Taxis - Black Cabs, Uber, Illegal Cabbies

I was trying to be ironic. I bet a lot of them already do work for other firms too.

Oops!

The LTDA may be scum, but this one isn't on them.

Uber are dodgy as fuck and use every trick they can come up with to avoid the rules, which they hold in contempt.

I'd be happy to continue to use uber, the company just need to also stop being cunts.

General secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association Steve McNamara said: "The mayor has made the right call not to re-license Uber.
"We expect Uber will again embark on a spurious legal challenge against the mayor and TfL, and we will urge the court to uphold this decision.
"This immoral company has no place on London's streets."

Spurious legal challenge you say..

I'd agree that those things need dealing with, but Uber is ultimately not responsible for the actions of individuals - sexual violence is unfortunately a societal trend.

Did anyone suggest taking black cabs off the streets after the John Worboys case?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Worboys

Shit, how am I supposed to get home now after being on the piss? Whilst they have some dodgy business practices, UBER has been responsible for me getting home every time. So good you can use even when paralytic. Going to have to give up the booze me thinks.

I only use Black Cabs and Addison Lee when slaughtered. Same results.

Time to stumble into the minicab office dripping with doner juice methinks.

Like the good old days. Kebab sales will be through the roof!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdmR58BIHOg

I am minded to agree with these sentiments.

https://gett.com/uk/

40,000 criminals about to lose their jobs.

I'm interested to know where this "all Uber drivers are criminals" things comes from. I suspect it originates from the established private hire and hackney industry which feel threatened by a new business model and are looking to taint its credibility. Worryingly, the great British public have had no qualms about accepting this narrative as gospel truth. It definitely isn't.

As someone who issues licenses to hackney and private hire drivers I look at a lot of DBS certificates for people applying for new driver badges and badge renewals. For the vast majority, they're clear. Anecdotally I'd suggest that Uber drivers are less likely to have a conviction than those working for other operators. I doubt any serious analysis would show them being worse.

I guess that's a good thing because if 40000 (minus those for whom it is a second job) are about to receive their P45s, there's a lower risk of a correlating increase in criminality stemming from sudden end to legitimate livelihoods.

There's an important and necessary distinction between Uber and its drivers and too many people are eager to taint both with the same brush.

receive their P45s

hahaha

Surely time for TfL to step up to the plate,
set up its own better-than-Uber app,
employ all the drivers and make the requisite deductions for PAYE & NI?

I assume all Uber advocates in this thread are active supporters of zero hour contracts and carry a copy of Capitalism and Freedom in their breast pocket? Oh.

TfL is the licensing authority and therefore it would be very difficult for it to do this without either creating a huge conflict of interest or being in breach of licensing legislation.

Unlike a taxi, an Uber car can't be used anonymously. You can't pay cash. It also requires use of non-free software, which mistreats the user. Triple rates at peak times on weekends anyone?

We've had nearly 40 years of 'arms length agencies' set up by Tory, & Torylite governments.
What's one more?

I assume that your breast pocket strains under the weight of all of the essays, books and texts that you carry to support every single ideal and moral principle that you subscribe to?

Oh

I'm interested to know where this "all Uber drivers are criminals" things comes from

Fundamentally a lot of it is racism if you ask me - perhaps unconscious but still racism.

Many Uber drivers are non-white immigrants, while most black cab drivers are white and British.

TfL's stats for cabbies:

Vs. private hire (which includes Uber):

According to this article in the New York Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/04/world/europe/london-uk-brexit-uber-taxi.html?_r=0

"Uber receives hundreds of complaints a month from its London drivers about racist abuse from black cab drivers, including racist slurs like 'Go back to your country!'."

Interesting to get your perspective as a license issuer (?). I'd agree that separating Uber and its drivers is sensible.

I'm not saying that it can't be done, just that it is highly unlikely that they would wish to do it.

Interesting news on Uber. I find them to be a disappointing company.

My general objections: hugely arrogant; toxic corporate culture; haemorrhaging VC funds to crush opposition (and then prices will rise); unashamedly ignoring regulations and responsibilities; blatant tax evasion; no regard for 'employee' rights.

It's obviously great to be able to get a cheap taxi, but it's not right that Uber employees (as a direct result of artifically suppressed fares) and the state (as an indrect result of lower tax payments) should pay the price, while Travis & co cream off their profits.

Would I be right in thinking that you've never/don't use Uber?

Yep,
the entire business model depends upon Corporate Welfare.