tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16409208349507411702024-03-12T22:01:01.014-07:00Behind the Wheel: A Rideshare ConfessionalKelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-79459623294218806452016-06-04T08:04:00.000-07:002016-06-04T08:04:03.639-07:00I Drive SF - The Blog Continues... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I DRIVE SF - The blog and column, collected <a href="https://idrivesf.wordpress.com/" target="">here</a>...<br />
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New content added weekly...Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-53305627655494878822016-02-20T05:28:00.002-08:002016-02-20T05:28:47.959-08:00I Drive S.F. - The Column<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.sfexaminer.com/category/the-city/sf-news-columns/i-drive-sf/" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the archives of my column in the S.F. Examiner.Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-80484335033089164992016-02-20T05:18:00.000-08:002016-02-20T05:18:05.752-08:00New Blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm now blogging <a href="https://idrivesf.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. So all this stuff is old news. If you want to know what I'm doing these days, check me out <a href="https://idrivesf.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. Cool? <a href="https://idrivesf.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Cool</a>.Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-9893234946702645952015-06-11T12:05:00.001-07:002015-06-11T12:05:15.679-07:00Disrupt the Disruptors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://medium.com/behind-the-wheel" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PaaUas8SvWE/VXnbkSmXIcI/AAAAAAAAAg4/uSygFJdVL3A/s640/disrupt-the-disruptors-cab-sf.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-9345341897494334132015-06-11T11:55:00.001-07:002015-06-11T11:55:17.629-07:00From Rideshare to Taxi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">In Jan. 2015, I stopped driving for Uber and Lyft and switched to taxi. To read my adventures in a cab, follow on: </span><br />
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<a href="https://medium.com/behind-the-wheel" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Medium</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://idrivesf.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">I Drive SF blog</a></span>Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-89707376799378853722015-02-04T12:46:00.000-08:002015-02-04T12:47:54.612-08:00My Uber Breaking Point<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gWyK5kf8J2g/VNKELjeu2AI/AAAAAAAAAfc/KUaTxSA_Wkk/s1600/fuck_uber_HQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gWyK5kf8J2g/VNKELjeu2AI/AAAAAAAAAfc/KUaTxSA_Wkk/s1600/fuck_uber_HQ.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My latest diatribe about driving for Uber and Lyft, with a scathing comparison between the two services: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I just couldn’t be a part of their <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kenbensinger/ubers-auto-registration-gambit?utm_term=.ayAxAa3J4#.sfeavaKD1">rapacious practices</a> anymore. After putting off the inevitable for too long already, it was time to implement my exit strategy and move on to driving a taxi. As soon as I earned enough money for taxi school, I would finally be done with Lyft and Uber. Then it’s the cabbie’s life for me!</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the meantime, I started driving for Lyft again. Which wasn’t an easy sacrifice to make. At least with Uber there’s no expectation of conviviality. The Lyft experience is so pedestrian. Lyft tries to hold your hand the whole time. It’s excruciating when you know what you’re doing and just want to get the job done. That’s why Uber is killing Lyft in the ride-hail wars. They are the bridge between taxis and limos. A premium service at a cut-rate price.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With Uber, there are no illusions. Unless you’re an idiot — or believe <a href="http://therideshareguy.com/43-industry-experts-reveal-their-outlook-for-rideshare-in-2015/">corporate shills like The Rideshare Guy</a> — you enter the life of an Uber driver knowing damn well you’re going to get fucked up the ass. Lyft, on the other hand, is all about a false sense of community and inclusiveness. As long as you play by their rules. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a more jingoistic, flag-waving group of kool-aid drinking cheerleaders before <a href="https://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2015/01/29/the-cult-of-lyft-inside-the-pacific-driver-lounge/">I discovered the loyal drivers in Lyft’s Facebook driver lounges</a>. These private groups have since been disbanded, as if John Zimmer, the CEO, happened upon them one night and, after perusing the infinite flow of asinine comments by a chorus of gossip hounds and glad-handers, murmured into the glow of his computer screen, “Exterminate the brutes.”</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lyft may portray themselves as fun and quirky and the “friendly” alternative, but they’re just like Uber. Except when they cut rates and tell drivers it’s for their own good, they never fail to mention how we’re part of a a community. Which makes their version of ass-rape so appalling.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I like my evil pure and uncut, thank you very much.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://disinfo.com/2015/02/uber-breaking-point/" target="_blank">Continue Reading...</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">----</span>Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-54498574438891414602015-01-02T20:09:00.000-08:002015-01-02T20:09:15.142-08:00Night of the Living Taxi: The Epic Rideshare Fail of NYE 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C5CvGx1fByg/VKdrHUNN3RI/AAAAAAAAAek/HL0252Ahtts/s1600/NYE_lyft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C5CvGx1fByg/VKdrHUNN3RI/AAAAAAAAAek/HL0252Ahtts/s1600/NYE_lyft.jpg" height="508" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><b>In San Francisco, New Year’s Eve was the night of the taxi.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="http://flywheel.com/">FlyWheel</a>, the taxi-hailing app, was <a href="http://blog.flywheel.com/2014/12/28/surgefreenye/">offering $10 rides</a> (up to $50) from 8PM to 3AM. Luxor Cab was <a href="http://www.berginjurylawyers.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/BIL.PressRelease.NYE_.2014.pdf?0fc4c9">giving away free rides</a> (up to $35) from bars and restaurants to residences during 10PM and 4AM. For once, passengers had plenty of options. The muni <a href="http://www.sfmta.com/calendar/alerts/ride-muni-free-extra-service-new-years-eve">was free all night</a>. And the <a href="http://www.sfmta.com/calendar/alerts/ride-muni-free-extra-service-new-years-eve">Bart ran until 3AM</a>. So riders who normally take Uber and Lyft would have to be seriously committed to rideshare not to take advantage of those deals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />From everything I saw on the road and read about on Facebook groups and Twitter (I had plenty of time to kill online), <a href="http://www.geekwire.com/2014/flywheel-bashes-ubers-surge-pricing-strategy-offers-10-flat-rate-rides-new-years-eve/">FlyWheel’s gambit</a> paid off. As I cruised all over town, mostly alone in my car, wasting over a quarter tank of gas in the process, I rarely saw an empty cab. From the Marina to Hayes Valley, from the Mission to the Richmond, I laughed and cried at all those taxis jam-packed with fresh young faces. The kind of folks you usually see in Ubers and Lyfts. I may have even recognized a few. They certainly weren’t getting in my car. I had the worst Wednesday night ever! $60 for over five hours of driving. That is was New Year’s Eve seemed incidental.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/night-of-the-living-taxi-the-epic-rideshare-fail-of-nye-2015/" target="_blank">Continue Reading</a></span><br />
<br />Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-80611810876434354522014-12-24T12:56:00.000-08:002014-12-24T13:00:57.587-08:00Gouge Away: Uber's Surge Pricing from a Driver's Perspective<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Open Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;">During the recent</span><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;"> </span><a data-mce-href="http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-siege-how-the-hostage-drama-played-out-20141220-12b1km.html" href="http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-siege-how-the-hostage-drama-played-out-20141220-12b1km.html" style="color: #21759b; line-height: 1.714285714; outline: none;" target="_blank">hostage crisis in Sydney</a><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;">, due to increased demand, Uber’s</span><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;"> </span><a data-mce-href="http://mashable.com/2014/12/14/uber-sydney-surge-pricing/" href="http://mashable.com/2014/12/14/uber-sydney-surge-pricing/" style="color: #21759b; line-height: 1.714285714; outline: none;" target="_blank">surge pricing took effect</a><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;">. Understandably, people wanted to get the hell out of dodge. Fast! Since then, there have been</span><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;"> </span><a data-mce-href="http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/sydney-hostage-standoff/ubers-surge-pricing-near-siege-sydney-sparks-outrage-n268371" href="http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/sydney-hostage-standoff/ubers-surge-pricing-near-siege-sydney-sparks-outrage-n268371" style="color: #21759b; line-height: 1.714285714; outline: none;" target="_blank">a slew of articles</a><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;"> </span><a data-mce-href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/uber-raised-prices-in-sydney-as-hostage-situation-unfolded-2014-12-15" href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/uber-raised-prices-in-sydney-as-hostage-situation-unfolded-2014-12-15" style="color: #21759b; line-height: 1.714285714; outline: none;" target="_blank">lambasting Uber’s</a><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;"> </span><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;">“</span><a data-mce-href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/19/uber-patents_n_6354166.html" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/19/uber-patents_n_6354166.html" style="color: #21759b; line-height: 1.714285714; outline: none;" target="_blank">dynamic pricing</a><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;">” model. Surge pricing,</span><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;"> </span><a data-mce-href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/11293760/Sydney-siege-surge-pricing-gets-Uber-in-trouble.html" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/11293760/Sydney-siege-surge-pricing-gets-Uber-in-trouble.html" style="color: #21759b; line-height: 1.714285714; outline: none;" target="_blank">especially during a terrorist threat</a><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;">, always</span><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;"> </span><a data-mce-href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-shouldnt-surge-pricing-during-emergencies-2014-12" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-shouldnt-surge-pricing-during-emergencies-2014-12" style="color: #21759b; line-height: 1.714285714; outline: none;" target="_blank">rubs the public the wrong way</a><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;">. And yet, various writers have come to Uber’s defense, arguing that surge pricing is simply</span><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;"> </span><a data-mce-href="https://hbr.org/2014/12/what-economists-dont-get-about-ubers-surge-pricing" href="https://hbr.org/2014/12/what-economists-dont-get-about-ubers-surge-pricing" style="color: #21759b; line-height: 1.714285714; outline: none;" target="_blank">an example of supply and demand</a><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Olivia Nuzzi, with the Daily Beast, <a data-mce-href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/16/in-defense-of-uber-s-awful-sydney-surge-pricing.html" href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/16/in-defense-of-uber-s-awful-sydney-surge-pricing.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">wrote</a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Uber does not have a responsibility to care about you. Uber is not a government entity, and it is not beholden to the general carless public during an unwelcome drizzle of rain or even a time of great distress.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Matthew Feeney, with the Cato Institute, the Koch-founded libertarian think tank, <a data-mce-href="http://www.cato.org/blog/economics-uber-surge-pricing" href="http://www.cato.org/blog/economics-uber-surge-pricing" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">wrote on their blog</a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“What is great about a pricing system like Uber’s surge pricing is that it allows users who want an Uber ride the most to have it. Prices are a great way of communicating customer preferences.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2014/12/22/is-ubers-surge-pricing-fair/" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2014/12/22/is-ubers-surge-pricing-fair/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Fair enough</a>. In Econ 101, you learn all about supply and demand. On paper, surge pricing makes total sense. But corporate boosters like Feeney are missing some major factors that obviously aren’t apparent from the exalted view of an ivory tower. Namely, Uber isn’t a $40 billion company because it’s the Grey Poupon of urban transportation. Not only do they <a data-mce-href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/19/uber-and-disruption/" href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/19/uber-and-disruption/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">hope to take the place of traditional taxi service</a>, Uber wants to replace <a data-mce-href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/12/04/uber_raises_1_2_billion_new_funding_gives_travis_kalanick_s_ride_service.html" href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/12/04/uber_raises_1_2_billion_new_funding_gives_travis_kalanick_s_ride_service.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">car ownership altogether</a>. How can they do that with part-time drivers whose only incentive to drive is the opportunity to gouge people desperate enough to pay whatever it takes to get home?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://disinfo.com/2014/12/gouge-away-ubers-surge-pricing-drivers-perspective/" target="_blank">Continue Reading</a>...</span></div>
Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-62105032593420445802014-12-15T16:49:00.000-08:002014-12-19T13:10:03.123-08:00Being Uber Ain't Easy: Why All Drivers Should Support Regulation<div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem;">
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<i>(Originally appeared on <a href="http://disinfo.com/2014/12/uber-aint-easy-drivers-support-regulation/" target="_blank">Disinformation</a>.)</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The global pushback against Uber domination continues to gain momentum. Over the past few weeks, the ride-hailing app was <a data-mce-href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/world/asia/new-delhi-bans-uber-after-driver-is-accused-of-rape.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/world/asia/new-delhi-bans-uber-after-driver-is-accused-of-rape.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">banned in India</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.businessinsider.com/thailand-bans-uber-in-light-of-india-rape-claims-2014-12" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/thailand-bans-uber-in-light-of-india-rape-claims-2014-12" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Thailand</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/15/7393473/france-bans-uberpop-after-taxi-unions-protest-uber-paris" href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/15/7393473/france-bans-uberpop-after-taxi-unions-protest-uber-paris" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">France</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.bbc.com/news/business-30395093" href="http://www.bbc.com/news/business-30395093" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">suspended in Spain</a> and challenged in <a data-mce-href="http://www.cnet.com/news/uber-could-face-criminal-charges-in-brussels-reports-say/" href="http://www.cnet.com/news/uber-could-face-criminal-charges-in-brussels-reports-say/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Belgium</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-30/uber-struggles-to-woo-germans-spoiled-by-mercedes-taxis.html" href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-30/uber-struggles-to-woo-germans-spoiled-by-mercedes-taxis.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Germany</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/08/us-uber-netherlands-idUSKBN0JM0XJ20141208" href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/08/us-uber-netherlands-idUSKBN0JM0XJ20141208" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">the Netherlands</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://www.cnet.com/news/uber-defies-government-warnings-and-goes-live-in-seoul-korea/" href="http://www.cnet.com/news/uber-defies-government-warnings-and-goes-live-in-seoul-korea/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">South Korea</a>. Across the US, local governments in <a data-mce-href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/05/uber-to-portland-were-here-deal-with-it/?_r=0" href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/05/uber-to-portland-were-here-deal-with-it/?_r=0" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Oregon</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/consumer/call-12-for-action/2014/08/31/ride-sharing-crackdowns-stop-illegal-arizona-operators/14904731/" href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/consumer/call-12-for-action/2014/08/31/ride-sharing-crackdowns-stop-illegal-arizona-operators/14904731/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Arizona</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada/nevada-judge-rules-against-ride-sharing-firm-uber" href="http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada/nevada-judge-rules-against-ride-sharing-firm-uber" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Nevada</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2014/11/city-scaling-back-paid-ride-permit-process-friday-lyft-leaving-thursday/" href="http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2014/11/city-scaling-back-paid-ride-permit-process-friday-lyft-leaving-thursday/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Texas</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.phillymag.com/news/2014/10/26/uber-philadelphia-uberx-ppa-sting-impounds/" href="http://www.phillymag.com/news/2014/10/26/uber-philadelphia-uberx-ppa-sting-impounds/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Pennsylvania</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://www.cnet.com/news/california-sues-ride-sharing-service-uber-settles-with-rival-lyft/" href="http://www.cnet.com/news/california-sues-ride-sharing-service-uber-settles-with-rival-lyft/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">California</a> are <a data-mce-href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/here-is-where-uber-and-lyft-are-facing-regulation-battles-in" href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/here-is-where-uber-and-lyft-are-facing-regulation-battles-in" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">cracking down</a> on the San Francisco-based behemoth, as well as its smaller rival, Lyft. Every day there are <a data-mce-href="http://www.thenation.com/article/192545/socialize-uber" href="http://www.thenation.com/article/192545/socialize-uber" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">more</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://mashable.com/2014/12/14/uber-sydney-surge-pricing/#:eyJzIjoidCIsImkiOiJfd2JjdHQzaHNkM25sZjl3aCJ9" href="http://mashable.com/2014/12/14/uber-sydney-surge-pricing/#:eyJzIjoidCIsImkiOiJfd2JjdHQzaHNkM25sZjl3aCJ9" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">more</a> articles in major news outlets <a data-mce-href="http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-20141214-column.html#page=1" href="http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-20141214-column.html#page=1" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">documenting</a> the <a data-mce-href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/12/13/uber-lyft-rider-safety/20231731/" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/12/13/uber-lyft-rider-safety/20231731/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">growing rideshare backlash</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Uber responds to the lawsuits and rampant criticism with aplomb, holding the ship steady amid a tempest of dissent. They are always quick to fire back. When they're not <a data-mce-href="http://pando.com/2014/11/17/the-moment-i-learned-just-how-far-uber-will-go-to-silence-journalists-and-attack-women/" href="http://pando.com/2014/11/17/the-moment-i-learned-just-how-far-uber-will-go-to-silence-journalists-and-attack-women/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">threatening journalists</a>, they accuse city councils of unfairly <a data-mce-href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/oct/24/nevada-puts-stop-ridesharing-uber-now/" href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/oct/24/nevada-puts-stop-ridesharing-uber-now/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">subjecting them to unfair burdens</a>. They claim their model of ridesharing is <a data-mce-href="http://blog.uber.com/2013/04/12/uber-policy-white-paper-1-0/" href="http://blog.uber.com/2013/04/12/uber-policy-white-paper-1-0/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;">under attack by government overregulation</a>. Since they profess to be a <a data-mce-href="https://www.uber.com/legal/usa/terms" href="https://www.uber.com/legal/usa/terms" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">technology and not a transportation company</a>, they argue they're immune to the same laws that taxi companies must adhere to. They demand <a data-mce-href="http://www.bloomberg.com/video/uber-takes-on-regulations-taxis-but-it-s-not-special-0eOC1VRuQJKVRtinu0uRhw.html?hootPostID=c762e47bc8ee005800de79a0b1f6705a" href="http://www.bloomberg.com/video/uber-takes-on-regulations-taxis-but-it-s-not-special-0eOC1VRuQJKVRtinu0uRhw.html?hootPostID=c762e47bc8ee005800de79a0b1f6705a" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">special treatment</a> because they are disrupting the evil “<a data-mce-href="http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2014/12/uber-travis-kalanick-controversy" href="http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2014/12/uber-travis-kalanick-controversy" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">taxi cartel</a>” and bringing quality service to the masses. They hire lobbyists and ask their supporters – both drivers and passengers – <a data-mce-href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/uber-pressures-regulators-by-mobilizing-riders-and-hiring-vast-lobbying-network/2014/12/13/3f4395c6-7f2a-11e4-9f38-95a187e4c1f7_story.html" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/uber-pressures-regulators-by-mobilizing-riders-and-hiring-vast-lobbying-network/2014/12/13/3f4395c6-7f2a-11e4-9f38-95a187e4c1f7_story.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">to sign petitions and join rallies</a>. They set up <a data-mce-href="http://blog.uber.com/AZLovesUber" href="http://blog.uber.com/AZLovesUber" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">web pages</a> to make it easy for customers to <a data-mce-href="http://blog.uber.com/2012/11/01/uberchilove/" href="http://blog.uber.com/2012/11/01/uberchilove/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">contact their representatives</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Being Uber means you never have to take your face out of an iPhone. Click a button, get an Uber ride. Click another, <a data-mce-href="http://blog.uber.com/2013/12/08/love-uber-join-the-uber-team-and-spread-the-word/" href="http://blog.uber.com/2013/12/08/love-uber-join-the-uber-team-and-spread-the-word/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">support the Uber cause</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As an Uber/Lyft driver, I’ve received <a data-mce-href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ubers-spam-text-messaging-problem-2014-12" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ubers-spam-text-messaging-problem-2014-12" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">dozens of emails and texts</a> encouraging me to resist government meddling. I may drive for these companies, but I’m not stupid. <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/why-i-uber-on-the-reality-of-ridesharing/" href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/why-i-uber-on-the-reality-of-ridesharing/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Just broke and desperate</a>. Which is why I use my own car as an unlicensed taxicab, despite the risks associated with transporting drunk and impatient people through crowded urban streets. I know I’m not protected from misfortune. When something goes wrong, whether it be car-maintenance or worse, I’m on the hook. My personal insurance policy is <a data-mce-href="http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Leaked-transcript-shows-Geico-s-stance-against-5910113.php" href="http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Leaked-transcript-shows-Geico-s-stance-against-5910113.php" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">completely invalid when driving for-hire</a>. If I get in an accident, I’ll be at the mercy of <a data-mce-href="http://uberpeople.net/threads/uberx-james-river-insr.403/" href="http://uberpeople.net/threads/uberx-james-river-insr.403/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">the offshore insurance company</a> Uber uses to cover their drivers. From <a data-mce-href="http://uberpeople.net" href="http://uberpeople.net/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">everything I’ve read</a> about the experiences of other drivers, Uber won’t be clamoring to come to my aid. There isn’t even a number to call in case of an emergency. I could have bodies splattered all over the asphalt and still only be able to email Uber support. And hope for the best. Even though drivers make these companies billions of dollars, <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/for-whom-the-uber-tolls/" href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/for-whom-the-uber-tolls/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">we are entirely alone out on the streets</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Being Uber means never thinking about the consequences of being Uber.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So why support a system that puts the underemployed at such an extreme disadvantage? It makes sense Uber customers would oppose regulation. <a data-mce-href="https://medium.com/@piltdownlad/the-uber-you-reap-is-the-uber-you-sow-908e1f992905" href="https://medium.com/@piltdownlad/the-uber-you-reap-is-the-uber-you-sow-908e1f992905" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Until something goes wrong</a>. They just want cheap, efficient rides and a cashless payment system. But a regulated Uber and Lyft are in drivers' best interests. After all, we are the ones with <a data-mce-href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17201/uber_s_business_model_screwing_its_workers" href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17201/uber_s_business_model_screwing_its_workers" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">everything at stake</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Maybe I am kind of stupid.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Safety Not Guaranteed </span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Regulation is all about <a data-mce-href="http://blog.uber.com/ridesharinginsurance" href="http://blog.uber.com/ridesharinginsurance" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">insurance</a> and <a data-mce-href="https://gigaom.com/2014/12/10/heres-the-problem-with-the-way-uber-vets-drivers/" href="https://gigaom.com/2014/12/10/heres-the-problem-with-the-way-uber-vets-drivers/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">background checks</a>. Taxi companies are required to provide adequate insurance and use <a data-mce-href="http://www.mylivescan.com/live_scan_faq.html" href="http://www.mylivescan.com/live_scan_faq.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Live Scan background checks</a> to properly vet their drivers. So what’s the big deal? Uber was just valued at <a data-mce-href="http://fortune.com/2014/11/25/uber-reportedly-valued-at-40-billion-by-investors/" href="http://fortune.com/2014/11/25/uber-reportedly-valued-at-40-billion-by-investors/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">$40 billion</a>. Why can’t they provide adequate insurance and fork over the cash for <a data-mce-href="https://gigaom.com/2014/12/10/heres-the-problem-with-the-way-uber-vets-drivers/" href="https://gigaom.com/2014/12/10/heres-the-problem-with-the-way-uber-vets-drivers/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">industry-standard background checks</a>? They have no problem writing code that makes hailing a car as easy as touching the screen of a smart phone, but when faced with a little bureaucratic paperwork, suddenly <a data-mce-href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/10/technology/ubers-system-for-screening-drivers-comes-under-scrutiny.html" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/10/technology/ubers-system-for-screening-drivers-comes-under-scrutiny.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">they don’t have the resources</a>?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s almost impressive how far Uber will go to <a data-mce-href="http://www.inc.com/magazine/201307/christine-lagorio/uber-the-car-service-explosive-growth.html" href="http://www.inc.com/magazine/201307/christine-lagorio/uber-the-car-service-explosive-growth.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">avoid regulation</a>. Shawn Marquez, the acting director of Arizona’s Department of Weights and Measures, which regulates cabs in the state, <a data-mce-href="http://time.com/money/3626486/uber-insurance-background-checks/" href="http://time.com/money/3626486/uber-insurance-background-checks/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">recently pointed out</a>, “Some areas regulate how many cars you can have, their color, their year, how much the price is. In Arizona we don’t do any of that. You can have purple cars with stars and stripes as long as you have the insurance.” (<a data-mce-href="http://www.azfamily.com/news/Uber-Lyft-Insurance-Crackdown-285899701.html" href="http://www.azfamily.com/news/Uber-Lyft-Insurance-Crackdown-285899701.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Arizona continues to crack down on Uber and Lyft</a>.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Instead of playing by the rules, Uber just <a data-mce-href="http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/12/portland_will_not_be_stampeded.html" href="http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/12/portland_will_not_be_stampeded.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">plows into cities across the world and sets up shop</a>. They figure after getting public support for their service, they can argue they’re providing an invaluable service that <a data-mce-href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/12/09/uber_expansion_strategy_using_consumers_and_petitions_to_fight_local_regulators.html" href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/12/09/uber_expansion_strategy_using_consumers_and_petitions_to_fight_local_regulators.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">consumers would suffer without</a>. When the <a data-mce-href="http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/city-los-angeles-plans-make-taxis-like-uber" href="http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/city-los-angeles-plans-make-taxis-like-uber" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">regulators come calling</a>, they <a data-mce-href="http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/uber-bulldozes-through-regulatory-blockades/40586724" href="http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/uber-bulldozes-through-regulatory-blockades/40586724" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">cry injustice</a> and rally the legal teams. It’s a gambit that <a data-mce-href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/01/ubers-screw-you-strategy-in-australia-relies-on-regulators-too-timid-to-enforce-the-law" href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/01/ubers-screw-you-strategy-in-australia-relies-on-regulators-too-timid-to-enforce-the-law" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">seems to be paying off</a>. Even with several <a data-mce-href="http://jalopnik.com/uber-just-got-sued-by-the-city-of-portland-1668524317?utm_campaign=socialflow_jalopnik_twitter&utm_source=jalopnik_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow" href="http://jalopnik.com/uber-just-got-sued-by-the-city-of-portland-1668524317?utm_campaign=socialflow_jalopnik_twitter&utm_source=jalopnik_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">pending lawsuits</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://jalopnik.com/uber-just-got-sued-by-the-city-of-portland-1668524317?utm_campaign=socialflow_jalopnik_twitter&utm_source=jalopnik_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow" href="http://jalopnik.com/uber-just-got-sued-by-the-city-of-portland-1668524317?utm_campaign=socialflow_jalopnik_twitter&utm_source=jalopnik_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">including Portland</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/12/09/sf-la-district-attorneys-sue-uber-and-lyft-over-misleading-business-violations/" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/12/09/sf-la-district-attorneys-sue-uber-and-lyft-over-misleading-business-violations/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">San Francisco and Los Angeles</a>, they are still <a data-mce-href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/5/7342981/uber-launches-in-portland-oregon-despite-being-completely-illegal-there" href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/5/7342981/uber-launches-in-portland-oregon-despite-being-completely-illegal-there" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">operating in those cities</a>. Las Vegas seems to be the only municipality <a data-mce-href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/jul/17/las-vegas-uber-cabs-transportation-lyft/" href="http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/jul/17/las-vegas-uber-cabs-transportation-lyft/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">able to fend them off</a>. (Though Portland is <a data-mce-href="http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-32588-uber-has-been-hit-with-%252467750-in-fines-by-the-city-of-portland-after-10-days-of-operating-here.html" href="http://www.wweek.com/portland/blog-32588-uber-has-been-hit-with-%252467750-in-fines-by-the-city-of-portland-after-10-days-of-operating-here.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">trying their damnedest to rout Uber's advance</a> into the Rose City.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Being Uber means never taking "no" for an answer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lyft, on the other hand, is pulling out of places where regulation doesn’t bode with their model. In November, when the Houston city council approved regulations for rideshare services, <a data-mce-href="http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2014/11/city-scaling-back-paid-ride-permit-process-friday-lyft-leaving-thursday/" href="http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2014/11/city-scaling-back-paid-ride-permit-process-friday-lyft-leaving-thursday/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">they shut down operations</a>, claiming background checks, increased insurance and safety exams create an undue burden for drivers. A few weeks ago, they <a data-mce-href="http://www.geekwire.com/2014/lyft-temporarily-shuts-operations-tacoma-due-new-regulations/" href="http://www.geekwire.com/2014/lyft-temporarily-shuts-operations-tacoma-due-new-regulations/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">ceased operations in Tacoma</a>, Washington, after the city council passed regulations there. Since most people moonlight as Lyft and Uber drivers to supplement income, they don’t have time during the day, the argument goes, when they are supposedly at regular jobs, to sit around government offices waiting to get legal. (Never mind the fact that, <a data-mce-href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/09/what-uber-is-doing-to-cabs-in-san-francisco-in-1-crazy-chart/380378/" href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/09/what-uber-is-doing-to-cabs-in-san-francisco-in-1-crazy-chart/380378/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">as these companies squeeze the taxi industry</a>, hordes of former cabbies are moving into rideshare.)</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Give Me Convenience or Give Me Death</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Uber and Lyft promote convenience. For passengers and drivers. They know people are lazy. If drivers had to get their fingerprints taken, pee in a cup and spend a day or two attending a class, they wouldn't be as likely to sign-up. Or keep driving.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Where would the so-called sharing economy be without this ease of participation? Especially for the folks providing these peer-to-peer services? Why go through the hassle of setting up your house as a legitimate bed and breakfast when you can just list empty rooms on Airbnb? Why polish a resume and apply to temp agencies when you can post your services on TaskRabbit?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For the Average Joe, the idea of using his personal car to transport drunks may seem like <a data-mce-href="http://ridesharedashboard.com" href="http://ridesharedashboard.com/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">a fun way to earn some extra money</a>. That it requires very little effort makes it even more appealing. Taking time out of your day to get a license in order to be legit… well, that sounds like a total drag. Nobody enjoys going to government offices like the DMV. (When will there be an app to solve that hassle?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Uber and Lyft are aware prospective drivers won’t take the extra steps to become legal. Their entire business model is based on a never-ending supply of moonlighters.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Need some extra money to pay off credit cards? Drive for Uber.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bored at home and sick of watching TV on weekend nights? Turn on the Lyft app. Look, there’s surge pricing!</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">To become a Lyft driver, I just ran my thumb along a slider in the app. Filled out my personal information and provided my social security number, driver’s license and the make and model of my car. <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/07/drive-for-lyft-be-more-than-number-in.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/07/drive-for-lyft-be-more-than-number-in.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">It was a breeze</a>. The only obstacle was waiting for a response. But a week later, I was giving rides and making money.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With Uber, the process was just as simple. Except I never received the Uber-issued iPhone 5 required to access their app in the mail. I had to wait in line at Uber HQ. <a data-mce-href="https://medium.com/behind-the-wheel/to-uber-or-not-to-uber-part-one-6152af3fd4ba" href="https://medium.com/behind-the-wheel/to-uber-or-not-to-uber-part-one-6152af3fd4ba" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Which was a slightly harrowing experience</a>. But the majority of drivers get their phones and placards shipped to them. They start driving without ever once looking an Uber representative in the face.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Uber Bait-and-Switch</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This effortless process of onboarding is what pushes the ridesharing revolution. Anybody can get signed up without a hitch. But once you start driving, <a data-mce-href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-driver-pay-2014-11" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-driver-pay-2014-11" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">it’s a different story</a>. From that point on, the experience becomes <a data-mce-href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kellkontraire/ten-reasons-why-your-uber-driver-hates-you-xk61" href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kellkontraire/ten-reasons-why-your-uber-driver-hates-you-xk61" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">increasingly difficult</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Driving a car in a city like San Francisco is <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/ten-consequences-of-driving-for-uber-and-lyft/" href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/ten-consequences-of-driving-for-uber-and-lyft/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">no cake-walk</a>. When a request comes in, you have to deal with the app while negotiating traffic. You only have ten seconds to accept the ride. (Miss too many requests and you face deactivation.) Once you figure out where you’re going, you drive to the location and, invariably, <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/rideshare-chump.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/rideshare-chump.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">wait in traffic with your hazards on for the person to saunter outside and get in the car</a>. From there, the app tells you where the passenger wants to go and how to get there. But there’s still traffic to contend with. And along the way, you have to keep a careful eye on errant cars, belligerent cabbies and suicidal pedestrians. All the while maintaining a sunny disposition. It’s important to be accommodating to your passengers. Or risk a low rating. (If your rating gets too low, they deactivate you.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pro tip: When passengers ask if you like driving for Uber, always say you LOVE driving for Uber. Being Uber means not being afraid to tell a lie or two.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the road, issues often arise that have to be dealt with, like unruly passengers, drunks, <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/things-heard-while-lyfting-wait-this.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/things-heard-while-lyfting-wait-this.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">picking up the wrong person</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/poor-george-the-other-uber-driver/" href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/poor-george-the-other-uber-driver/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">lost items that have to be returned</a>, physical and mental stress, <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/uber-is-walking-for-lazy-people.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/uber-is-walking-for-lazy-people.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">low rates that keep getting lower</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/my-rating-weighs-a-ton/" href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/my-rating-weighs-a-ton/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">an unfair rating system</a> that allows riders upset about surge pricing and app glitches to take their frustrations out on drivers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’ve been driving Uber and Lyft for ten months. <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-paradox-of-ridesharing.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-paradox-of-ridesharing.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">I’m not going to make it much longer</a>. I don't earn enough driving for Lyft and Uber to afford to keep driving for Lyft and Uber. My car is trashed and the only way I can make the kind of money to maintain it anymore is by driving ten to twelve hours a day. Which would only rag my car out even more. And hey, isn't that the cabbie’s life? And what rideshare is ostensibly trying to disrupt?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hell, I'd rather be a cabbie. They have it better. They don’t have to use their own cars. Or shell out the big bucks for car maintenance. Or provide their own insurance. Or pay a deductible if they get in a no-fault accident. They don't have to deal with the demands of self-entitled kids accustomed to getting the world handed to them on a silver platter and expecting premium service at a cut-rate price. (I'd take the tourist trade over the start-up crowd anyday!) Cabbies actually have their own businesses in the form of repeat customers. Charm and quality service don't pay when you're an Uber driver. But cabbies get tips. On top of all the other indignities Uber drivers suffer, we are also denied tips! According to <a data-mce-href="https://support.uber.com/hc/en-us/articles/202290128-Do-I-have-to-tip-my-driver-" href="https://support.uber.com/hc/en-us/articles/202290128-Do-I-have-to-tip-my-driver-" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Uber’s official policy</a>, “Being Uber means there is no need to tip drivers with any of our services.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So yeah…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Being Uber isn't all it's cracked up to be. <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/ten-consequences-of-driving-for-uber-and-lyft/" href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/ten-consequences-of-driving-for-uber-and-lyft/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Not for drivers</a>. When you think about it, sitting in the waiting room of a government agency for a few hours to ensure you’re protected from the evil machinations of a corporation bent on world domination doesn't seem that bad. In fact, it sounds kind of like a vacation.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: large;">Follow me on <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/piltdownlad" href="https://twitter.com/piltdownlad" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">twitter</a>. </span></em></div>
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Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-64858379209631618582014-12-08T20:14:00.002-08:002014-12-16T12:27:07.556-08:00A Day in the Life of a Rideshare Driver<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://medium.com/behind-the-wheel/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-uber-lyft-driver-in-san-francisco-f082fb8b20c3" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AsSiLKMlrik/VIZ2xcAKVHI/AAAAAAAAAdA/Q7qidfW8Sqs/s640/rideshare_driver-1.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
(an excerpt from <a href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/12/05/behind-the-wheel-2-notes-from-an-uberlyft-the-new-zine/" target="_blank">Behind the Wheel 2: Notes from an Uber/Lyft</a>)</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Most days, I wake up around noon. Usually hung-over. My first thought is always the same: probably should’ve skipped that last drink. At the time, though, it felt absolutely necessary. Vodka has a way of alleviating some of the physical stress from driving a car all night. At least temporarily.<br />
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After several months of driving for Lyft and Uber, my neck is like an open wound. The muscles that run from my shoulder to my jaw are steel rods. I have very little radius when I turn my head left or right. The tension never goes away. It makes my teeth ache. There is a real possibility that I have some dislocated vertebrae. My joints hurt. My right ankle has a creak in it. And I have a chronic case of hemorrhoids. No matter how much ointment I apply, they remain perpetually enflamed. Old age has not only crept up on me, it has run past me and turned around to taunt me.</span><br />
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Besides the physical exhaustion of driving a car in the city, there is also the psychological toll. It’s one thing to maintain a diligent eye on my blind spots, the other cars on the road, speeding bicyclists and cavalier pedestrians, but I also have to project a sunny disposition and be accommodating to my passengers. Or risk a negative rating. Not an easy task when I’d rather be committing murder. And yet, with enough Ativan and caffeine in my system, somehow I make it through another shift. Like when the endorphins kick in after a boot to the nut sack, these superficial interactions with complete strangers have a numbing effect after awhile. As long as it’s busy and I have enough rides to keep my mind off the grueling process. The slow nights can be torture and I can’t wait to get home so I can pummel my brain with alcohol, pills and weed until I stop obsessing over the streets of San Francisco, their order and how they intersect with each of the forty-seven neighborhoods.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://disinfo.com/2014/12/day-life-uberlyft-driver-san-francisco/" target="_blank">Read More</a>…</span><br />
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</span> Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-41392057688309436492014-12-04T13:21:00.001-08:002014-12-04T22:21:50.354-08:00Behind the Wheel 2: Notes from an Uber/Lyft - The New Zine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jz-PQ2IE4AI/VIDPLSe0xqI/AAAAAAAAAcY/vbFlK1SbzXA/s1600/BTW2_sample.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jz-PQ2IE4AI/VIDPLSe0xqI/AAAAAAAAAcY/vbFlK1SbzXA/s1600/BTW2_sample.jpg" height="494" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<h3><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">From the trenches of San Francisco’s sharing economy: another rideshare confessional zine</span></h3><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
Behind the Wheel 2 includes more insight into the day-to-day travails of a rideshare driver in San Francisco, more stories about driving drunks, switching from Lyft to Uber, a visit to Uber HQ, self-entitled douchebags, talk of gentrification and displacement, the tech boom, public debauchery, emotional breakdowns, police activity and my first puker.</span><br />
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56 pages</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wraparound cover</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Illustrated with street scenes from the passenger seat<br />
Staple bound</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
$5.00 postpaid<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/213896008/piltdownlad-105-behind-the-wheel-2-notes" target="_blank">the print version is available through etsy</a><br />
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order direct through PayPal:<br />
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The Kindle version:</span><br />
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<iframe style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=kellydessaint-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B00QL3PLUE&asins=B00QL3PLUE&linkId=K3X5SFJIUB7CBP2S&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"><br />
</iframe>Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-63946837862572128942014-11-20T12:11:00.000-08:002014-11-20T12:40:18.441-08:00To Uber Or Not To Uber<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMUino0zp6U/VG5Ld0Arf8I/AAAAAAAAAbg/OGCcnNj9pxM/s1600/Futurism_Exhibition_Overview_vidstill_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QMUino0zp6U/VG5Ld0Arf8I/AAAAAAAAAbg/OGCcnNj9pxM/s1600/Futurism_Exhibition_Overview_vidstill_1.png" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px;">(An Excerpt from </em><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.kellydessaint.com/piltdownlad/" href="http://www.kellydessaint.com/piltdownlad/" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em">Piltdownlad #10.5 – Behind the Wheel 2: Notes from an Uber/Lyft</em></a><em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px;">.)</em><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> I started seeing the ads on Facebook around the first of May:<br /><br /><b>Drive away with $500 — Exclusively for Lyft Drivers<br /><br />Drive for Lyft? Make $500 for trying UberX — All it takes is one trip.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /> Sign up today!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There was even a pink mustache in the ads. So I knew they were legit. I didn’t click right away though. There’s nothing easy about easy money. But the ads keep popping up in my feed two or three times a day. Out of curiosity, I click the link. I’m redirected to the UberX sign-up page. I check to see if my car qualifies. I’ve always assumed Uber is more selective than Lyft about what models and years qualify for their rideshare service UberX. Before I signed up for Lyft, I’d checked out Uber’s site. I remember seeing something about them only taking Priuses. Either I was mistaken or things have changed, because my Jetta totally qualifies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> Still, I don’t sign up. The offer is valid through May 31. Since I’m going to LA for my mother-in-law’s birthday in the middle of the month, I figure I have enough time before the deal ends. Besides, with how many ads are popping up on my feed, they seem desperate for drivers.<br /><br />I’ve always been curious about driving for Uber. Mainly because I hate Lyft’s pink fluffy mustache. Even though I never attached the thing to the grill of my car or placed it on my dashboard like so many drivers, where it looks like what you’d find on the floor after a fluffy convention, I generally feel it would be helpful to have something on my car to indicate that I work for a rideshare. Especially when trying to find passengers on crowded streets at night. Uber drivers use a subtle neon blue “U” that illuminates elegantly from their windshields. They look classy as fuck. I wouldn’t mind putting that symbol on my car.<br /><br /> I’ve also heard they make more money. One night, while waiting in the alley outside the Box in SoMa, I chatted with an UberX driver. He told me he used to drive for Lyft but switched to Uber. Now he’s been making almost twice as much money. “I get so many requests,” he said, “I had to go offline in the Mission to get here before they close.”<br /><br /> Since Lyft lowered their rates thirty percent in April, I haven’t been making as much money as when I started in March. Flush with 250 million dollars in venture capital, Lyft is trying to compete with Uber for a larger cut of the rideshare market. To offset the price cut, they waived the twenty percent commission. At first, demand increased and Prime Time surge pricing made up the difference. But that didn’t last long. Since then, the price cuts are having a serious impact on my bottom line. I figure I’m making $200 less a week, driving the same hours. I try to work more to make up the difference, but I can only go so long before exhaustion sets in and I no longer feel safe behind the wheel.<br /><br /> Around the first of the month, when rent is due, things are especially hard. At one point, before the price wars, I stopped getting emails from my credit card company warning me that I was approaching my credit limit. These days, I receive those messages daily. There are weeks when I can’t afford to buy gas until I got my weekly deposit from Lyft on Wednesdays. I go through about $35 of gas during a normal six-hour shift. On Friday and Saturday nights, I used to make around $200 to $250 dollars. Now it’s about $150. If there’s an event going on, I can hit $200. Weeknights, I make around $100. Tops. Since I spend about the same on gas, I stopped driving during the week to focus on the weekends instead, when there’s generally more demand and surge pricing.<br /><br /> As appealing as Uber sounds, I still have reservations about signing up. Based on numerous articles I’ve read, Uber seems like an unscrupulous company, along the lines of Wal-Mart or Amazon. And Travis Kalanick, the CEO, comes across as an antisocial, libertarian scumbag who’d stab his own mother in the back to get ahead. He probably has a cum-stained paperback of The Fountainhead under his pillow that he strokes gently as he falls asleep at night. The name of the company itself, Uber, implies more about the megalomania of Kalanick than the service they provide. And this whole campaign to recruit Lyft drivers is beyond unethical. Participating in it feels wrong. I keep asking myself, Do I really want to associate myself with a company run by a guy who longs for the days of driverless cars so he can get rid of the “middle man,” i.e., drivers?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="https://medium.com/behind-the-wheel/to-uber-or-not-to-uber-part-one-6152af3fd4ba">Read More</a></span><br />
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Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-22695279200193094892014-11-19T14:29:00.002-08:002015-01-03T20:00:29.518-08:00The Uber You Reap Is The Uber You Sow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;">I never thought it would happen, but I’m officially sick of reading about Uber. When I mentioned this to the Wife, she quickly replied, “Now you know how I feel.” Fair enough. I have been somewhat obsessed with Uber and Lyft. I’m a driver. It’s hard not to think (</span><a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/" style="color: #21759b; line-height: 1.714285714; outline: none;" target="_blank">and blog</a><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;">) about</span><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;"> </span><a data-mce-href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17201/uber_s_business_model_screwing_its_workers" href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17201/uber_s_business_model_screwing_its_workers" style="color: #21759b; line-height: 1.714285714; outline: none;" target="_blank">the injustices we face every day at the hands of these two companies</a><span style="line-height: 1.714285714;">. Since I first considered driving back in December of 2013, I’ve been reading every article about ridesharing that has crossed my Facebook and Twitter feeds. And since March, when I finally took the plunge and got behind the wheel, I’ve joined all the driver groups I could find and followed numerous sites and writers who cover ridesharing.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Needless to say, I was not shocked by the latest Uber scandal, <a data-mce-href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/uber-executive-suggests-digging-up-dirt-on-journalists" href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/uber-executive-suggests-digging-up-dirt-on-journalists" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">when vice-president Emil Michael’s suggestion that they hire reporters of their own to go after other reporters who are critical of Uber</a>. Just another day following the Uber train of disaster.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since then, the articles, tweets, updates and blog posts about this incident have been nonstop. Seriously, I’ve reached maximum Uber overload. Can we just go on to the next scandal already? I’m sure there will be more…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Granted, this one is pretty horrendous. If I were Sarah Lacy, the designated target of this doxx campaign, <a data-mce-href="http://pando.com/2014/11/17/the-moment-i-learned-just-how-far-uber-will-go-to-silence-journalists-and-attack-women/" href="http://pando.com/2014/11/17/the-moment-i-learned-just-how-far-uber-will-go-to-silence-journalists-and-attack-women/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">I’d be furious</a>. <a data-mce-href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-exec-describes-smearing-female-reporters-who-criti-1659925271" href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-exec-describes-smearing-female-reporters-who-criti-1659925271" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Livid</a>. <a data-mce-href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3038732/ubers-trust-problem" href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3038732/ubers-trust-problem" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Outraged</a>. <a data-mce-href="http://www.latimes.com/local/abcarian/la-me-ra-self-inflicted-wounds-of-uber-20141119-column.html#page=1" href="http://www.latimes.com/local/abcarian/la-me-ra-self-inflicted-wounds-of-uber-20141119-column.html#page=1" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Pissed the fucked off</a>! Everybody should be. It’s bad. Real bad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So bad that people are now <a data-mce-href="http://chicagoinno.streetwise.co/2014/11/18/why-i-deleted-my-uber-app/" href="http://chicagoinno.streetwise.co/2014/11/18/why-i-deleted-my-uber-app/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">deleting their Uber accounts</a>. Going so far as to figure out how to <a data-mce-href="http://www.wikihow.com/Cancel-an-Uber-Account" href="http://www.wikihow.com/Cancel-an-Uber-Account" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">permanently remove their data</a> from Uber’s servers. Because, surprise, surprise, <a data-mce-href="http://www.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2014/11/18/it-might-be-impossible-to-get-away-from-uber" href="http://www.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2014/11/18/it-might-be-impossible-to-get-away-from-uber" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Uber doesn’t just go away when you delete the app from your phone</a>. Uber stores your information for “<a data-mce-href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/18/7244141/uber-denies-that-its-employees-can-look-at-your-rider-history" href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/18/7244141/uber-denies-that-its-employees-can-look-at-your-rider-history" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">legitimate business purposes</a>.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-ceo-posts-13-tweet-apology-without-answering-a-sin-1660229634" href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-ceo-posts-13-tweet-apology-without-answering-a-sin-1660229634" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Yeah right</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, people, before you feel high and mighty because you’ve deleted the app and possibly gone as far as to contact Uber and have your data removed, think about this: it’s your fault.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What Emil Michael said was unconscionable. But it wouldn’t have happened if all these loyal Uber users weren’t so happy to play along with their disruptive business model. It’s not that shocking when you think about all the shit <a data-mce-href="http://www.techtimes.com/articles/15182/20140910/we-have-a-bad-rep-but-im-no-darth-vader-uber-ceo-travis-kalanick.htm" href="http://www.techtimes.com/articles/15182/20140910/we-have-a-bad-rep-but-im-no-darth-vader-uber-ceo-travis-kalanick.htm" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Uber has done before</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17278/the_sharing_economy_21st_century_technology_19th_century_worker_protections" href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17278/the_sharing_economy_21st_century_technology_19th_century_worker_protections" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">The drivers know</a>. <a data-mce-href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-drivers-protest-in-sf-and-la-while-drivers-in-ny-and-lo" href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-drivers-protest-in-sf-and-la-while-drivers-in-ny-and-lo" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">We’ve been fighting with Uber for a while now</a>. But nobody cares about us. Or <a data-mce-href="http://uberlawsuit.com" href="http://uberlawsuit.com/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">our puny little problems</a>. But attack that venerable institution of online reporting and the <a data-mce-href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/18/emil-michael-of-uber-proposes-digging-into-journalists-private-lives/" href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/18/emil-michael-of-uber-proposes-digging-into-journalists-private-lives/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">OUTRAGE</a>! <a data-mce-href="http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201411180930" href="http://www.kqed.org/a/forum/R201411180930" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">The HORROR</a>! OH MY FUCKING GOD! <a data-mce-href="https://recode.net/2014/11/18/should-uber-fire-exec-who-suggested-investigating-reporters-personal-lives/" href="https://recode.net/2014/11/18/should-uber-fire-exec-who-suggested-investigating-reporters-personal-lives/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">BRING ME THE HEAD OF EMIL MICHAEL</a>!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So let’s see...</span></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Exploiting the <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/why-i-uber-on-reality-of-ridesharing.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/why-i-uber-on-reality-of-ridesharing.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">underemployed</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/4/7150225/uber-is-recruiting-50000-veterans" href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/4/7150225/uber-is-recruiting-50000-veterans" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">military vets</a> and the foreign-born is cool.</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The lack of a screening process to vet potential drivers with <a data-mce-href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/09/30/uber-driver-hammer-attack-liability/" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/09/30/uber-driver-hammer-attack-liability/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">violent tendencies</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/another-uber-driver-stands-accused-of-sexually-assaulti-1612258968" href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/another-uber-driver-stands-accused-of-sexually-assaulti-1612258968" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">rapists</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://boingboing.net/2014/11/18/uber-driver-to-cancer-patient.html" href="http://boingboing.net/2014/11/18/uber-driver-to-cancer-patient.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">anger problems</a> is all good.</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Uber-drivers-file-class-action-suit-over-tips-4778315.php" href="http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Uber-drivers-file-class-action-suit-over-tips-4778315.php" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Preventing their drivers from receiving tips</a> - no problem.</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-paradox-of-ridesharing.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-paradox-of-ridesharing.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Misleading drivers into assuming all the risks associated with driving</a>...</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/11/18/contractor-or-employee-silicon-valleys-branding-dilemma/" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/11/18/contractor-or-employee-silicon-valleys-branding-dilemma/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Shirking any responsibility for drivers</a>...</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/why-major-insurers-wont-cover-uber-lyft-drivers/Content?oid=2909369" href="http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/why-major-insurers-wont-cover-uber-lyft-drivers/Content?oid=2909369" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Leaving drivers mostly uninsured</a>...</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/uber-files-defense-in-sofia-liu-wrongful-death-lawsuit/Content?oid=2790574" href="http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/uber-files-defense-in-sofia-liu-wrongful-death-lawsuit/Content?oid=2790574" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Refusing to accept liability when a child is killed by one of their stressed out drivers</a>...</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Charging drivers a $10 a week fee to use their mandated phone <a data-mce-href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/09/22/uber-now-taking-its-biggest-uberx-commission-ever-25-percent/" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/09/22/uber-now-taking-its-biggest-uberx-commission-ever-25-percent/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">on top of the (now) 25% commission</a>...</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Subjecting drivers to <a data-mce-href="http://uberpeople.net/threads/the-tyranny-of-ubers-rating-system-an-attempt-at-changing-it.6484/" href="http://uberpeople.net/threads/the-tyranny-of-ubers-rating-system-an-attempt-at-changing-it.6484/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">a dysfunctional rating system</a>...</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140827195715/http://blog.uber.com/ridesofglory" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cataloguing passengers' hook-ups</span></a></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><a data-mce-href="http://thenextweb.com/opinion/2014/11/17/think-ubers-deal-spotify-awful-idea/?utm_medium=referral&awesm=tnw.to_f4t0b&utm_content=When%20you%20think%20about%20it,%20Uber's%20deal%20with%20Spotify%20is%20an%20awful%20idea%20&utm_source=t.co&utm_campaign=share%20button" href="http://thenextweb.com/opinion/2014/11/17/think-ubers-deal-spotify-awful-idea/?utm_medium=referral&awesm=tnw.to_f4t0b&utm_content=When%20you%20think%20about%20it,%20Uber's%20deal%20with%20Spotify%20is%20an%20awful%20idea%20&utm_source=t.co&utm_campaign=share%20button" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Forcing drivers to listen to passengers' music</span></a></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Displaying <a data-mce-href="http://pando.com/2014/02/27/we-call-that-boob-er-the-four-most-awful-things-travis-kalanick-said-in-his-gq-profile/" href="http://pando.com/2014/02/27/we-call-that-boob-er-the-four-most-awful-things-travis-kalanick-said-in-his-gq-profile/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">a complete disrespect for woman in the past</a>... <a data-mce-href="http://pando.com/2014/10/22/the-horrific-trickle-down-of-asshole-culture-at-a-company-like-uber/" href="http://pando.com/2014/10/22/the-horrific-trickle-down-of-asshole-culture-at-a-company-like-uber/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">which is what led to this recent attack</a> on Pando's Sarah Lacy</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/uber-is-walking-for-lazy-people.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/uber-is-walking-for-lazy-people.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Continually lowering the fares</a> so drivers make less and less, down to almost 50% less from before the price wars with Lyft...</span></li>
</ul>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-and-its-shady-partners-are-pushing-drivers-into-su-1649936785" href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-and-its-shady-partners-are-pushing-drivers-into-su-1649936785" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Tricking drivers into sub-prime loans</a>...</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.laweekly.com/informer/2014/10/29/after-our-uber-expose-their-pr-team-tried-to-dupe-us" href="http://www.laweekly.com/informer/2014/10/29/after-our-uber-expose-their-pr-team-tried-to-dupe-us" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Trying to deceive the media</a>...</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Attacking rivals, <a data-mce-href="https://medium.com/behind-the-wheel/to-uber-or-not-to-uber-part-two-6159ce18c949" href="https://medium.com/behind-the-wheel/to-uber-or-not-to-uber-part-two-6159ce18c949" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">poaching their drivers</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/26/6067663/this-is-ubers-playbook-for-sabotaging-lyft" href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/26/6067663/this-is-ubers-playbook-for-sabotaging-lyft" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">interfering with their operation</a>...</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/11/17/the-best-way-to-get-people-on-your-side-is-to-annoy-them/" href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/11/17/the-best-way-to-get-people-on-your-side-is-to-annoy-them/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Dismantling the taxi industry</a>...</span></li>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/10/03/god-view-uber-allegedly-stalked-users-for-party-goers-viewing-pleasure/" href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/10/03/god-view-uber-allegedly-stalked-users-for-party-goers-viewing-pleasure/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Violating users’ privacy</a>...</span></li>
</ul>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/11/04/uber_price_surging_on_halloween_does_it_take_unfair_advantage_of_drunk_people.html" href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/11/04/uber_price_surging_on_halloween_does_it_take_unfair_advantage_of_drunk_people.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">Surge pricing</a>...</span></li>
</ul>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 1.714285714rem;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Flagrantly <a data-mce-href="http://www.ksat.com/content/pns/ksat/news/2014/08/28/local-taxi-drivers-protest-uber-and-lyft.html" href="http://www.ksat.com/content/pns/ksat/news/2014/08/28/local-taxi-drivers-protest-uber-and-lyft.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">breaking local laws</a>... <a data-mce-href="http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/nevada-puts-stop-ridesharing-uber-now" href="http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/nevada-puts-stop-ridesharing-uber-now" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">again</a> and <a data-mce-href="http://www.post-gazette.com/business/2014/10/28/Uber-battle-heats-up-in-Philadelphia/stories/201410270151" href="http://www.post-gazette.com/business/2014/10/28/Uber-battle-heats-up-in-Philadelphia/stories/201410270151" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">again</a>...</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/for-whom-the-uber-tolls/" href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/for-whom-the-uber-tolls/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">much</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kellkontraire/ten-reasons-why-your-uber-driver-hates-you-xk61" href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kellkontraire/ten-reasons-why-your-uber-driver-hates-you-xk61" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">much more</a>... With Uber, <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/10/san-francisco-uber-protest.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/10/san-francisco-uber-protest.html" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">there’s always more</a>. <a data-mce-href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/ten-consequences-of-driving-for-uber-and-lyft/" href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/ten-consequences-of-driving-for-uber-and-lyft/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">But do I really need to go on</a>?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All that is chill, but when they threaten to dig up dirt on a reporter, that’s when people <a data-mce-href="http://www.johnhodgman.com/post/102993927553/i-am-deleting-uber-from-my-phone-now" href="http://www.johnhodgman.com/post/102993927553/i-am-deleting-uber-from-my-phone-now" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">freak the fuck out and delete the app</a>?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Come on! What did you expect from a company that has done <a data-mce-href="https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=%23uberfail&src=tyah" href="https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=%23uberfail&src=tyah" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">all these shady things</a>? And no doubt has many more <a data-mce-href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/technology/uber-a-start-up-going-so-fast-it-could-miss-a-turn.html?_r=0" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/19/technology/uber-a-start-up-going-so-fast-it-could-miss-a-turn.html?_r=0" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">shady things in the works</a>. (<a data-mce-href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-wants-to-be-in-charge-of-your-student-loan-debt-1660429701" href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-wants-to-be-in-charge-of-your-student-loan-debt-1660429701" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">UberScholar, anyone</a>?) Yeah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Everybody sat back and let it happen. You fed the Uber monster. And now that monster is so big, it doesn’t matter if a few users delete the app. It’s too late for Uber’s comeuppance. You created this monster. It’s here to stay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And don't get me wrong: Fuck Uber. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to see this behemoth fail. Even if that means getting a new source of income. As Hector the dishwasher told me many years ago, "I was looking for a job when I found this one..."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So <a data-mce-href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/7-reasons-you-may-want-to-delete-your-uber-app-2014-11-19" href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/7-reasons-you-may-want-to-delete-your-uber-app-2014-11-19" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">delete away</a>, folks. But when you click that "Delete" button, maybe have at least a little consideration for all <a data-mce-href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/14/6978257/uber-says-la-kidnapping-allegation-is-inaccurate" href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/14/6978257/uber-says-la-kidnapping-allegation-is-inaccurate" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">the other Uber victims</a>. <a data-mce-href="http://uberpeople.net" href="http://uberpeople.net/" style="color: #21759b; outline: none;" target="_blank">And the drivers</a>. We do matter. Just a little bit, right</span><span style="font-family: 'Open Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">?</span></div>
Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-30976152431948162872014-11-12T13:56:00.000-08:002014-11-12T14:05:14.523-08:00Trick or Treat: Lyft Wants ME to Be a Mentor?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UGhJoM-4rXo/VGPWNcVs3eI/AAAAAAAAAZc/NtZVnIVAkK4/s1600/uber_halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UGhJoM-4rXo/VGPWNcVs3eI/AAAAAAAAAZc/NtZVnIVAkK4/s1600/uber_halloween.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />I have to say, I’m somewhat flattered that Lyft took the time to email me the morning after Halloween with an invitation to be a Mentor. On what was supposed to be the busiest night of the year for ridesharing, Lyft had to deal with <a href="http://ridesharedashboard.com/2014/11/01/lyft-halloween-outage-caused-excessive-demand/">a server outage</a> that caused snafus for drivers and passengers alike. Then there was the <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/11/02/lyfts-first-fatality-passenger-death-crash-sacramento/">Sacramento passenger who died in a wreck on the freeway</a>. This is Lyft’s first fatality. And the first rideshare passenger killed during a ride.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />It was a hell of a night for Uber too. Their servers also <a href="http://ridesharedashboard.com/2014/11/01/uber-worldwide-outage-hampers-us-halloween-guarantee/">went down worldwide</a>. And they had to fend off <a href="http://pando.com/2014/10/30/uber-wisely-over-communicates-about-surge-pricing-ahead-of-busy-holiday-weekend/">the usual criticism</a> for surge pricing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On top of all that, both Lyft and Uber were offering drivers <a href="http://ridesharedashboard.com/2014/10/31/uber-responds-lyft-halloween-weekend-guarantee/">an hourly guarantee</a>. In San Francisco, it was forty bucks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Despite the guarantee, I stayed home and watched slasher flicks with the Wife. We did Halloween, Halloween 2, Scream and Scream 2.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next morning, the Facebook groups were inundated with screenshots of extremely high fares. Once the server issues were sorted out, prices surged 5x in San Francisco and LA. <a href="http://kdvr.com/2014/11/01/how-to-avoid-getting-burned-by-uber/">In other cities</a>, they went <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/women-raises-362-to-pay-for-uber-ride-2014-11">as high as 9x</a>. Drivers who powered through the glitches took home some serious treats. While several passengers <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/11/02/be-smarter-than-that-uber-users/?ncid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29">were just tricked</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />I felt a mild pang of disappointment that I missed out <a href="http://ridesharedashboard.com/2014/11/03/weekend-recap-lyft-uber-halloween-outage-surge/">on the shit show</a>, but the email from Lyft certainly raised my spirits. In fact, I laughed my ass off. I have to assume it was another server error. I mean, really… They want <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/07/lyfts-pacific-driver-lounge-is-my-honey.html">ME</a> to be a Mentor? Me? The person who continuously <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/07/an-open-letter-to-lyft-since-you-asked.html">trashes their brand</a>? Who <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-cult-of-lyft-inside-pacific-driver.html">made fun of the Pacific Driver Lounge</a>? And who wrote <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/how-to-fix-ridesharing-kill-lyft.html">a scathing post</a> that sent all the Lyft loyalists into <a href="http://bostonlyftdiaries.wordpress.com/2014/10/09/kelly-dessaint-the-most-hated-person-in-the-world-of-lyft-part-1/">such a tizzy</a>? <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/10/should-we-really-kill-lyft.html">Me</a>?</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2HDabmAdls0/VGPWssszAKI/AAAAAAAAAZk/B36qa56NchM/s1600/lyft_mentor_invitation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2HDabmAdls0/VGPWssszAKI/AAAAAAAAAZk/B36qa56NchM/s640/lyft_mentor_invitation.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Are they completely <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-to-get-kicked-out-of-lyft-driver.html">out of their fucking minds</a>?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’m tempted to accept the invitation just to see if they would actually approve me. And if they did… Well, that would only validate my theory that Lyft and Uber don’t give two shits what you say about them online. <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/10/30/uber-driver-firing-policy/">Regardless of what many think</a>, we work for a computer. All that matters is how well you drive. And as far as Lyft’s algorithm is concerned, I’m good enough to be a Lyft Mentor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/07/behind-wheel-lyft-drivers-log-zine.html">Me</a>!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-57145778553493917092014-11-03T12:49:00.000-08:002014-12-16T12:28:06.179-08:00Poor George: The Other Uber Driver<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDgx3u9yxCQ/VFfpwC01MlI/AAAAAAAAAZE/_FrJb0iCn6A/s1600/velocity-of-an-automobile-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pDgx3u9yxCQ/VFfpwC01MlI/AAAAAAAAAZE/_FrJb0iCn6A/s1600/velocity-of-an-automobile-2.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While cruising through the Duboce Triangle, I get a request on Market Street. Pick up a middle-aged tourist guy and his twenty-something daughter. They’re in town from Texas. Ron and Lisa. They ask if I know George. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Who?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“George was our other Uber driver before you,” Ron tells me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“I don’t really know any other drivers,” I say. “We basically stay in our cars.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“George drives for Uber to support his wife and three kids,” Lisa says. “He never has time to even see them because he drives all the time. Not like you. You’re probably just doing this to support your marijuana habit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“What’d you say?” I ask with an uncomfortable laugh. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">She doesn’t reply. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Poor George,” Ron goes on. “He probably saw us together, father and daughter, and felt jealous of our close relationship.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lisa scoffs. “Well, looks can be deceiving. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ron keeps making small talk with me. They’re Airbnbing a place in Telegraph Hill. Spent the day going around town drinking and shopping. I’m taking them to the Macy’s on Union Square where Lisa saw a purse she liked earlier but didn’t buy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“It’s a tote!” she clarifies. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Traffic around Union Square is always the perfect example of a clusterfuck. On Saturdays, it’s the epitome of a clusterfuck. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I point out the traffic when we’re two blocks away.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Don’t worry about it,” Ron tells me. “We’re in no hurry. Long as the purse is still there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“It’s a tote!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Five minutes later, about a block away from Macy’s, I tell him, “It’s gonna take forever to get there with all this traffic. Macy’s is right there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I point at the giant sign looming over the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“I suppose we can walk one block,” Ron says. “Maybe hit up this place over here… Johnny Foley’s.” He reads the sign on the Irish pub across the street. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I take a left on Powell and a right on Ellis. Go offline and drive away from downtown as quickly as possible. I’ve made the mistake of trying to get rides downtown on a Saturday before. Never again. Let the cabbies have the business. They can take all of downtown as far as I’m concerned. Since all the one-way streets are split into taxi and bus lanes, it’s designed for cabs anyway, not regular cars. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I go back online after I cross Van Ness. Pick up a guy going to the Haight. Drop him off and track down a woman with an accent and her gentleman friend. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Oh, is this your bag on the seat?” she asks. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Bag?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I reach around. It’s a paper shopping bag from a boutique. Look inside. See a scarf and a flask. Instantly realize that girl Lisa must have left it behind. I remember she had several bags when she got in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“I know who this belongs to,” I say. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“What’s in the bag?” asks the gentleman. “Lingerie?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“No, a scarf.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Boring. ”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I drop them off in the Mission and email Uber. Parked on 24th, I look through the bag for the receipts to see if it has her name on them. There’s a stuffed porcupine and a swimsuit bottom as well as the scarf and flask. About $100 worth of stuff. I feel bad. She must be freaking out. She seemed too uptight not to have a cow over losing her hard-earned purchases. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh well. There’s a link on the confirmation email from Uber to click if you think you might have lost something in a car. Perhaps she’ll notice it when she realizes she’s one bag short.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I put the bag in my trunk. Smoke a cigarette. I’m about to go back online when my phone rings. The generic Uber number. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Is this Kelly?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Yeah, Lauren?”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Lisa.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Right. I have your bag.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Oh, thank god!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I get her address in Telegraph Hill and her phone number, just in case. “I’m in the Mission, so it’ll take a little while to get there. I have to drive all the way across town.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“That’s fine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I take Cesar Chavez to Guerrero, cruise to Market Street, down to Franklin, up and over Pac Heights to Broadway, through the tunnel and into Chinatown. I forget to turn on Powell, so I have to circle around on Kearney to Columbus. My phone rings. It’s Lisa. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Just checking to make sure you didn’t get lost.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Uhmmm... Is that another stoner crack?</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Sorry. It took a while to get to North Beach from the Mission. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’m just a few minutes away.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 200%;">” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After struggling to dodge taxis and tourist vehicles driving slowly up the hills, backing up out of alleys and making a general nuisance of themselves, I reach the apartment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lisa meets me outside. Thanks me as I take the bag out of my trunk. Gives me a folded ten dollar bill. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I acknowledge the tip. “Happy to help.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
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</style> <![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Drive away, thinking, Ten’s all right. I guess. A twenty would have been better. After all, I spent about an hour dealing with her stupid bag and getting insulted along the way... </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><br />
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</span></div>Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-48615625086115521322014-10-31T21:57:00.000-07:002014-11-20T12:07:04.294-08:00Ten Consequences of Driving for Uber and Lyft<h2>
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After nine months of driving mostly fulltime for Lyft and Uber, these are the ten things that make me dread ridesharing:</span></h2>
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1. Vehicle Depreciation</span></h3>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IU6G8e5HiX8/VG5G9yj0q1I/AAAAAAAAAaE/i1CABK8o5nk/s1600/1wearandtear.jpg"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IU6G8e5HiX8/VG5G9yj0q1I/AAAAAAAAAaE/i1CABK8o5nk/s1600/1wearandtear.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Besides passengers slamming my doors, which has caused a mysterious rattle, scuffing my interior, leaving behind trash and generally making the kinds of messes you’d expect from a two year old, there is also mechanical wear and tear. The more I drive, the more things go wrong with my car. I figure I have about two more months until I need new brakes and tires. And then my rideshare days are over. I just don’t make enough from driving for Uber and Lyft to afford to keep driving for Uber and Lyft.</span><br />
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2. Boot Malfunction</span></h3>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMhO6tyZKyA/VG5HQL2SfdI/AAAAAAAAAaM/YNgyI8Tp-EU/s1600/2boot_replacement.jpg"><img border="0" height="447" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMhO6tyZKyA/VG5HQL2SfdI/AAAAAAAAAaM/YNgyI8Tp-EU/s1600/2boot_replacement.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My right boot is more worn than the left. To be fair, this may have more to do with my bony heels, but it’s not something I ever noticed until I had to keep my foot on the gas and brake pedals for hours at a time.</span><br />
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3. Physical Discomfort</span></h3>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vfVqIfQX8yA/VG5HQBdhwgI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/ePCtB3ATrF0/s1600/3pain.jpg"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vfVqIfQX8yA/VG5HQBdhwgI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/ePCtB3ATrF0/s1600/3pain.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My neck is like an open wound. No doubt from glancing over my shoulder as I switch lanes in traffic all night long, always diligent to keep an eye on my blind spots, as well as the other cars on the road, speeding bicyclists, impatient cabbies and cavalier pedestrians. As a result, the muscles that run along my jaw are steel rods. I have very little radius when I turn my head left or right. The tension never goes away. There is a real possibility that I may have some dislocated vertebrae. My joints hurt. My right ankle has a creak in it. And I have a chronic case of hemorrhoids. No matter how much ointment I apply, they remain perpetually enflamed. I noticed once, when I was a Lyft passenger, that my driver had a hemorrhoid pillow on his seat. I may need to acquire one of those in the near future…</span><br />
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4. Spousal Neglect</span></h3>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--zBloLQzkpo/VG5HQjsbroI/AAAAAAAAAbA/TUD9vI92BH4/s1600/4pissed_off_spouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--zBloLQzkpo/VG5HQjsbroI/AAAAAAAAAbA/TUD9vI92BH4/s1600/4pissed_off_spouse.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Since I’m out late driving on the weekends, the Wife’s home alone. And she’s not happy about it. I’ve tried driving during the weekdays, but the gridlocked traffic makes getting anywhere in the city a chore. It’s not worth the frustration. I spend more time driving to the pinned locations than I do taking passengers where they need to go. And the only time you can get <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/outside-lands-rideshare-feeding-frenzy.html">surge pricing is on weekend nights</a>. And holidays. Or special events. So…</span><br />
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5. Fear of Deactivation</span></h3>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2n7d1wyW90w/VG5HQoxzB4I/AAAAAAAAAa8/m5H--UXDrPQ/s1600/5ratings.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2n7d1wyW90w/VG5HQoxzB4I/AAAAAAAAAa8/m5H--UXDrPQ/s1600/5ratings.jpeg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Nobody enjoys being judged. But constantly feeling threatened with “deactivation” is downright humiliating. The rating system employed by Lyft and Uber focuses on only one aspect of a driver’s performance: passenger satisfaction. And <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-better-lyft-rating-system.html">it’s not easy making people happy</a>. Even when the ride has gone perfectly, there’s never a guarantee the passenger is satisfied. All it takes is one drunk passenger on a power trip and you’re deactivated.</span></div>
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6. Erratic Sleep</span></h3>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hfNrdZOYW9U/VG5HRIUoRbI/AAAAAAAAAas/VQpEuQhWdOE/s1600/6erraticsleep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hfNrdZOYW9U/VG5HRIUoRbI/AAAAAAAAAas/VQpEuQhWdOE/s1600/6erraticsleep.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I work late and come home late. But I can’t sleep late because my head is filled with dreams about my Lyft summary, which is the only way to find out what I made the day before and what’s happened to my rating. Sometimes the summary is in my inbox before I wake up. Other days the email doesn’t arrive until the afternoon. With Uber you know, for the most part, what you’ve made at the end of each ride. And your rating is updated in the app as feedback is left. So at least you’re disappointed in real time.</span></div>
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7. Misanthropic Tendencies</span></h3>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X6A36bfn9ZI/VG5HRVVmyUI/AAAAAAAAAaw/LV-nE5-SAFk/s1600/7misanthropic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X6A36bfn9ZI/VG5HRVVmyUI/AAAAAAAAAaw/LV-nE5-SAFk/s1600/7misanthropic.jpg" height="400" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After a while, you really <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kellkontraire/ten-reasons-why-your-uber-driver-hates-you-xk61">start to hate people</a>. I’ve met some really great folks in my car, but I’ve also encountered a lot of stinkers. People that I’d rather see under my front tire than in my front seat. But I have to maintain a sunny disposition and be accommodating to my passengers or risk a negative rating. Not an easy task when some passengers are just straight up assholes. They input the wrong location. They make you wait. They ignore you. They talk down to you. They say racist and sexist things in your car. <a href="http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/10/22/uber-ratings.html">Your only retaliation is to rate THEM low</a>. Which doesn’t amount to much since it’s unlikely Uber or Lyft would ever deactivate a passenger’s account. I guess we should just be grateful our passengers act like self-entitled douchebags rather than <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/05/21/lyft-passenger-breaks-seattle-drivers-nose/">punching us</a> or <a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/10/do-you-want-to-live-or-die-passenger-who-pulled-gun-on-uber-driver-turns-out-to-be-cop/">holding guns to our heads</a>.</span></div>
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8. Paranoia</span></h3>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i9yQ_38U3Dg/VG5HR1WuZjI/AAAAAAAAAa0/JGlk2MZraAk/s1600/8paranoia2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i9yQ_38U3Dg/VG5HR1WuZjI/AAAAAAAAAa0/JGlk2MZraAk/s1600/8paranoia2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Every time I go out to drive, I say a prayer that nothing bad happens. I can’t shake the nagging sensation that if something goes wrong, <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17278/the_sharing_economy_21st_century_technology_19th_century_worker_protections">I’ll be fucked</a>. Uber and Lyft tells us to use our personal insurance in the event of an accident. But <a href="http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/why-major-insurers-wont-cover-uber-lyft-drivers/Content?oid=2909369">our insurance won’t cover any damages</a> since we’re engaged in commercial activity. So what’s the point of having personal insurance to do rideshare? Not that things would be better with the insurance companies Uber and Lyft use. I’ve read numerous reports from drivers who’ve been in accidents and had to crowd source funds to get their cars fixed. Or just being left in the lurch. We are hardly protected under normal circumstances, but what if we’re at fault? Oh, the horror… And with Uber, there’s no support number. We can only email them afterwards. On top of all that, <a href="http://therideshareguy.com/could-lyft-drivers-be-on-the-hook-for-a-2500-deductible/">both Uber and Lyft charge us a deductible</a>. So if we are covered, we still pay out of pocket, even if we aren’t at fault.</span></div>
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9. Monetary Deficiencies</span></h3>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sr824NRvTXs/VG5HSNCqxjI/AAAAAAAAAbI/GDuKZTQ41is/s1600/9poverty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sr824NRvTXs/VG5HSNCqxjI/AAAAAAAAAbI/GDuKZTQ41is/s1600/9poverty.jpg" height="412" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Because of the price wars, as Uber and Lyft fight it out to determine who will be the preeminent rideshare platform, drivers are getting squeezed more and more. The rates just keep going down. As it is, <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2014/10/uber_driver_salary_the_ride_sharing_company_says_its_drivers_make_great.html?wpsrc=sh_all_mob_tw_top">I’m broke as hell</a>. My credit cards are all maxed out, most of the time my bank account is overdrawn and I have a painful toothache I can’t afford to fix. Not to mention taxes… I don’t want to even think about what I’m going to do when it’s time to pay taxes.</span></div>
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10. Self-loathing</span></h3>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NlRj9CMletg/VG5HQGtfXNI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/ogB5r6tL8zI/s1600/10hammer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NlRj9CMletg/VG5HQGtfXNI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/ogB5r6tL8zI/s1600/10hammer.jpg" height="368" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you’ve made it this far on my list of rideshare consequences, you might be wondering <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-uber-drivers-just-cant-quit-2014-10">why I don’t just quit</a>. I know it’s stupid to complain about something you can’t control. And I know it’s my own damn fault. <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/07/drive-for-lyft-be-more-than-number-in.html">I bought into the promise of ridesharing</a> as an alternative source of income with a good amount of freedom and it turned out to be a lie. I fell for the classic switcheroo. I’m an idiot. So why don’t I just get on with my life? Well, that day is coming. Without a doubt. For now, the hell I know is better than the one I don’t. And I like driving. I like meeting people. I like exploring the streets of San Francisco. But <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/28/5758734/uber-will-eventually-replace-all-its-drivers-with-self-driving-cars">there’s no future in ridesharing for drivers</a>. Hell, <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/uber-lyft-are-sinking-san-francisco-taxi-business/">the way things are going</a>, there won’t be a future for cabbies either.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was a small but rowdy crowd outside Uber's corporate headquarters on Market Street for the October 22nd <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-drivers-across-the-country-are-protesting-tomorrow--heres-why-2014-10" target="_blank">Worldwide Uber Protest</a>. </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FK4X4h4QuZ0/VEgs6E7jkdI/AAAAAAAAAXk/punQzM6pdRo/s1600/sf_uber_protest01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FK4X4h4QuZ0/VEgs6E7jkdI/AAAAAAAAAXk/punQzM6pdRo/s1600/sf_uber_protest01.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Uncle Uber was there: </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uxDS4h5BIQo/VEgs6DP8wzI/AAAAAAAAAXc/4DGBEQjJ23s/s1600/sf_uber_protest02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uxDS4h5BIQo/VEgs6DP8wzI/AAAAAAAAAXc/4DGBEQjJ23s/s1600/sf_uber_protest02.jpg" height="640" width="466" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With a rat on his head:</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u3cs763J_9w/VEgs6SMXfZI/AAAAAAAAAXg/5nXscAFSmOQ/s1600/sf_uber_protest03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u3cs763J_9w/VEgs6SMXfZI/AAAAAAAAAXg/5nXscAFSmOQ/s1600/sf_uber_protest03.jpg" height="640" width="478" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There were reporters:</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_d-umi2nqQg/VEgs6qek0tI/AAAAAAAAAXo/nFZ0RjzD6oA/s1600/sf_uber_protest04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_d-umi2nqQg/VEgs6qek0tI/AAAAAAAAAXo/nFZ0RjzD6oA/s1600/sf_uber_protest04.jpg" height="458" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Several town cars and SUVs drove by with horns a-blazing:</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zlc3VtQDfac/VEgs6ytJbuI/AAAAAAAAAXs/oshURNPpgNo/s1600/sf_uber_protest05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zlc3VtQDfac/VEgs6ytJbuI/AAAAAAAAAXs/oshURNPpgNo/s1600/sf_uber_protest05.jpg" height="456" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There were impassioned speeches:</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yEhHlynDX8g/VEgs7EBWdMI/AAAAAAAAAXw/rFh_Of5aScU/s1600/sf_uber_protest06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yEhHlynDX8g/VEgs7EBWdMI/AAAAAAAAAXw/rFh_Of5aScU/s1600/sf_uber_protest06.jpg" height="474" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even kids:</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OCMsIxtsau0/VEgs8N-lGmI/AAAAAAAAAYA/B3fSfwEDRC0/s1600/sf_uber_protest08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OCMsIxtsau0/VEgs8N-lGmI/AAAAAAAAAYA/B3fSfwEDRC0/s1600/sf_uber_protest08.jpg" height="472" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Where were you?</span></div>
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<br />Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-92232824784344137522014-10-21T19:53:00.000-07:002014-12-29T13:30:30.872-08:00For Whom The Uber Tolls<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d8CxjSwUIbM/VEcce85YeKI/AAAAAAAAAXM/OQ26N0xzbBk/s1600/city_blur.jpg"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d8CxjSwUIbM/VEcce85YeKI/AAAAAAAAAXM/OQ26N0xzbBk/s1600/city_blur.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<div class="graf--p" name="2987" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
It’s Saturday night… not even late. A few minutes after nine. I’m at Mission and 7th. Get a request for an address on Market, a block and a half away. I take a right on 7th and pull into the far left lane. As I turn onto Market, a girl in cut-off jeans and a tank top waves me down. She’s practically in the middle of the street. Grabs my door handle before I can even stop. Climbs in the backseat.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="ad73" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="ad73" style="color: inherit;"></a>I ask if she’s Andrea, the name of the person I’m supposed to pick up. She mumbles something and rolls down the window. The rider destination has already been added in the app so I start the ride.</div>
<div class="graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote" name="26c7" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px; text-indent: -0.43em;">
<a href="" id="26c7" style="color: inherit;"></a>“We’re going to the Richmond then?” I ask, anticipating a nice long ride with 1.5x surge. Cha-ching. She says nothing. I look over my shoulder. She’s curled up against the door, passed out. I start driving, hoping and praying she isn’t a potential puker. Turn off Market onto Hayes and then right on Franklin.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="da23" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="da23" style="color: inherit;"></a>As I approach O’Farrell, I get a text from the generic Uber number: “I’m on 8th and Market across from Chase.”</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="6879" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="6879" style="color: inherit;"></a>I immediately pull over. What the hell? I wake up the girl in my back seat. “Hey! I think you got in the wrong car.”</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="607c" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="607c" style="color: inherit;"></a>She comes to, but her eyes are blurry. She’s not all there. It’s obvious she’s wasted. I don’t smell alcohol though.</div>
<div class="graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote" name="6bf7" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px; text-indent: -0.43em;">
<a href="" id="6bf7" style="color: inherit;"></a>“You got into the wrong car,” I tell her again.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="dff0" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="dff0" style="color: inherit;"></a>She’s confused. “Uhhmmm… I can get out…” She has an accent. As her voice trails off, she looks around. She has no idea where she is.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="865a" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="865a" style="color: inherit;"></a>Oh man… I feel my pulse accelerate as the reality hits me. I picked up the wrong passenger! And she’s not even sober enough to share my distress!!</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="9415" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="9415" style="color: inherit;"></a>Besides losing a profitable fare, I was hoping to make the $38-an-hour guarantee Uber’s offering this weekend. And the only way to accomplish that is by staying online for the entire hour. With the Treasure Island Music Festival and several other events going on in town, business was supposed to be “off the charts,” according to the numerous emails I’d received from Uber about it all week. With rent on the horizon, I really need the money from a busy weekend. But I can’t just leave this very intoxicated girl on the street in the Western Addition.</div>
<div class="graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote" name="0225" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px; text-indent: -0.43em;">
<a href="" id="0225" style="color: inherit;"></a>“Where do you need to go?” I ask.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="219a" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="219a" style="color: inherit;"></a>She tells me an address on Battery Street. I assume that’s what she probably said when she first got in the car. I have her repeat the address a second time, just to make sure. Ask if she’s okay.</div>
<div class="graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote" name="5335" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px; text-indent: -0.43em;">
<a href="" id="5335" style="color: inherit;"></a>“Yeah.” She curls back up against the door.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="6a1a" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="6a1a" style="color: inherit;"></a>I cancel the original ride and tap the fare review link. Select the option “don’t charge — wrong client.”</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="6db9" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="6db9" style="color: inherit;"></a>At least the Financial District isn’t that far away. If I hurry, I can get her home fast, get back online and maybe still score some of the Uber guarantee for the hour.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="fe13" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="fe13" style="color: inherit;"></a>As I’m about to pull out, my phone rings. The generic Uber number. It’s Andrea, the girl who actually requested the ride. I explain, as apologetically and calmly as I can, that I picked up the wrong passenger. I tell her that I’ve already canceled the ride and will make sure she doesn’t get charged. And that I’ll send a follow up email to Uber. She asks what to do next. I tell her to request another ride. Apologize again. All the while, I resist the urge to tell her what really happened. Maybe she’s willing to help me? I could use some female assistance. What if I have to drag this girl’s unconscious body out of my car by myself?</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="10b5" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="10b5" style="color: inherit;"></a>I don’t even want to think about that scenario!</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="6db0" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="6db0" style="color: inherit;"></a>With growing trepidation, I begin my via dolorosa to Battery Street. Fighting traffic and shitting bricks. I can’t help but wonder, What if something happens along the way? What if I get in an accident? How do I explain to the authorities why I have some random chick passed out in my backseat? Is my conscience really that guilty? Or have I just been reading way too many news articles lately about rapes and assaults and all kinds of horrible situations in Uber cars? I mean, how can I not be paranoid, now that it’s happening to me? After all, who am I but some guy in a gypsy cab?</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="7d22" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="7d22" style="color: inherit;"></a>I try to take deep breaths. My fear has become sentient. It’s talking to me. Trying to convince me that I do, in fact, really need to freak the fuck out. Yes, old friend, I know… This is some serious shit. Best to get it over with as fast as possible.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="6551" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="6551" style="color: inherit;"></a>As I’m rushing through Nob Hill, another request comes in. Damn it! I forgot to go offline. I let the request time out. Make sure I’m no longer in driver mode. I don’t need to screw up my acceptance rate too.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="04eb" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="04eb" style="color: inherit;"></a>When I finally reach the address, I heave a sigh of relief. There’s even a place to pull over in front of the high rise with a glass lobby and storefronts. Finally, the universe is throwing me a bone. I take another deep breath and wake the girl up.</div>
<div class="graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote" name="c701" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px; text-indent: -0.43em;">
<a href="" id="c701" style="color: inherit;"></a>“Hey! We’re here!”</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="9377" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="9377" style="color: inherit;"></a>I’m surprised how easily she comes to. But she’s still really out of it. I ask if she needs help. She says no. Reaches around the seat and floorboard, seemingly for her purse or phone. It doesn’t look like she has either. I notice there are twigs in her hair. I ask if she’s okay. She says that she is fine. There’s a tinge of annoyance in her voice, like she’s sick of me asking. Opens the car door and careens into the street, in the opposite direction of the apartment building.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="e2c6" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="e2c6" style="color: inherit;"></a>I yell after her, “You’re going the wrong way!”</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="479d" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="479d" style="color: inherit;"></a>Fortunately, there’s no traffic. She spins around and heads towards the right building.</div>
<div class="graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote" name="1633" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px; text-indent: -0.43em;">
<a href="" id="1633" style="color: inherit;"></a>“Are you sure you’re okay?” I call out.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="4fdb" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="4fdb" style="color: inherit;"></a>She comes back towards me and reaches for my hand.</div>
<div class="graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote" name="5062" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px; text-indent: -0.43em;">
<a href="" id="5062" style="color: inherit;"></a>“Thank you so much.”</div>
<div class="graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote" name="6d2e" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px; text-indent: -0.43em;">
<a href="" id="6d2e" style="color: inherit;"></a>“You’re going to be okay, right?”</div>
<div class="graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote" name="3a0f" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px; text-indent: -0.43em;">
<a href="" id="3a0f" style="color: inherit;"></a>“Yeah.”</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="4fc8" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="4fc8" style="color: inherit;"></a>But I’m not convinced. She walks to the building and struggles to get through the door. A guy eventually opens it for her. She moves aimlessly through the lobby and then gets into an elevator. I can only hope this is where she lives and that she makes it into her apartment. I hesitate before taking off. Tell myself, At least she’s safer here than in the Civic Center.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="06f7" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="06f7" style="color: inherit;"></a>I pull into the first parking spot I can find and contact Uber the only way I can: a support ticket through their clunky website. After clicking through a bunch of drop-down menus that encourage me to check the FAQ before contacting them, I explain in my message what happened, how I picked up the wrong passenger and had to take the girl home. I’m also worried how this mix-up will affect my rating. Since I have to rate Andrea before I can go back online, I’m sure she still has the option to rate me, at least until the fare has been reversed. I’ve worked hard to maintain my 4.9 rating. I’d hate to get dinged for what was essentially an emergency situation.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="cdef" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="cdef" style="color: inherit;"></a>Why were there were twigs in the girl’s hair? I checked the back seat after she got out and discovered an enormous amount of crushed leaves on the floorboard. Way more than usual anyway. The girl could have been drugged at a bar on Polk Street and fell into some bushes as she wandered through the Tenderloin looking for a way home. With the influx of frat bros in San Francisco, GHB is floating around everywhere now. A few months back, the Wife and her friend were drugged at a hipster bar just a few blocks from our apartment in Temescal. The wife managed to stumble home, but her friend woke up the next morning in the emergency room. This shit is real.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="390a" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="390a" style="color: inherit;"></a>More than anything, I wish there was a way to find out if she had actually requested an Uber and mistook me for her driver. Or was she so fucked up that she just saw the U in my window and expected me to take her home? The use of rideshare cars in San Francisco has become second nature for most people. Maybe, in her incapacitated state, she just followed instinct.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="1bea" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="1bea" style="color: inherit;"></a>Uber, of course, would have some of these answers. They have <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.designntrend.com/articles/13639/20140507/uber-uses-something-called-god-view-orchestrate-drivers.htm" href="http://www.designntrend.com/articles/13639/20140507/uber-uses-something-called-god-view-orchestrate-drivers.htm" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">the ability to see</a>, in real time, all the Uber activity on the road. <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/things-heard-while-lyfting-wait-this.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/things-heard-while-lyfting-wait-this.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">This isn’t the first time I’ve picked up the wrong passenger</a>. It happened once while driving for Lyft. But that was several months ago and I was able to talk to somebody on the phone who told me he could see that the guy I was supposed to pick up had gotten into another car. Of course, that’s not an option with Uber. <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://gethuman.com/phone-number/Uber/" href="http://gethuman.com/phone-number/Uber/" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">They have no telephone support</a>.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="40c5" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="40c5" style="color: inherit;"></a>The fact is, we are hardly protected if we get into an accident under normal circumstances. We are told to use our personal insurance, <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kenbensinger/ubers-yawning-insurance-gap#.qaKA9Ax52" href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kenbensinger/ubers-yawning-insurance-gap#.qaKA9Ax52" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">which won’t cover damages while engaged in commercial activity</a>. And without a number to call, we can only email Uber afterwards and hope their insurance company decides to cover it. They also charge us a deductible. Had there been an accident while I was driving this girl home, I could have tried to use my own insurance and say she was a friend, or that I was just helping her out. But it would be difficult to explain why she was in my back seat unconscious. And I’d have to hope she would play along, if she remembered anything the next day.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="35fc" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="35fc" style="color: inherit;"></a>It’s alarming to think how alone we are on the streets. This time, a disaster was averted. But what about all the other times? I’m not the first driver to face similar circumstances. This exact scenario happened recently in Boston and <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/12/17/boston-uber-driver-arraigned-on-rape-charges/" href="http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/12/17/boston-uber-driver-arraigned-on-rape-charges/" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">the driver raped the woman after forcing her to withdraw money from an ATM</a>.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="d808" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="d808" style="color: inherit;"></a>Every week there are new reports of Uber drivers <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-driver-allegedly-threw-rider-on-the-street-and-sma-1648879243" href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-driver-allegedly-threw-rider-on-the-street-and-sma-1648879243" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">assaulting</a> and <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.11alive.com/story/news/local/midtown/2014/10/17/beware-of-fake-uber-drivers/17477825/" href="http://www.11alive.com/story/news/local/midtown/2014/10/17/beware-of-fake-uber-drivers/17477825/" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">sexually harassing</a> passengers. It seems <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/jacobfischler/safety-is-number-one#15n4bto" href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/jacobfischler/safety-is-number-one#15n4bto" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Uber doesn’t worry about the negative publicity</a>, as long as Uber is in the news cycle. <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/28/uber-s-biggest-problem-isn-t-surge-pricing-what-if-it-s-sexual-harassment-by-drivers.html" href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/28/uber-s-biggest-problem-isn-t-surge-pricing-what-if-it-s-sexual-harassment-by-drivers.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Despite a storied history of erratic drivers</a>, ridesharing continues to become commonplace. For each person who decides to avoid Uber because of a <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT8Kv7Et0OI" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT8Kv7Et0OI" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">potential violent driver</a>, there are others who see the counterpoint that one could just as easily be attacked by a cabbie. Still, it’s kind of ridiculous that when they have a chance to extoll the positive aspects of ridesharing, <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://gethuman.com/phone-number/Uber/" href="http://gethuman.com/phone-number/Uber/" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Uber is just as nonresponsive</a>.</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="b912" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="b912" style="color: inherit;"></a>At the very least, they could have emailed me back. Told me something. They email me daily with deals for car loans and wake me up first thing every morning with texts about signing up my friends who drive for Lyft and Sidecar. And yet, I can’t even get a canned reply?</div>
<div class="graf--p" name="f2a1" style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); font-family: freight-text-pro, Georgia, Cambria, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.1599999964237213px; line-height: 33px; margin-bottom: 30px;">
<a href="" id="f2a1" style="color: inherit;"></a>As it is, for all my effort, I’m just left with a potential low rating and an overwhelming sense of how vulnerable we are out there.</div>
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<a href="" id="87b5" style="color: inherit;"></a><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/11/19/the-uber-you-reap-is-the-uber-you-sow/" href="http://idrivesf.wordpress.com/2014/11/19/the-uber-you-reap-is-the-uber-you-sow/" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%); background-position: 0px 24px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; background-size: 2px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Every single one of us</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> A few weeks ago, when I posted the cockeyed, ad hominem attack piece <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/how-to-fix-ridesharing-kill-lyft.html" target="_blank">How to Fix Ridesharing: Kill Lyft</a>, I knew it was going to be an incendiary post. Lyft loyalists responded with their usual derision over anything they perceive as anti-Lyft. Commenters were quick to label me a disgruntled ex-driver and an idiot, calling my logic primitive, retarded and stupid. Others pointed out that I understood nothing about how to run a business and that I was missing “a key part of the equation.”<br />
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Now, I’m the first to admit <a href="http://www.kellydessaint.com/piltdownlad/" target="_blank">I’m no businessman</a>. I'm certainly not the sharpest crayon in the box. And I’ve never claimed to be an authority on the subject of ridesharing other than <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/why-i-uber-on-reality-of-ridesharing.html" target="_blank">being a current driver</a> for both platforms (with a <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/im-uber-5-percenter-despite-trashing.html" target="_blank">4.9 rating on each</a>) who pathologically reads every article on the subject that crosses my Facebook dashboard and Twitter feed. I also pay close attention to the posts and comments on all the Facebook driver groups that I haven’t been kicked out of yet. I know <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-to-get-kicked-out-of-lyft-driver.html" target="_blank">how easily offended the Lyft faithful are</a>. So I wasn’t surprised by the vitriol my post received.<br />
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But in their ardent support of the Lyft brand, my detractors failed to grasp that I was actually championing Lyft’s main tenets. I prefer driving for Lyft. I think they are a much better company than Uber. Which is a common refrain among drivers. <a href="http://www.ride-share-news.com/results-of-rideshare-driver-survey/" target="_blank">Ride.Share.News recently did a survey</a> and found that the majority of drivers prefer Lyft. Which makes sense. Unlike Uber, the Lyft app has many features designed with the driver in mind. The app automatically notifies the passenger when you’re getting close to their pinned location, as well as when you’ve arrived. It even starts the ride within a few minutes of waiting, which addresses one of the biggest frustrations of dealing with passengers: the wait.<br />
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Another frequent gripe about driving is being ignored and treated like a servant. Lyft’s “friend with a car” slogan is not only in the true spirit of ridesharing, and what most of us signed up for, it also makes for an enjoyable ride. But the greatest aspect of being a Lyft driver, of course, is the ability for passengers to leave a tip. As a regular Uber driver, I know that without this option in the app, 99.9% of passengers do not leave a tip. They signed up for a service so they wouldn’t have to worry about having cash on hand, so it’s understandable. Albeit unfortunate.<br />
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Of course, not knowing what you’ve made until the next day, the overall demanding attitude of Lyft passengers (no, I’m not your fucking DJ and no, I don’t have any candy for you), that stupid pink mustache and the forced homogeny make driving for Lyft less appealing to me, but for others that’s the main draw.<br />
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So… do I really think Lyft should be killed off?<br />
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Yes. I think Lyft and Uber should both die. I think these two companies have ruined the entire concept, and the potential, of ridesharing with their rampant greed. I hate them both, but I hate Lyft more. Why? Because, as I pointed out <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/how-to-fix-ridesharing-kill-lyft.html" target="_blank">in the original post</a>, by taking on Uber, they’re making things worse for everybody. There’s really no way they are ever going to beat Uber at their own game. Not with a pink mustache. Not by creating a “community” of drivers. And not with a quirky, fun vibe.<br />
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Lyft wants to compete with Uber because they want to be worth billions of dollars like Uber. You can’t really blame them. We all love money. But how can Lyft expect to corner the national rideshare market and make billions of dollars without becoming <a href="http://bostonlyftdiaries.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/why-is-lyft-increasingly-trying-to-be-more-like-uber/" target="_blank">a generic service like Uber</a>?<br />
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Based on my observations over the past seven months as a fulltime driver for Lyft and Uber, the vast majority of passengers aren’t that interested in an unconventional experience. Just a safe one. They want to request a ride from their phones, have the car show up and not deal with cash. Sure, there are plenty of people who buy into the Lyft experience, but instead of cultivating those users, in their ignominious attempt to get a larger share of the rideshare market, Lyft is not <a href="http://bostonlyftdiaries.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/why-is-lyft-increasingly-trying-to-be-more-like-uber/" target="_blank">the Lyft of old</a>. They are diluting the one thing that distinguishes them from Uber.<br />
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This isn’t my crackpot theory. A friend of mine who began using Lyft three months after the app was first released in San Francisco told me recently how disappointed she’s become with Lyft. She’s uncomfortable sitting up front next to former cabbies and even had one driver harass her a few weeks ago. She says she no longer feels safe using Lyft and has moved on to UberX, where she can at least sit in the back. I told her she could easily sit in back with Lyft but she doesn’t see the point of using Lyft if she isn’t participating in the culture of Lyft.<br />
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<a href="http://www.vice.com/read/burning-mustaches-with-angry-lift-drivers-103" target="_blank">Sound familiar</a>?<br />
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<a href="http://bostonlyftdiaries.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/why-is-lyft-increasingly-trying-to-be-more-like-uber/" target="_blank">Other bloggers</a> and plenty of drivers have said the same thing.<br />
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And I’m not the only one <a href="http://therideshareguy.com/why-the-downfall-of-lyft-is-imminent/" target="_blank">who thinks that Lyft will lose the rideshare wars</a>. We all know, once the dust settles in the rideshare wars, Uber will dominate the market. And no, I don’t think that’s a good thing at all. But it’s inevitable. If Lyft wants to be like Uber, then Lyft should die and let Uber do Uber. They don’t need Lyft’s help.<br />
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Killing Lyft off now would be an act of mercy. Let’s put them out of their misery so we can focus on <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-drivers-across-the-country-are-organizing-their-largest#15n4bto" target="_blank">protesting Uber</a>, <a href="http://www.cadateamsters.org/" target="_blank">creating a TNC union</a>, figuring out the insurance question, getting regulated and trying to increase fares. There are many people doing all these things right now. And current lawsuits against Uber may potentially change the game and take them to task for mislabeling drivers as independent contractors. There is <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Uber-hammer-attack-may-clarify-firm-s-5810352.php" target="_blank">legal precedence</a> that by determining our rates and how we maintain our vehicles as well as limiting our ability to accept tips, they are actually our employers. Uber is fighting this classification tooth and nail because they won’t be able to shirk responsibilities for the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Uber-driver-accused-of-hammer-attack-on-San-5783495.php" target="_blank">assaults</a>, <a href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/another-uber-driver-stands-accused-of-sexually-assaulti-1612258968" target="_blank">sexual harassment</a> and <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/27/uber-and-a-childs-death/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0" target="_blank">death</a> caused by drivers. They also know the day is coming when they will be forced to assume the role of a transportation company. This can’t happen soon enough.<br />
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There is only one way to ensure the ability for anybody to make money in a car: <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-taxi-owners-cabbies-join-forces-against-5773407.php" target="_blank">regulation</a>.<br />
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Of course regulation means the death of ridesharing. Because it will no longer be about individuals using their personal cars as vehicles-for-hire to make a few extra bucks on the side. If drivers are required to have permits for themselves and their cars, how many current rideshare drivers would go through that process to continue driving? Very little, I imagine.<br />
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Ridesharing is barely in its infancy. And yet it’s already doomed. Why? Because only two companies dominate the field. If Uber and Lyft continue to be the primary players and keep fighting each other for the national market, ridesharing will not advance. The only way to make ridesharing work is to create smaller companies based in individual cites. The technology is there, somebody just needs to build the apps. I think smaller companies could easily gain wide-acceptance in cities by advertising themselves as a local rideshare. Create a cool logo that’s unique to that city, pass out referral cards for free rides at all the bars and clubs, slap a magnet sign onto the side doors, place an emblem in the window and get noticed. It’s not hard to get attention these days. Look at a company like <a href="http://blackcrowncar.com/" target="_blank">Black Crown Car Service</a> in Seattle. Yeah, I know they're a black car service, but they've proven that starting a car company at a local level can be accomplished. Just don’t expect to become valued at a billion dollars. <a href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-and-lyft-price-war-drives-major-competitor-out-of-1646194932" target="_blank">Or take on Uber</a>.<br />
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And yeah, I know SideCar is still a formidable player in the rideshare game. It seems like they’re poised to step into Lyft's shoes once Uber finally crushes them, or take over entirely if Uber and Lyft do each other in. Their <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_26727064/biz-break-sfo-allows-sidecar-provide-airport-transportation" target="_blank">recent deal with SFO</a> shows they are being strategic rather than blatantly fighting regulation and trying to destroy traditional taxi service.<br />
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At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who wins the rideshare wars. If either one becomes victorious, we’ll be <a href="http://www.newsday.com/opinion/who-will-win-the-cab-war-catherine-rampbell-1.9471505" target="_blank">right back where we started</a>. In their efforts to destroy “Big Taxi,” Uber or Lyft will eventually become the very thing they aimed to disrupt: taxis. But with a twist: less regulation. So why not open up the market and start more rideshare companies to keep the disruption going?<br />
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Lyft and Uber have turned ridesharing into a racket. We use our own cars and assume all the risks and responsibilities to make these companies rich, all the while making less and less each month. And when we fuck up, or when our cars give out, we are cast aside. Neither Lyft nor Uber have any loyalty to us drivers. We are part of a social experiment that will fail. And when it does, the bigwigs at these companies will just walk away with golden payouts and form other companies. Or invest in somebody else’s start-up.<br />
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And the drivers? Some will get their TCP permits and go pro. The rest will move onto another side gig. Maybe they’ll have positive memories of their rideshare experiences. But I’m sure plenty will look back with regret.<br />
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The ones I really feel sorry for are the Lyft faithful. It’s going to really hurt when they have nothing left from their rideshare experience except a beat-to-shit car, a faded pink mustache and the harsh realization that a corporation they worshiped had just used them up and spit them out.<br />
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(photo courtesy of Gabriel Zamora)<br />
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</span>Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-14924592376218592952014-10-11T13:46:00.002-07:002014-10-12T22:17:09.410-07:00The Paradox of Ridesharing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zeyg8kmIAMk/VDrUkAx5SlI/AAAAAAAAAWE/AXZbNdQzby0/s1600/uber_vs_Uber.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zeyg8kmIAMk/VDrUkAx5SlI/AAAAAAAAAWE/AXZbNdQzby0/s1600/uber_vs_Uber.JPG" height="472" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Friends with Benefits</b><br />
<br />
Uber must think Lyft drivers are all BFFs. It’s an understandable assumption, seeing as how Lyft promotes their brand of ridesharing as a community where drivers and passengers fistbump their way to everlasting friendship. Every day I get texts and emails from Uber telling me to bring my Lyft friends down to the office on Vermont street so they can sign up to drive for Uber. As always, it seems, they’re offering a $500 sign-up bonus and a $500 referral bonus. Plus lunch. And, as an added incentive, during the first month, new drivers are guaranteed to make either forty bucks an hour or $1000 a week, depending on the market.<br />
<br />
If I had any Lyft friends, I’d tell them to take the money and run. $500 is a nice chunk of change. And I’ve seen the meals they give out at the Uber office. You get a sandwich, a bag of chips, some pasta salad and a soda. Not a bad spread. But alas, I have no friends in the Lyft “community.” I was removed from the Pacific Driver Lounge, Lyft’s official Facebook group for drivers, months ago for writing a blog post called <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-cult-of-lyft-inside-pacific-driver.html" target="_blank">The Cult of Lyft</a> that poked fun of the jingoistic tendencies of the Lyft faithful. After that, I got kicked out of a group set up by Lyft drivers in the Bay Area. And then some Lyfters on a group for Uber Drivers had me kicked out of there. I guess what they say is true: <a href="http://bostonlyftdiaries.wordpress.com/2014/10/09/kelly-dessaint-the-most-hated-person-in-the-world-of-lyft-part-1/" target="_blank">I am the most hated person in the world of Lyft</a>.<br />
<br />
I’m actually surprised Lyft hasn’t deactivated me yet. I guess they’re afraid I’d make too much a stink if they sent me packing. Not that I’d be upset about it or anything. If you want to be part of the Lyft community, you need to drink a lot of Kool-Aid. Otherwise, you’re not welcome. And I’ve never felt welcome.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s too bad I don’t know any Lyfters who aren’t already driving for Uber. I could definitely use the $500 referral bonus. After seven months of driving mostly fulltime for Lyft and Uber, I’m broke as hell. My credit cards are all maxed out, my bank account is overdrawn, I have a painful toothache I can’t afford to fix and the Wife’s always pissed cause I’m out driving late every weekend. As it is, I figure I have about two months until my car needs new brakes and tires. And when that day comes, my rideshare days are over. I just don’t make enough from driving for Uber and Lyft to afford to fix my car so I can keep driving for Uber and Lyft.<br />
<br />
Now, I know it’s my own damn fault. I bought into the empty promise of ridesharing as an alternative source of income with a good amount of freedom. The ability to set your own hours can’t be overestimated for a creative type like myself. In fact, on Uber’s sign-up page, there are numerous quotes from drivers extolling the greatness of Uber because you can <a href="http://blog.uber.com/drivebtr" target="_blank">be your own boss</a>. And who doesn’t want to be their own boss? I know I do. That’s one of the reasons I signed up in the first place. I was in between jobs and had an underutilized car. But as the harsh realities of being a rideshare driver became clearer, I should have moved on before the price wars went nuclear. Because all that freedom they talk about doesn’t come cheap.<br />
<br />
Uber and Lyft have always been desperate for new drivers. But these days, they need them more than ever. As ridesharing becomes more popular, drivers will be quitting due to expensive car repairs or getting into accidents and not being able to afford the $2,500 deductible from the insurance companies that Uber and Lyft rely on to keep us safe. Or they’ll just bail after coming to the inevitable conclusion that ridesharing is not sustainable as anything more than a part-time gig.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>The Long Con</b><br />
<br />
In its current configuration, ridesharing, à la Uber and Lyft, is a conveyor belt to oblivion. Their goal is to take down “Big Taxi” with an endless stream of drivers using their personal cars as unregulated cabs. Uber and Lyft like to portray cab companies as monopolies that are bad for the public. They claim that government regulation will strangle innovation. But it’s all a smokescreen to disguise <a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/making-sense/uber-unfair-ride-sharing-firms-exploiting-deregulation/#.VDR1FsQoj4U.twitter" target="_blank">their true motives</a>: replacing cab companies and their fleets of cars with tech start-ups who <a href="http://www.ozy.com/#!/fast-forward/ubers-existential-crisis/33966" target="_blank">con regular folks</a> into thinking they’re part of some “disruption” of a failed transportation system. And then rake in the cash.<br />
<br />
Hey, it’s the American way!<br />
<br />
You can’t blame Uber and Lyft for their eagerness to exploit the underemployed. It’s an effective business model that’s benefited countless fast-food joints and made the Walton family filthy rich. Low paid workers cycle through crap jobs all the time without much concern from the general public. But it’s one thing to have a stoned, pimply kid flip your burgers or ring up your discounted housewares. It’s quite another to trust them to transport you and your loved ones through city traffic in their own car for a few dollars. Chances are, they don’t even know how to get around the city without a navigation system. And even background checks can’t prevent <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/how-risky-is-your-uber-ride-maybe-more-than-you-think/" target="_blank">bad seeds from easily finding their way onto the platform</a>.<br />
<br />
Not that it matters. Rideshare users, the very people who should be alarmed by these safety concerns, <a href="http://www.ozy.com/#!/resolved/the-oversharing-economy/4126" target="_blank">are absolutely clueless</a>. They pay next to nothing for a ride and expect to be treated like royalty. Uber tells them they don’t need to tip and they accept that lie without hesitation. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/catherine-rampell-consumers-likely-to-lose-the-uber-lyft-ride-share-war/2014/10/02/f4810f74-4a6c-11e4-a046-120a8a855cca_story.html" target="_blank">They just want the convenience and they want it for the lowest possible price</a>. They blindly go along with the exploitative model of the gig economy without a second thought.<br />
<br />
Unlike flipping burgers or running a register, though, rideshare drivers are supposed to perform a luxury service that’s superior to cabs. Despite getting paid less than cabbies. Rideshare companies are able to keep lowing the rates, of course, because they don’t have to own or maintain a single vehicle. They pass that discount onto to the drivers by forcing us to work for less and less each month.<br />
<br />
I would much rather drive a cab. At least cabbies who lease their cars from a company don’t have to pay to fix them. If something goes wrong with their vehicle, they get a new one. A rideshare driver, on the other hand, shoulders all the risk and responsibility for their cars, as well as insurance and their health. We are subsidizing the entire industry so people can have an alternative to cabs. And what do we get in return? A few lousy bucks and a four-star rating at best.<br />
<br />
As more drivers eventually realize <a href="http://www.ozy.com/#!/fast-forward/ubers-existential-crisis/33966" target="_blank">they’re being exploited</a>, Uber and Lyft will have to recruit new drivers to replace the ones who wise up. And these new drivers might make it a month or two before wandering off to another dead-end job. Some post comments in Facebook groups as they leave. But very few drivers will ever make a stink about how unfair the rideshare system is for drivers. Because the underemployed are used to being exploited.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Meet the new boss (and no, he’s not the same as the old boss)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’ve had countless shitty jobs in my life. And each one came with a shitty boss. If I had ever had a boss that hired me at, say, $25 an hour and then a month later told me they were now going to pay me $15 an hour, I would tell that boss to fuck the fucking fuck off. Who wouldn’t, right? And yet, as a rideshare driver, I went along with a thirty percent pay cut. It happened so suddenly, I didn’t know how to react. And I didn’t feel like I had much a choice. Jobs don’t grow on job trees anymore. Those drivers who did have options dropped off like flies. The rest of us plodded along at the reduced wage. And then Uber and Lyft lowered the rates again. Sure, they claim that the new rates increase rides. But I was plenty busy before the price cuts. And I can only do so many rides an hour. Especially when passengers make me wait ten minutes to come outside or input the wrong location and I have to drive around looking for them. Then there’s traffic, unforeseen circumstances, driving to far off locations where you’re not likely to get a ride… the list goes on and on. It’s another lie. But we go along with it because we’re desperate. Or stupid. I don’t know which. Maybe both? (Of course, there are still Lyfters loyal to the brand. God bless them.)<br />
<br />
So how is not having a boss working out for us? Personally, I’d rather have the old boss. I don’t like the new boss. It’s like having a girlfriend or boyfriend who doesn’t want to put a “label” on things. You kind of suspect they’re two-timing you, but they’re just so cute. You can’t meet their friends. They always come to your house. Eat your food. Hog the comforter at night. And you can’t call them anytime you want. Oh, no. You have to wait for them to call you. And if you ever say, Hey, I need a commitment, they give you a million reasons why this relationship works best for YOU. And it sounds so convincing and you begin to think that maybe they do have your best interests at heart. They’re trying to protect you. So you go along with it because every once in a while, they’re just so fantastic. And you feel so loved. But deep down, you know the desperation has turned you blind to your own best interests. And one day, you’ll wake up and realize they don’t actually give two shits about you. You’re just one fool in a long line of fools who fall for their crap. You’re just somebody to keep them from being lonely on a Saturday night.<br />
<br />
The day will come when all rideshare drivers <a href="http://www.vice.com/read/burning-mustaches-with-angry-lift-drivers-103" target="_blank">have a similar revelation</a>. And like that guy with the thick black book, Uber and Lyft need to keep enough irons in the fire so they never have to spend a Saturday night alone.<br />
<br />
That’s the new boss.<br />
<br />
I miss the old boss.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: <a href="https://plus.google.com/110116137616125452353/posts/AevYWfFhHo4" target="_blank">ridesharing is a racket</a>. There’s no way to win. Unless you want to join a cult or run your car into the ground. Then it’s a great way to make a few extra bucks a week. Just don’t think about what might happen if you get in an accident or need new brakes or what you’re going to do when it comes time to pay Uncle Sam. Whatever you do, do not think about that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span> Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-90822224937036309682014-10-03T12:25:00.001-07:002014-10-03T12:32:59.679-07:00Lyft Loses the Fluff<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So Lyft is finally ditching the ‘stache. Got the email yesterday:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JhXp3BG1f4I/VC73DP1_L1I/AAAAAAAAAVM/KYpedfktt7k/s1600/lyft_loses_stache.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JhXp3BG1f4I/VC73DP1_L1I/AAAAAAAAAVM/KYpedfktt7k/s1600/lyft_loses_stache.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sure took them long enough. I’ve been <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/07/an-open-letter-to-lyft-since-you-asked.html" target="_blank">ragging on that god-awful monstrosity</a> since day one. Back when I drove for Lyft exclusively, I've always said, <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/its-not-about-mustache-except-when-it-is.html" target="_blank">I don't use the mustache because I am the mustache</a>. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/its-not-about-mustache-except-when-it-is.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8M5R826lMcg/U8XGtHBj3UI/AAAAAAAAABw/5qHdiIIbY_Q/s1600/mustache_first_flat.jpg" height="153" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of course, as always, Lyft can’t catch a break. Last
weekend, there was a good old-fashioned ‘stache burning down in LA. <a href="http://www.vice.com/read/burning-mustaches-with-angry-lift-drivers-103" target="_blank">Vice Magazine posted a write up</a> on the event. That kind of attention can’t be good
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh, Lyft. At least you have <a href="http://www.inc.com/uber-vs-lyft-which-office-is-cooler.html" target="_blank">your plush offices</a> to cheer you
up. </span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bw9A2gqh6A8/VCoGwc48alI/AAAAAAAAAT4/bSrng7IshMw/s1600/lyft_pink_mustache_on_fire2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bw9A2gqh6A8/VCoGwc48alI/AAAAAAAAAT4/bSrng7IshMw/s1600/lyft_pink_mustache_on_fire2.jpg" height="596" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo by Gabriel Zamora</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-28548697783141475782014-09-29T14:48:00.001-07:002014-12-21T17:42:14.312-08:00How to Fix Ridesharing: Kill Lyft<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> <w:UseFELayout/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L9TsOtw9LkY/VCnQV9gcu9I/AAAAAAAAATc/EjXz_6pBWLE/s1600/10351732_277769612414852_2793852626264812590_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L9TsOtw9LkY/VCnQV9gcu9I/AAAAAAAAATc/EjXz_6pBWLE/s1600/10351732_277769612414852_2793852626264812590_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by James Klevin from the Vanishing SF Facebook page</td></tr>
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<h2>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>A Modest Proposal</b></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last night, I had dinner with a friend and her sister, whom I’d never met before. The topic of Uber came up when I mentioned I drive for Lyft and Uber. My friend’s sister said she really likes taking Uber. She’s a performance artist and often needs to get around the city at night. Before Uber, she was regularly stranded by cabs, which would invariably pick up a street hail on the way to her location, leaving her in the lurch and forced to seek other options. With Uber, she’s never had this problem. She just requests a ride and the car shows up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Awesome. The only problem is, well… Uber. And <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/17201/uber_s_business_model_screwing_its_workers" target="_blank">the way they’re treating drivers</a>. As I mentioned to her the struggles drivers face when dealing with the lowered fares, the lack of tips and the general unpleasantness of Uber as a company, I began to feel like a dick. There I was, shitting on something that fulfilled a need in her life both personally and professionally. Without Uber, she, like a lot of people in the city, would once again be at a disadvantage. It seems <a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/opinionshop/2014/09/29/letter-of-the-week-who-needs-taxis/" target="_blank">the only thing everybody can agree on when it comes to this new trend in transportation is that cabs suck</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> This got me thinking… If I owned a business that made a product people loved—one they loved so much they would be disappointed not to have anymore—why would I lower the price? I’m not business-minded in the least, but it just stands to reason that if somebody really wants your product, you could charge whatever price you wanted for it. So why is Uber continuously lowering fares?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Then it hit me. Fucking Lyft. Lyft is the problem. They keep picking fights with Uber. And <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/technology/article/Uber-s-Travis-Kalanick-shows-gentler-side-at-5742716.php" target="_blank">Travis Kalanick</a>, Uber’s founder and CEO, isn’t somebody you want to trifle with. But Lyft, the quirky kid with bad acne, thick glasses and a pepertual cowlick, does just that: day after day, they walk across the playground and challeng the biggest bully in school.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> It’s not much a shock that Lyft is getting pummeled in the rideshare wars. It’s almost embarrassing how badly Lyft is <a href="http://fortune.com/2014/09/11/uber-vs-lyft-the-credit-cards-dont-lie/" target="_blank">losing this David and Goliath showdown</a>. But you can’t feel too bad for Lyft. They asked for this. Unfortunately, the drivers on both platforms are suffering because of Lyft’s hubris.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> The price wars have been going on for a while. It's hard to imagine a time when the minimum fare for an UberX ride was $10. But back in 2013, that what the going rate for a ride. Nowadays, in San Francisco, it's $5. In LA, it's $4. That's <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/uber-is-walking-for-lazy-people.html" target="_blank">highway robbery at its very essence</a>. Not to mention how drivers face serious risks with insurance gaps, <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Uber-driver-accused-of-hammer-attack-on-San-5783495.php" target="blank">troublesome passengers</a>, potential health problems, damage to our vehicles, the financial hardships of constant repair and maintenance and we are denied tips. On top of all that, with the rating system, we don’t even have job security. Any passenger on a power trip could easily have us deactivated.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I started driving for Lyft in March of 2014. I made decent money. A few months later, to combat Uber's growing domination of the rideshare market with UberX, Lyft lowered their fares and stopped taking a commission. The price cut was supposed to be a test. Around the time they planned to return to the original rates, Uber lowered their rates, forcing Lyft to make their temporary price cut permanent and start collecting commission again, pissing off all but their most loyal drivers.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Uber is definitely winning the rideshare wars. In their calculated, underhanded assault on Lyft, Uber shows no restraint. </span><a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/08/uber-and-lyft-both-launch-carpool-services.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">They even announced UberPool</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">, a carpooling feature that wasn’t active, the day before Lyft announced their own carpooling service, LyftLine, which was ready to launch, effectively stealing their thunder.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even without public support, Uber is racking up victories. A month ago, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/26/6067663/this-is-ubers-playbook-for-sabotaging-lyft" target="_blank">when Uber’s Operation Slog was exposed</a>, everybody felt bad for Lyft. But then Lyft <a href="http://valleywag.gawker.com/lyft-just-slashed-driver-pay-again-and-everyones-pisse-1639225232/+kevinmonty" target="_blank">lowered prices again</a> and drivers started <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/696821110406443/" target="_blank">burning their mustaches</a>.</span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Before this happened, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/05/30/how-uber-and-lyft-are-trying-to-kill-each-other/" target="_blank">Uber had started poaching Lyft drivers</a>. I was one. <a href="https://medium.com/behind-the-wheel/to-uber-or-not-to-uber-part-one-6152af3fd4ba" target="_blank">I joined Uber during their $500 sign-up bonus</a>. $500 to take one ride? Where do I sign?! </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The gimmick was that newly recruited drivers would see how much better Uber was compared to Lyft and switch sides. And it worked. As a regular Lyft driver, I was blown away by how much more business I got from driving for Uber. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">(</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lyft tried to get Uber drivers to switch sides, or double down, by making a counteroffer of $500 plus a taco, but just came off looking silly, as usual.) </span><br />
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</span> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These are the kinds of tactics that show who is really in charge when it comes to ridesharing: Uber.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
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Now don’t get me wrong, I think Uber, with Kalanick at the helm, is an evil, unscrupulous company along the lines of Wal-Mart. Kalanick comes across as <a href="http://upstart.bizjournals.com/companies/startups/2014/09/29/uber-ceo-tells-u-s-mayors-get-on-board-or-get-out.html" target="_blank">an antisocial, libertarian scumbag</a> who’d stab his own mother in the back to get ahead. He probably has a cum-stained paperback of <i>The Fountainhead</i> under his pillow that he strokes gently as he falls asleep at night. But he’s not stupid. He knows how to run a business, even if it is at the expense of workers. Lyft, on the other hand, has yet to display any business acumen. Their entire platform lends itself to mockery.<br />
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Look at their signature branding: <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/its-not-about-mustache-except-when-it-is.html" target="_blank">the pink mustache</a>. While it’s proven to be an effective symbol to get attention, it’s so ugly and goofy and alienating and … shit, the list goes on and on. Most people don’t like the stupid thing and very few drivers have them on their cars anymore. Lyft, realizing this, developed what they call a “cuddlestache,” a smaller version that goes on the dash instead of the grill. But from a distance, it just looks like a pink turd. Another Lyft fail! [UPDATE: <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/10/lyft-loses-fluff.html" target="_blank">Lyft is ditching the 'stache</a>.]<br />
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Where Lyft supposedly excels is through creating a sense of community. I prefer the social aspect of driving for Lyft. <a href="http://www.kellydessaint.com/2014/07/behind-the-wheel-a-lyft-drivers-log/" target="_blank">It makes for better stories</a>. Driving is more fun when you are free to chat with the passengers. The time goes by so much faster. And Lyft encourages tipping, which is awesome. Uber tells their users the tip is included in the fare. (<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ubers-drivers-say-they-dont-get-any-tip-money-from-all-inclusive-fares-2014-9" target="_blank">It’s not</a>.) But the whole “<a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-cult-of-lyft-inside-pacific-driver.html" target="_blank">Cult of Lyft</a>” mindset is a niche market at best. In order to fall for it, you have to drink the Kool-Aid. Lyft fanatics are a brutal lot of mustache-waving zealots who will try to <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-to-get-kicked-out-of-lyft-driver.html" target="_blank">stifle any dissent in order to protect the brand</a>. Still, there’s no way they can corner the entire rideshare market based on jingoism alone. In fact, I’m willing to venture that the community aspect hurts Lyft more that it helps. Some people just want to get from point A to point B without making a friend along the way.<br />
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There are folks to whom Lyft’s transportation model is appealing and Lyft needs to cultivate those users. Not the market as a whole. They will never be able to compete with Uber, financially or logistically.<br />
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As cutthroat as they are, it’s not surprising Uber is resisting Lyft’s attempts to corner the market. Lyft is fighting with a ruthless bully. Their only move at this point is to beg for mercy. Even their cries of “that’s not fair” have fallen on deaf ears. If this were a schoolyard fight, we’d all be standing there with out arms folded going, “<a href="http://therideshareguy.com/why-the-downfall-of-lyft-is-imminent/" target="_blank">Dude, you asked for it</a>.”<br />
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The question of who started the price wars doesn't even matter anymore. Even if Lyft were out of the picture, it's not likely the prices go back to what they were at the beginning of the year. It doesn't even matter that, except for surge pricing, passengers weren’t complaining about the prices before the price war started. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What's done is done.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At this point, Uber could charge as much as cabs and still be profitable and control the market. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh sure, there are plenty of problems with ridesharing. Killing Lyft might not fix them all, but the only way to end the price wars is for Lyft to be better than Uber. Or die.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’m not the only rideshare blogger who’s <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://therideshareguy.com/why-the-downfall-of-lyft-is-imminent/" href="http://therideshareguy.com/why-the-downfall-of-lyft-is-imminent/" target="_blank">come to the conclusion that Lyft isn’t going to win</a>. They are perpetuating the price wars in a futile attempt to compete with Uber and yet they’ve lost each battle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Somebody needs to put a stop to the price wars. Despite what the their computers tell them, raising prices would benefit the company and improve the rideshare experience for passengers. Of course, if Uber and Lyft did raise the prices, the users who take advantage of the five-dollar rides would drop off. And while those short rides are fine for a computer to just add to the ultimate tally, <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/uber-is-walking-for-lazy-people.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/uber-is-walking-for-lazy-people.html" target="_blank">earning those five-dollar rides as a driver is no easy task</a>. The five-dollar rides need to end anyway. The minimum fare for an on-demand ride should be ten dollars. If you can’t afford ten bucks to get from one neighborhood to another, you really shouldn’t be using an on-demand car service. Why waste an Uber driver’s time by having them spend several minutes driving to you just to take you a few blocks? <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/uber-is-walking-for-lazy-people.html" href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/uber-is-walking-for-lazy-people.html" target="_blank">That’s plain lazy and a waste of everybody’s time</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s time for passengers who want quality transportation options provided by drivers paid a fair wage to expect more than a race to the bottom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As a driver, the end of Lyft cannot come soon enough. There are very few drivers who are even loyal to Lyft anymore. Lyft is the losing team. All roads lead to Uber. Whether we like it or not, they are going to win the rideshare wars. Anybody who can’t see that is obviously drinking too much Lyft Kool-Aid.</span></div>
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</span> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">FOLLOW UP POST: <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/10/should-we-really-kill-lyft.html" target="_blank">Should We Really Kill Lyft?</a></span><br />
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</span>Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-77043786226468489932014-09-25T13:25:00.002-07:002014-09-25T14:12:50.363-07:00Uber is Walking for Lazy People: On The Five-Dollar Ride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The <strike>Six-Dollar</strike> Five-Dollar Ride</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />For an Uber driver, few </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">things are worse than the five-dollar ride. Pukers definitely take the top spot, but they are nowhere near as common as the dreaded short rides. <br /><br />In San Francisco, Uber charges a base fare of $2.20, twenty-six cents a minute and a buck-thirty each mile. (When I first drafted this post a week ago, the rate was three dollars base, thirty cents each minute and a $1.50 a mile—that’s how quickly the rates are going down). The minimum fare is five dollars (previously six dollars). So anything under a mile is a five-dollar ride.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />Of course, we only see 80 percent of that five-dollar fare. And it</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">’</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">s not like we get any tips to make up for the short ride. (<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/18/us-uber-tips-ruling-idUSKBN0HD1WK20140918" target="_blank">Though maybe one day that will change</a>.)<br /><br />Five-dollar rides are hardly worth the effort. When you factor in gas, the time and effort spent driving to the passenger’s location, waiting for them to saunter outside, get into the car, give you directions and then drive them to their destination, that minimum fare ends up costing the driver more than the passenger.<br /><br />People who take short rides know they are wasting our time. They often apologize when they get in the car.<br /><br />“I’m only going a few blocks. Sorry.”<br /><br />Technology is all about creating convenience. It makes us lazy. Uber is capitalizing on this culture of laziness by making rides so cheap. Why walk a few blocks when you can take an Uber for five bucks? Forget driver-less cars. Uber is now competing with the bus. The SF Muni costs $2.25. And unless you live on a bus line, you’ll still have a little walking </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to do</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. The horror! For most new San Franciscans, five dollars is a drop in the bucket. In a town where rent for a one-bedroom is over three thousand dollars, that</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">s pocket change. Most people make decent money. They can afford a few extra dollars. So why the hell not take an Uber?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Of course, passengers don’t think about the consequences these five-dollar rides have on drivers. We do the short rides and keep our mouths shut, giving off the impression that we’re happy to do it. But convenience comes with a price and the person providing the convenience usually pays that price.<br /><br />Rideshares are great for the companies and users. <a href="http://idrivesf.blogspot.com/2014/09/why-i-uber-on-reality-of-ridesharing.html" target="_blank">But the drivers are fucked</a>!<br /><br />The whole concept of Uber as some sort of “disruptor” is a farce. All Uber has done is become the very system they were trying to replace, except at a cheaper price and at the expense of drivers.<br /><br /><b>Low Fares Are Not Fair!</b><br /><br />As Uber drivers, we are doing the jobs of cabbies. Plain and simple. But we are paid less, we use our own cars, we are judged by an unfair rating system, we take almost all the risks, and we’re even denied a gratuity, one of the cornerstones of the service industry.<br /><br />I recently read a post on an Uber Facebook group from a disgruntled driver who suggested we call passengers before we pick them up to find out where they’re going. That way we can decide whether to take the ride or cancel it. Since drivers can face deactivation if they reject or cancel too many rides, the poster even implied that he had a trick for getting passengers to cancel themselves, so it wouldn’t affect our ride acceptance rate.<br /><br />Not a bad idea. We already see the passengers’ ratings, so we can reject rides based on that. Or the pickup location. Having the freedom to choose rides based on final destination would be a godsend!<br /><br />Uber could easily install a feature that required passengers to input their destination. Right now it’s only voluntary and when passengers do add the address, the driver can’t see the location until the ride has started. Of course, Uber obviously knows that if drivers were able to see where a passenger is going we’d be more likely to cancel the short rides and wait for the longer, more lucrative ones. This activity dismantles the entire rideshare system. The whole point of Uber and Lyft is the ability to request a car and for it to actually show up.<br /><br />Before rideshares, cabbies were free to pick and chose a ride based on a passenger’s appearance, their level of sobriety and yes, destination. If they didn’t want to drive to a particular area of the city, they just didn’t let you into the cab. That’s the system these rideshare start-ups are trying to disrupt. Now Uber drivers are figuring out how to beat them at their own game by getting back to the way things were before. Because maybe, just maybe, that system wasn’t so flawed to begin with.<br /><br />Cabbies know that most people suck. They have to be particular. Uber drivers are beginning to realize the same thing. But we don’t have that luxury.<br /><br />A passenger once asked me, when I was complaining about short rides, whether rideshare users would take cabs if Uber and Lyft weren’t around. Some would, sure, I said, but most people would probably take public transportation. They’d walk. Or they’d ride a bike.<br /><br />I pointed out the example of surge pricing. When the prices are low, passengers are happy to request an Uber without a second thought. And the ride requests come in one after another. But anytime the prices are surging, the requests slow down to a trickle. Suddenly taking a stroll through the beautiful streets of San Francisco doesn’t seem like such a bad idea after all.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">screenshot of Uber phone in driver mode during surge pricing... I drove through all that red for half an hour and never got a single request</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />It's time to face facts, by continuing to lower their fares, Uber is perpetuating a culture of laziness. And they are benefiting from it with a seventeen billion dollar valuation. Uber is the darling of Silicon Valley. But drivers are paying an even greater price. So... what’s the going rate for self-worth these days?</span><br />
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Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-50711053673155640152014-09-22T14:36:00.002-07:002014-12-27T14:26:55.200-08:00WHY I UBER ON: The Reality of Ridesharing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">screenshot of a fare summary on my cracked Uber issued iPhone</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/09/22/uber-now-taking-its-biggest-uberx-commission-ever-25-percent/" target="_blank">Ridesharing is a racket</a>.</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> There’s nothing </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">disruptive</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">”</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> about taking an idea that already exists, like taxies, and figuring out how to become a cab company without owning a single car. In their current configurations, Uber and Lyft are entirely dependent on their drivers, <a href="http://www.vice.com/read/uber-drivers-are-revolting-against-their-bosses" target="_blank">who are currently in open revolt</a> and quitting in disgust over the latest price cuts as Uber and Lyft fight it out to see who will win the rideshare wars. Despite constantly recruiting new drivers and offering incentives like wage guarantees and bonuses during the first month, after that initial trial run, the cold, hard reality of driving for hire in your own vehicle becomes painfully apparent.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just like a traditional taxi company, ridesharing is built on the backs of drivers. But for full time drivers, ridesharing is becoming less and less viable. The money just doesn’t add up anymore. And the associated risks with ridesharing only make things worse.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Drivers all across the country are coming to this realization. They’re pissed beyond belief. They’ve taken to Facebook to voice their anger and organize protests, strikes, class action lawsuits and to form a union. They’ve even joined forces with the Teamsters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />The rideshare wars are getting ugly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">Not all drivers are unhappy though. There are still plenty of folks who tell the complainers to stop whining and get another job if they don’t like the way things are with Lyft and Uber. These drivers, who mostly work part time, like to point out that ridesharing is a great second job that offers them flexibility and a decent source of extra income.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’m always amazed at this attitude, not because of its insensitivity, which is repulsive in and of itself, but it shows a complete ignorance of what ridesharing really is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These companies are trying to destroy traditional taxi services and the only way they’re going to do that is with full time drivers who are out there twenty-four hours a day accepting requests and keeping the system online. The CEOs of Lyft and Uber know that if people request a ride and there are no cars available, they will move on to another service, i.e., a taxi or the bus, and probably won’t try ridesharing again. Consumers are fickle as hell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ridesharing is not sustainable with part time drivers looking for something fun to do on a Saturday night. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vIgJca_4V9k/VCCYIdluiVI/AAAAAAAAASQ/MshSvCGH1pA/s1600/uberads1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vIgJca_4V9k/VCCYIdluiVI/AAAAAAAAASQ/MshSvCGH1pA/s1600/uberads1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vIgJca_4V9k/VCCYIdluiVI/AAAAAAAAASQ/MshSvCGH1pA/s1600/uberads1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vIgJca_4V9k/VCCYIdluiVI/AAAAAAAAASQ/MshSvCGH1pA/s1600/uberads1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vIgJca_4V9k/VCCYIdluiVI/AAAAAAAAASQ/MshSvCGH1pA/s1600/uberads1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">However, at the current prices, ridesharing doesn’t really make sense for full time drivers. If you’re really going to survive as a full time rideshare driver, you’re looking at driving your car sixty hours a week. Which is no cakewalk. Not just anybody can do that. After an eight hour shift, I</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">’m usually dead to the world and struggle to get back out there the next day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But there are drivers who do sixty hours a week. Or more. And that’s what makes ridesharing sustainable: the drivers who bust their ass and run their cars into the ground.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of course, <a href="http://tbo.com/news/business/mullins-column-anyway-the-other-day-i-really-needed-a-lyft-20140921/" target="_blank">the media only ever seems to focus on the retirees and students looking to make some extra bucks and get out of the house</a>. Because it looks good. It puts a positive spin on ridesharing. But full time drivers and anybody who’s trying to make a decent wage driving a car know what the real cost of ridesharing is. We face serious risks with insurance gaps, <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Uber-driver-accused-of-hammer-attack-on-San-5783495.php" target="_blank">troublesome passengers</a>, potential health problems, damage to our vehicles and the financial hardships of constant repair and maintenance, </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">we are denied tips a</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">nd, with the rating system, we don’t even have job security.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />So why keep driving for Uber?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If I’m making less and less money each month while I continue to rack up miles and wear and tear on my car, which isn’t even paid for yet, why do I continue?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, I like driving. And I enjoy dealing with people. Sure, <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kellkontraire/ten-reasons-why-your-uber-driver-hates-you-xk61" target="_blank">there are a lot of stinkers who get in my car and treat me like a servant</a>. The drunks are particularly annoying. But I’ve had some amazing interactions with folks and, after awhile, it gets addictive. You never know who’s going to get into your car.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Still, that’s not going to pay my bills. I can satisfy this need for human interaction in many different ways.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">No, the real reason that I keep driving for Uber is because I feel stuck. I’m broke as shit and I’m not sure yet how to get out of the financial hole I’ve gotten myself into. I have an enormous amount of debt. Yes, I could quit driving and get a job at Trader Joe’s. But I can't wait two to three weeks for a paycheck. I’ll be homeless by then.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plus, I have an entrepreneurial spirit. I bought into the promise of ridesharing. It</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">’s my own damn fault I didn</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">t get while the getting was good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I started driving for Lyft and Uber in March 2014, after I lost my job working in print media. Since nobody really needs editors and layout designers anymore, it’s been difficult to find gainful employment. Especially in San Francisco, where everything evolves around apps and the development, marketing and selling of apps.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I’ve been doing whatever I can to make a buck: selling stuff on eBay, looking for freelance work, hawking my self-published zines and using my car to drive for Lyft and Uber.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At first, I made decent money with ridesharing. I could drive thirty hours a week and make enough to survive. But then Lyft lowered their rates. Then Uber lowered their rates. Then they both lowered the rates some more. And then some more. They are literally nickel-and-diming their drivers in their attempt to dominate the ridesharing market. Because at the end of the day, these arrogant assholes have to be the top dog. Like evil scientists overcompensating for being such nerds, their ambitions seem to know no bounds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s a goddamn shame. Passengers weren’t even complaining about the prices. They were happy to have a better service.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now it seems like Lyft and Uber are not just competing with each other but with the bus as well. It costs $2.25 to ride the Muni. A minimum fare for take a car is five dollars. So why not request an Uber for a few bucks more when you don’t feel like walking a couple blocks?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s dehumanizing to pick somebody up and be told, “Oh, I’m not going far.” Like that’s a good thing. Occasionally, a passenger will apologize for requesting a car to go a short distance, but saying sorry doesn’t ameliorate the crushing blow of ending the ride at their destination and seeing that $5.21 on the screen of my cracked iPhone. Of which I only see eighty percent, obviously, before factoring in gas and taxes, at the very least.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This has become the reality of ridesharing: <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/09/silicon-valleys-contract-worker-problem.html" target="_blank">slave wages</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And the problem with slave wages is that you can easily wind up in a vicious cycle of poverty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Each week it gets more and more difficult to climb out of that hole.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So yeah… I keep driving for Uber because I’m hoping eventually I’ll make enough money to take a breath and figure out how to get myself out of this mess. But that day has yet to come. And as the prices keep going down, it may never come and I’ll just continue sinking deeper into poverty.<br /><br />I should probably start playing the lottery. I’d certainly have better odds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1640920834950741170.post-20274849276094660702014-09-01T23:08:00.000-07:002014-09-01T23:08:46.546-07:00Ten Reasons Why Your Uber Driver Hates You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kellkontraire/ten-reasons-why-your-uber-driver-hates-you-xk61" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bJNpWzGNRtc/VAVeeb0VoTI/AAAAAAAAARw/K0Jt3qzlNjI/s1600/UberHatesYou.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kellkontraire/ten-reasons-why-your-uber-driver-hates-you-xk61" target="_blank">Ten Reasons... a Buzzfeed listicle</a>.Kelly Dessainthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10179076523117118219noreply@blogger.com0