reasons this has happened.
    Exactly. This is another reason why Uber (and zero hour contracts - but that's another discussion) suck because the 'employees' have no job security if it all goes tits up for whatever reason. Sure, arguably the employees know what they're letting themselves in for, but the increasing trend for these forms of employment is concerning.
  • disusedgenius 22 Sep 2017 12:21:11 10,677 posts
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    whatfruitlivesagain wrote:
    Do you suck your dad's dick with that mouth?
    :D

    But no, in all seriousness, I don't see us getting a gig-based competitor any time soon. Lyft seems like it's been a bit more cautious than Uber to get into the aggressive international expansion. It's seems like it's just too much of a dirty business to get into.
  • RyanDS 22 Sep 2017 12:26:14 14,073 posts
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    back to the safety of black cabs then...
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Worboys
  • cowell 22 Sep 2017 12:27:04 2,254 posts
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    Now if only black cab drivers could have figured out how to get their credit card machines working, we wouldn't have got to this point....
  • Load_2.0 22 Sep 2017 12:28:55 33,582 posts
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    I don't know if there is an operator with the resource and infrastructure to step in, plus they would need to go through an entire licensing process.

    the idea someone can scoop up (or TUPE) 25000+ employees and support all the IT requirements to run a similar service to UBER is a stretch.
  • Tonka 22 Sep 2017 12:33:54 31,979 posts
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    SpaceMonkey77 wrote:
    - Uber/Lyft guys at the top should on a regular basis, ride with some of their drivers, so they can get a better picture of what they go through from day to day, U-Boss style. This might be one of the only ways of fixing much of their issues. Once Uber/Lyft begin to do this & see what their drivers have to actually live off, then change will happen. If anyone knows the Undercover Boss show peoples, they should give Uber/Lyft CEO's a chance on that show. Then you'd see something change, perhaps.
    Ehhhmmm....
    Travis knows about the hardships of his drivers. He doesn't give a fuck.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTEDYCkNqns

    SpaceMonkey77 wrote:
    - More funds for drivers, so they don't have to sleep in their vehicles might help too.
    Ubers business is to sell the dream of an IPO to VCs. Not to make money from offering rides to people. Had it been the latter they'd be out of business years ago.

    SpaceMonkey77 wrote:
    - The animosity with regular taxis isn't something Uber/Lyft can do anything about, for such is the tides of change in the world, & every so often such happens. It did so when trains replaced the stage coach & horse back riding, and when airlines superseded train travel, but diversifying their Uber/Lyft range is something that's due to happen. Some are looking into aerial taxis, which would be awesome & shake things up again, while avoiding roads altogether.
    Is Uber really the only cab company with an app in the UK? Otherthan that they are just an unlicensed cab company with no insurances.

    SpaceMonkey77 wrote:
    - Uber/Lyft drives with female drivers upon request. This on is for the safety of the passenger, but up to them to do.

    Adds un-necessary overhead which the VCs won't like.

    SpaceMonkey77 wrote:
    - Better checks on drivers & performance reviews. Not sure if such happens as never used them before.

    Adds un-necessary overhead which the VCs won't like.

    SpaceMonkey77 wrote:
    - Possible share options for Uber/Lyft drivers. This would help them out too, than just relying on their driver pay. Drivers do well, then both companies do well too.

    Again, Uber isn't in the business of making money from offering rides.

    People have to stop thinking of Uber as a cab company. They exploit a market by not following regulations in order to build a monopoly and attract a lot of venture capital on the way.

    Sure, ultimately they want self driving cars so that they don't have to deal with drivers at all and sure.. that is nice. I guess. But it also signals how much they care for the well being of people driving for them. It's the old telling people to dig their own grave before you shoot them spiel.

    Any attempt at a likely improvement will have to meet the requirement of making Uber more attractive to VC. Drive the costs down and increase the number of rides.
  • Load_2.0 22 Sep 2017 12:34:54 33,582 posts
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    Ugh.
  • Tonka 22 Sep 2017 12:36:08 31,979 posts
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    RyanDS wrote:
    back to the safety of black cabs then...
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Worboys
    Hold my beer: Top Uber executive obtained the medical records of a customer who was a rape victim
  • cowell 22 Sep 2017 12:39:46 2,254 posts
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    @SpaceMonkey77

    A lot of problems with Uber, but half the bellyaching from black cab drivers is because they've refused to move with the times and technology (satnav, credit cards and smart phones) and are now looking very dated.
  • disusedgenius 22 Sep 2017 12:41:06 10,677 posts
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    SpaceMonkey77 wrote:
    @disusedgenius

    Only in places like China have Uber/Lyft had any competition.
    Sure, and in the end Lyft just partnered with local companies rather than compete. Uber tried to play hardball and got fucked over it.
  • Phattso 22 Sep 2017 12:50:01 27,426 posts
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    The Chinese government has already outlined a plan to retire fossil fuel engines and move to electric vehicles.
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