The press and the public asked this headline question over a year ago, when Uber's corporate practices, including wage repression and rampant sexual harassment -- not to mention the erratic behavior of Uber's CEO -- became recurrent stories in the news.
And the answer to the question back then was, Yes, it's time to delete Uber. Glad the NYTimes writer here is catching up...
2
I won’t use Uber due to their terrible corporate actions. I don’t eat at Chik-fil-a for their anti LGBT and pro-nutty religious owners (not to mention it’s terrible). My list is longer than I like, but meaningful to me and suits my conscience. Dollars are hard enough to come by - why do business with people that harbor morals antithetical to yours?
3
So when Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, Jr. declares that his company is "not in the truth to power business," what does he call his business, "sycophancy to mass murder" or just plain cowardly greed?
2
I don't have to delete Uber. I never loaded it in the first place.
2
This is a ridiculous article: Delete Uber because the CEO says something stupid?
What about all the people who drive for Uber? They should lose their livelihood because of the CEO's comments? Please
Spare us the moral preening. Uber has risen because it vastly superior to local urban cap companies in service, quality, price, and response time. It's contract drivers are free to quit at any time. That's it. If you don't want Uber to exist, make a better product. Until then, spare us the outrage.
Boston is actually travel-able thanks to Uber and Lyft. Most of us do not miss the cab monopoly. That government sanctioned monopoly was always the real problem.
5
You think when Uber stops subsidizing the riders and drivers it’s going to be a “better deal” than cab or cab equivalents. Think again. The shareholders will demand it; otherwise the stock will head to zero and no I don’t believe autonomous vehicles are right around the corner. The problem was corrupt parts
Of municipal government that aided the ridiculous rise in medallion prices turning them into lottery tickets instead of issuing them according to customer demand.
4
I won't "delete Uber" because I never supported Uber or any of those "disruptors" in the first place
Their business model is rapacious, to say the least. The question on the minds of these startups is, "how can we funnel cash flow from an established part of the economy into our pockets?"
They disregard law, all in pursuit of "profit". I put profit in quotes because these companies don't make any profits in the traditional cash flow sense, but rather spend a ton of cash until the IPO when the benefactors expect to be paid out for all the cash they poured into what is effectively a bad business that they try to scale to a point whereby profitability magically appears... proof: Uber's IPO and WeWork's failed IPO (bait and switch??)
5
I don't have time to read everyone's comments today so if someone already said this delete it, but it would certainly help eliminate Uber and Lyft if NYC would FINALLY allow potential passengers to hail a yellow cab via a cellphone call or app. While refusing to use the alternatives, it is still impossible to hail a yellow taxi when you need one (e.g., after a show or off a major boulevard). And when you have a handicapped spouse who can't walk blocks to try to find an available yellow taxi, that sucks. Don't mind spending a few extra bucks to not have to stand around waiting on an empty yellow taxi.
1
@Truth at Last We have several taxi apps in San Francisco. They work. Hope they become available in your area.
2
At least the Netflix boss was honest. Truth is bad for business. As for taking Lyft instead of Uber, if you want to call it conscious consumerism and think that it’s somehow political, well, you have every right to call it whatever you want; it’s a free country. Thanks for the laugh. And if you want to stroke your notion of personal integrity by doing so, by all means, go right ahead. You can even do it in public. And those who run the show and their investment partners might like to watch you do it, so more pleasure all around; I think that’s what they call a win-win. But you’d might just as well spend the rest of your life turning over a piece of paper that reads “How do you keep a fool busy?” on both sides, for all the difference it will make.
1
It's probably a fair assessment that Mr. Khosrowshahi does not believe that the murder of Jamal Khashoggi was merely a "mistake". However, he was certainly trying to be very careful in his words (which obviously backfired spectacularly), as he does not want to risk angering his company's fifth-largest shareholder.
This incident underlines an issue with our increasingly global financial system, where it is increasingly common for countries like Saudi Arabia and China to serve as sources of capital funding, as well as new markets for a company's products or services. And, unlike many other investors, they aren't only interested in earning a return on their investment--they want influence.
How we can actually deal with these issues isn't exactly clear, once the investments have already been made. Boycotts rarely achieve the levels needed to get the attention of larger companies, and their negative effects can also just be a cost of doing business when compared with the financial benefits of appeasing large foreign shareholders.
Perhaps the only way to really address the issue, is to have stronger regulations on foreign investment that extend further into media and technology companies than they historically have.
4
Just reading the headline, I'd say no. I don't care what Uber thinks of Jamal's murder.
I'm more concerned with what our government, its officials and those that aspire to government think about it.
I think the murder of Jamal was a message from the undemocratic portion of the world to the democratic portion of the world that, "We don't respect your constitution."
And allowing them to get away with it indicates to me that Trump doesn't respect the constitution.
Obama made a small mistake in allowing US citizens to be killed abroad by the US government. It only affected one person at the time, but that policiy rings on forever. It was a mistake.
We don't do that today. At least, we want to believe we don't do that. I think we're not living up to our responsibilities when we let the murderers of Jamal to go unpunished.
It is one small part of a larger upending of the US constitution worldwide.
1
Have commenters here who are hand-wringing over Uber's failure to pay a living wage ever spoken to an Uber driver? Uber is my primary mode of transportation. I chat with drivers all the time. The vast majority have other jobs or businesses and are using Uber as supplemental income. I have yet to hear even one complain that they are being exploited. On the contrary, most talk about how they love the flexibility of driving when they want to, something that is unlikely to be offered in a traditional employment model. This may not or may not be the case in New York City -- but why not strike up a conversation and find out?
3
When I was younger I remember hearing about Jain monks who are so committed to doing no harm that they have a custom of carrying small brooms to sweep the ground they walk on to avoid stepping on insects. I respect the thoughtfulness, but it is not how I choose to live my life. I care far too much about this entity known as number one (aka me) to give much thought to the many insects that I will undoubtedly tread upon.
Similarly, I could swear off doing business with any company if I didn’t like their values or beliefs as expressed by one or more of their executives. I question whether the world would be a better place if more people did engage in such activism (certainly strikes me as an unconscionable buzzkill that we hardly need more of), but, ultimately, even if it would make the world a better place, it still doesn’t change the outcome for me. I use Uber not because I like their leaders or think they’re swell people, but because when I’m out having a few pints with friends, I will eventually seek to retire and will need a safe ride to my abode. That’s where Uber begins and ends for me. For that reason, I will not be deleting Uber.
That may we’ll be a selfish outlook, but so be it. If the glove fits, you must wear it.
3
I ride Uber once a month and that is so I can apply to the ride a $15 credit that is offered by Amex to me each month.
2
It would be IF I hadn't already deleted it for their other despicable behavior to female employees, underpaying their drivers and now their apologia for a brutal widely known politically driven murder. There' is NO BAR SO LOW that Uber won't bend down to grab it to secure their own outrageous profiteering.
2
Uber is a savior...from nasty Boston cab drivers. My only disappointment is that Boston Cab is still (barely) in business.
4
It was a long time ago.
The liberal answer to every unpleasantness is to delete or cancel. Spare me the moral preening. I use Uber and Lyft and I will continue to do so.
5
@Timothy
Me too!
Are you kidding? It was time to delete Uber a long time ago -- before the new CEO took over. Once we got to see under the hood of Kalanick's bro-startup, there was no other choice.
1
I would have thought the fact that it is a criminal enterprise intended in its very conception to subvert/undermine our government and economy was reason enough to have never downloaded it.
So yes that should be the last straw if everything else including teh massive ownership stake the Saudi's have in it wasn't enough.
In light of your earlier reporting on Uber & it’s ties to Saudi Arabia ( MBS), i have deleted Uber as well. I have been disturbed by incidents of women being harassed and abused by drivers that purport to be legitimate. I’m,also, concerned that drivers may not be vetted sufficiently and that they aren’t considered to be employees of Uber. That is a system rife for abuse. Taxis are fine by me.
1
As a female who was kidnapped years ago by a felon who was unknown to me, I cannot get into a car with someone who has not been vetted and has insurance. I still read stories about women being raped, kidnapped, and even killed by Uber drivers or those who pose as Uber drivers.
Uber and Lyft and are the Walmart of transportation: exploiting employees for their own profit. If I have to have a non public transportation ride in another city, I take a licensed cab. At least they have been vetted and have insurance--and their livelihood depends upon safe driving and integrity.
3
Unfortunate thing is Taxi industry so abused their monopoly positions in metro areas that Uber and Lyft despite their many shortcomings delivered a value to consumers and hence are successful.
Boycotting Uber and Lyft is easier said than done when the alternatives were so bad to begin with.
Completely agree with the other points of the article but if you deep dive into Taxi industry before Uber arrived it was also a classic tale of exploitation where medallion owners were exploiting cheap labor from immigrant community to collect profits.
6
The irony of Uber not being able to "stay in their lane" is awesomely funny. Yes its time to stop conflating a reasonable, if basic good idea with some kind of far reaching genius.
Ride hailing apps should be a dime a dozen. Making ride hailing easier, more reliable and cheaper is a good idea. An Uber ecosystem is not necessary, or even a good use of resources.
1
Traffic in San Francisco has gotten very much worse over the last few years. 2/3 of the increase has been due to Uber and Lyft and other rideshare services, according to studies. That's an added reason to boycott them all—they're ruining our transportation systems.
3
@MJ When I lived there public transportation was awful and finding a taxi could be a nightmare at peak hours. Ride share services certainly have their problems but they filled a need in the Bay Area.
1
@Henry wrote: "... finding a taxi could be a nightmare at peak hours. "
Well, now no one can move at peak hours (which are getting longer and longer)—taxis, buses, private cars or Ubers.
Talk about about a nightmare!
3
There has never been any doubt in my mind to boycott Uber. I have never used it and never will. They don't play by the rules, have a toxic work environment and contribute to gig economy unfairness. And now, calling the brutal chopping up of a human being with a bone saw a mistake? I ask, how can anyone in good conscious contribute to this company's wealth?
1
I never use Uber or Lyft. I respect the hardworking taxi cab drivers who have often gone to great expense to get their licensed cabs and who work according to the rules. I would never, ever ride in an Uber or Lyft. I also don’t feel safe in them - getting into a car with a stranger who is not licensed by the state? No way. Might as well thumb a ride with a stranger (free). The idea of cheating hardworking cabbies out of their livelihoods is offensive. And this Kashoggi remark? Reprehensible, unforgivable.
25
@Citizen of the Earth I'm assuming you have the money to afford this moral high ground.
2
@Citizen of the Earth When NYC taxi medallions sell for $1 million and are traded by the likes of Michael Cohen as a business there is something seriously amiss. The licensed taxi industry was ripe for this kind of revolution. Hopefully it will adapt and be able to compete with the ride sharers, but it can't survive as a rent seeking monopoly.
2
@Citizen of the Earth
Sounds a bit like ‘limousine liberalism’, no pun intended.
Good for you if you can afford to pay more for a cab; many people can not.
2
So now we should boycott companies if it's CEO, or any of its officers or directors, said something socially irresponsible and offensive?
If so, I'm sure there would be a long list of companies we will need to boycott.
I find Uber to be extremely useful, and one of the most helpful apps invented over the past decade (first use was in 2009).
4
@Steven Roth 1. There are alternatives to Uber and 2. Shrugging off the kidnap/murder/dismemberment of a journalist goes well beyond offensive.
1
Uber is an amazing concept and it can help utilize and maximize public transit. Is there a way that it can both be useful and provide a living wage?
2
Is this whole situation disturbing? Yes. But ride-sharing has changed my life. I don't drive and I don't intend to. The local taxi service in my area is horrendous (Ollie's - look it up). The two years I used them was a complete nightmare. Uber and Lyft aren't perfect but I was never stranded at 12AM after my previous late night job as I was with the taxi service.
Should we demand better from this companies? Absolutely. But don't discount how they help people.
5
Uber deleted. Just as my wife and I deleted Facebook 2 years ago. Do it, you will definitely feel better about yourself.
1
I'm going to be honest. No, I'm not deleting Uber. As a single 60 year old woman who does not own a car, it's extremely helpful to me. Here in Philadelphia while I do have good transportation options, when one is carting home multiple bags of groceries and sometimes large sizes of cat litter public transit is not useful. Uber also constantly gives me discounts. This week I have 50% off the next 17 rides. I can also visit my mother who is in assisted living in Delaware. Once I get off the train there, there is NO public transit and taxi's are very price prohibitive. So until something better comes along I'll be using Uber. I also tip very well and give almost all drivers 5 stars!
7
I don't use Uber or Lyft, never have, never will.
If I need a ride I'll call a taxi.
At least taxis are somewhat regulated.
Sadly, even taxi drivers are exploited.
Gig economy jobs are in serious need of protective standards.
2
@Mike I want to support taxis but I find that most are old, filthy, and the companies tack on so many ridiculous fees that they're easily 2x the cost of a Lyft. Bottom line: they offer a low-end service at a high-end price and that's never going to win in a competitive marketplace.
The concept of Uber as "ride sharing" was the first big lie that they told. They haven't stopped. I fail to understand Alden Wicker's assertion that cancelling something like an Uber App decreases our political power and drains our bank accounts. This is nonsense.
4
Losing the kind of money that Uber is losing will do more to stop them than anything else.
1
I used Uber twice out of curiosity. The first ride driver was a creepy guy that I had to use my laser eyes on, warning him that he could try it and we would both suffer—he decided it wasn't worth the trouble, because it would have been a whole lot of trouble. The second deliberately took me miles out of the way to my home. When I called him on this, he backed off and did not overcharge me. After that, I did some homework. Uber mistreats their drivers and skirts responsibility for their actions. Further, Uber claims they don't have workers, they are only the app. That is a legalistic, semantic workaround that hurts workers. No wonder their drivers (who are their workers) are dodgy. Now their second dodgy CEO is trying to talk us into forgetting the murder of a journalist from one of their investor countries. Uber is a great example of corporate ethics and morality in this age (which is to say they have neither). Yeah, I boycott them because I should AND boycotting any malfeasant entity is surely not enough. We are evolving around this kind of business entity. They have had their day, and their comeuppance is at hand over the next century (it will take that long for this to play out). Environmental devastation is only one reason. Boycotts are only one reason. Consumers coming to their senses is just one of many other reasons. Buh bye nasty guys.
3
It's a horrifying but tellingly hilarious thing that Kalanick identifies the "mistake" that is murder with the "mistake" of promoting self-driving cars . . .
1
The constant cry "take public transport!" makes little sense if there isn't any, or if the bus comes once an hour. When I lived in a city and wanted to go to the neighboring theater, I had few choices. It was too far for me to walk (I'm in my 70's and have a disability) and the buses came infrequently and didn't go where I wanted to go anyway. California is like that.
So to see the movie I could driven my car, which is what I did before Uber and Lyft came along. But the parking around the theater became more and more problematic, and increasingly requiring long walks anyway. Taxi? Are you kidding? You have to call them 45 minutes ahead, and about half the time they don't show up.
People who rely heavily on Uber or Lyft should brace themselves. Neither of these companies is making a profit. They've been subsidizing the fares from investor money. Uber was relying on the swift advent of truly self-driving cars. But it turns out that the wide use of robots on real streets (not artificially sanitized test suburban streets) is many years distant, if it is actually possible, which we don't know. It probably isn't coming soon enough to save Uber. Look for fares to rise, and/or the demise of Uber. It was fun zipping around so cheaply, but all things must end.
Where I live now there is no Uber or Lyft. There is ONE bus line. We drive around in extended cab pickup trucks. It's undoubtedly bad for the environment, but there aren't really very many of us out here.
2
Here in Prague, Czech Republic, which is famous for taxi drivers that are horrid rip-off specialists, it's tempting to call Uber. But I don't. Why trade one unethical, corrupt service for another? Instead, I use public transport. If I absolutely must use a taxi, then I call a taxi company that I know to be honest. There are a couple. And they have nothing to do with Saudi Arabia and its murderous royal family.
3
I just deleted Uber and downloaded the Lyft App to my phone... I hope millions of people do the same.
2
@Jay Snyder
Lyft? Did you not read the article? It says: "True, breaking up the United States’ near-century-old relationship with its most autocratic ally is a trickier project than sending Uber a message by downloading Lyft. But then Lyft itself is no stranger to Saudi largess: The company received a $248 million investment in 2015 from another Saudi royal, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who last year insisted on Mohammed bin Salman’s innocence in Khashoggi’s murder.
If that bothers you as much as the Uber connection, it may be time to consider a cab. (Or a bicycle.)"
2
Weird, it's almost as if people from backwards, repressive, violent cultures who come to the US bring those regressive views with them. Who would have, or could have, thought?
1
Hmm, is it time to "delete" debt slavery? Gosh. I wonder. All my "liberal" friends have no problem being driven around by a wage slave working for what I call "American Rickshaw."
There's nothing new about the "gig economy" other than its name. It goes hand in hand with Bitcoin and other wonderful "new" inventions which are new only in that they exist on the internet or as "apps."
Debt slavery leads to human slavery. Non-fiat "money" leads to debt slavery. We're headed down a "new" economic path well known to historians. Humans are stupid. We never learn.
1
The description of state sponsored murder as a mistake is the moral reason to delete and the practical reason is many Uber driers can't even find you much less take you to your destination. Hail a taxi.
2
@Eric Lamar
"is the moral reason to delete"
except that the CEO is not the company. He is one person, an employee that directs the company. The majority of the "workers" that make Uber function don't even work for him, meaning that the CEO does not represent or speak for them.
i did years ago!
1
Uber is and always has been a contemptible and arrogant company that seeks only to enrich a very few.
It would be so very nice to see them disappear.
2
My young Spencer, are you canceling out Uber. I am not woke to any of this.
Uber is quite possibly the best technological invention of the past 20 years. No way I would ever stop using it because some investor in the company did something horrific half a world away where horrific stuff happens daily. That would be idiotic.
7
YES. It has been for a very long time.
If caring about protecting labor laws, living wage and people wasn't enough before....(not to mention donating to Trump)....was not enough- please, please let this be the 'final straw' for your slow moral compass.
2
I never became an Uber user. Mostly because before the app launched I'd taken a cab ride with a young man who'd put together a million dollars to buy his NYC taxi medallion. Say what you will about the medallion system and the occasional bad taxi experience, but this young man's courtesy, pride and professionalism stuck with me. So I'm a cab guy.
But cancelling a company because the CEO says something stupid or believes something reprehensible? Unless it appears to be part of their corporate manifesto, why punish thousands of workers because an executive had a moment of stupidity.
1
@Steve Williams
"with a young man who'd put together a million dollars to buy his NYC taxi medallion. "
I find that system to be troubling. Go in debt (as most do) for the medallion to drive around a taxi? Nowhere else in the world or even in the USA except for a few cities can support such an odd system. A lot of these medallion-taxi drivers never get out of that debt through their fares.
1
Eventually most drivers will be replaced by robocars.
I have never ridden with Uber, only Lyft which is less expensive. Thanks for another reason. Their move to the stock market was just dumb.
2
@Mary Rivkatot Here I use both, but Lyft is almost always more expensive than Uber!
Is it time to refresh the NYTimes.com feed? It's posting headlines from about three years ago. #deleteuber
Uber hit pieces like this make me love Uber even more.
3
You're a little late! I deleted Uber in early 2017. Haven't looked back.
1
Answer: Yes.
Its not a bug, its a feature!
1
I won't use it, under any circumstances. I hate the company, I hate the way they treat their "employees." I hate the people with whom they associate. I'll vote with my wallet and my feet. I'd rather rent a car, than fool around with this horrendous bunch. EVERYTHING that's wrong with corporate America.
2
What's Uber?
I deleted Uber when they ran the "my dad told me to always do the right thing..." commercial monologue narrated by their morally bankrupt CEO. Pleeease......
1
Dara Khosrowshahi came off as an angry steroid user in that interview. Wonder what he is like to have as a boss.
Hey Uber -"you're DEAD to Me!"
Lets all Boycott this awful company!
1
I'd rather walk than contribute to a morally bankrupt company. Deleted!
Deleted years ago.
These companies are parasites feeding off the hosts: their workers and forcing workers to use their vehicles, and the larger population, who paid for the roads and infrastructure, including legal infrastructure. Parasites starve their hosts of all sustenance and then move on to another host. Like all parasites, they are sociopaths.
The federal government, by allowing these companies to feed off their hosts and by refusing to hold them accountable, is a parasite enabler. And Uber and Lyft are not the only companies feeding off the body politic - look at Amazon with their labor conditions and failure to pay ANY taxes, and all the other big corporations who pollute at will, deny fair wages, fail to pay taxes, and suck off the life of every taxpaying American who pays their fair share. A pox on all of them.
@Barbara How in the world is Uber forcing workers to use their vehicles? These workers are not enslaved and could choose another way to earn money if they object. Where I live, transit workers -- who obviously do not have to drive their own vehicles -- start at a wage of around $20/hour. And yet where I live there is a transit worker shortage and thousands of Uber drivers. I would love to hear you sit down and earnestly explain to them that their employment choices are wrong and that you know what's better for them.
1
Sure buoycotts work. How's Under Armour doing?
lol.. i don't boycott
I take issue with the characterization of Uber "forcing" us back into the dark ages by using contractors. Uber and Lyft were founded on the idea that people can choose what hours they want to drive, they can use their own car, etc. Many people choose to be drivers because of the flexibility it provides, and others use it as supplemental income. Users invariably benefit (which is why taxis are mostly a thing of the past). Correct me if I'm wrong, but traditional taxi drivers are not given benefits by their employers (they often are self-employed). This narrative of a corporate behemoth making billions off of exploitation is silly as they don't even turn a profit.
5
I boycotted Uber a year and a half ago after completing over 6000 rides as a driver (with a 4.9 rating), relocating to a new city, and learning that Uber didn't give a hoot about me. They said it would take 3 weeks to approve me for the new city (nonsense, I talked to City Hall in said city and was told they had no special conditions for Uber drivers, though they do have a tax on each ride). After 5 weeks I still wasn't approved and determined this was for my own good. My point isn't to whine, rather I'm trying to illuminate just how badly Uber is managed. Khosrowshahi arrived in 2017 amid fanfare of great changes for Uber drivers. Tips were added to the driver app but literally every other thing they promised was eventually dropped. Uber's business model is simple: exploit drivers who are too stupid to realize they're driving their car into the ground so that Uber can have a genius business model. And they still can't make money. Heck, they lost a billion dollars last quarter - not year, quarter. By going public Uber induced investors to essentially fund a non-profit company for the next decade. But most people won't boycott Uber because the fares are still low in most areas in America. That's why Uber loses so much money. Uber Pool is a stone cold money loser. Boycotting Uber will tank the stock that Mohammed bin Salman is praying will go up. Seems like a fitting justice for a murderer.
23
We’ve got a lot of problems to solve beyond bad behavior by private companies.
We have one of the worst presidents ever, backed up by his horrible co-conspirators in the GOP, and bipartisan support of funding for oppressive regimes that cause far more harm than Uber.
Our political leaders need to set a good example for private companies to follow.
3
Americans like to gripe (especially online!!), but are loathe to put their convenience where their mouth is. The last effective boycott by a substantial number of Americans was the U.F.W. boycott of grapes and stores which sold non-union produce. A half century ago.
1
Already done. I deleted it when the scandals of company-wide sexism and sexual harassment unfolded. My decision to delete Uber was bolstered by additional discoveries that drivers are poorly compensated and that some passengers have been harmed by drivers or the depraved pretending to be drivers. It seems that once a bad actor, always a bad actor, at least in Uber's case. Whenever possible, I now opt for a good, 'ole taxi. I feel safer.
Uber is not Dara Khosrowshahi; it is thousands of drivers and other workers. Does your boss dictate your politics? As a public company, Uber cannot choose its shareholders; but neither does its fifth largest shareholder exert any effective control over the company. Boycotting a company because of a careless remark by its CEO about its fifth largest shareholder is the height of pointless gesture politics. It achieves nothing. Uber is the man or woman who picks you up to drive you to your destination as much as it is Dara Khosrowshahi. Choose your transportation options based on how well that driver delivers you, and the price you paid. If you want to change Saudi Arabia work to influence US foreign policy through US politics, and through peaceful demonstration. Boycotting public companies is simply too indirect.
3
The issue here is who owns shares in the company?
So if an unsavory character buys up a piece of
Johnson and Johnson I should quit their toothpaste?
The reason to delete Uber is the astonishingly exploitative business model. Drivers cannot make a living while a handful of executives earn vast sums. Uber collects data on its drivers and its passengers, which it sells for profit. Uber demands that drivers use its often mistaken gps. Uber holds payments to drivers to earn float, but will provide prompt payment if drivers remit a percentage to the company. Uber ignores local laws and regulations, placing a budget on traffic grids and infrastructure already strained to the breaking point in many urban areas. Consumers must spend more time and energy arranging rides, wandering the streets to find cars similarly wandering to find them and paying surge prices that belie claims that Uber is cheaper than cabs. And yet, Uber loses billions each year. Is there anything more ridiculous than hundreds of people wandering outside airports among increasingly congested throngs of cars looking for people they don’t know to drive them to places the drivers cannot find while hundreds of cabs are in line waiting for passengers? Cancel Uber? You bet. Now on to AirBNB, Grubhub and all the rest that make our lives worse and make fools billionaires.
30
@Alan I dunno. I'm able to keep my home because of AirBNB. Do you have a better idea?
3
Uber is bad from the top down. The problem is the complexity of the issues. Throwing one's business to Lyft or taxis assumes that these companies do not have a myriad of questionable practices on their own. We don't know until we hear something. In addition, some drivers do seem to benefit from the gig economy. I know a few older friends who drive to supplement our non-existent social safety net. It's hard to truly hurt a CEO's pocket in our rigged system. Perhaps it's time to look at a system that lets billionaires skate away while workers supplement their income at the local food bank.
All of these companies are morally bankrupt.
Tech, energy, mining, chemicals, agribusiness, food, finance. It doesn't matter. They all will do business with the highest bidder, and bribe the government into helping or simply ignoring their actions. There is one goal for a firm we all learn in business school: increase shareholder value. Borders and values don't matter, nor do workers - only investor gains and executive comp. We need to stop acting like senior managers care about anyone but themselves.
If you want to make a difference, vote for people who will strengthen anti-trust laws, tax foreign investments and high-earners, and give unions the protections needed to rebound.
If these companies can no longer grow to be too big to fail; if their leaders start going to prison for dodging taxes and sanctions; and if workers are guaranteed a seat at the table on corporate boards - all of these issues will start to fade.
But that will never happen because it's too late. They already have too much money.
I've never used Uber and never intend to. The company is abhorrent and the practice of getting into poorly-vetted strangers' cars strikes me as insane. I'll take a regulated taxi cab, thanks.
2
The founder of Uber, Travis Kalanick, was convicted of tax and securities fraud and perjury before starting Uber. Uber has always been a morally suspect con. People used it because the Saudi money subsidized rides were cheaper and more convenient than cabs. They will continue using Uber until it no longer provides something of use. With the pressure to turn a profit, and recent laws insisting they actually pay their employees at least minimum wage, that cheap and convenient era will end soon. Will people just keep using it out of habit?
During a recent visit to Los Angeles, my hometown, I used Uber twice. Both times drivers appeared who had just moved there within the past few days, and who had no sense of the city. Both times I drove around much longer than was necessary as the confused drivers turned down wrong streets. One driver held his phone up to better view his map app, glancing now and then at the road! I told him to put the phone away, and I directed him. Nobody should be an LA Uber driver without living in the city at least a month. Bad policy on Uber's part, and will never use them again. My millennial daughter and her friends only use Lyfft and taxis, and have for a long time.
I use Uber because I don’t drive and flagging a taxi is difficult, either none are around or they’re busy with another passenger. I also tip the Uber driver what I would pay a taxi driver for going a similar distance.
1
The fact is that there are local alternatives to Uber, Lyft, et al. right in your own community. We have a small (3 vehicle) company in the Pioneer Valley: all Lincolns, including a Navigator for more passengers/luggage and access to limos or to rent vans for special occasions.
Dealership maintenance, new tires, always clean, always on time, presentable and personable drivers who know the area well as well as the best routes to all destinations and who speak flawless English. Drivers who take pride in their service, are treated well and treat their loyal clientele well.
I will not divulge the name of my particular company, of course, because my purpose here is not to solicit.
Bottom line: you get what you pay for.
2
A company lacks a conscience?
That's never happened before.
2
It is interesting that wide-spread public criticism of Northwestern University school of journalism and student newspaper editors, concerning their recent retraction and apology to student protestors, apparently "harming" them by publishing news and event photos, is exactly the kind of university culture and outlook being demonstrated here by the writer. His distaste for a business is over the flimsiest of victimization arguments--and non-contextual references. This is what awaits the American national discourse, when youth, indoctrinated in the modern university identitarian ideology, assume positions in the public domain. The discourse is shallow, accusatory, and profoundly naive. The writer perhaps unsurprisingly, attended Yale. Both its college and law school have become something rather different than an institution of higher learning. They more resembles a government grooming school like the École nationale d'administration in Paris. When I was there in the early 1980's, I couldn't wait to get out and head to the University of Texas at Austin where men were still men and women (not the men) shaved their legs and wore dresses. But I digress. Regards.
2
Laws governing subcontracting drivers and vehicles should be highly regulated. Minimum incomes, cost for deprecation, fuel and service, and BENEFITS must be negotiated through a collective bargaining agreement. Every company in the world will digress to the lowest denominator allowed by law. Uber, Lyft, Amazon, Grubhub are all abusing subcontracting laws to put pressure on companies that have played by the rules. A lot have gone out of business. I’m not a big supporter of unions, but if these business practices are allowed, every full time job that can be subcontracted, will be. Any company that relies on savings by not fairly compensating workers, and uses subcontracting to its advantage against competition should be shuttered.
1
I've been boycotting Uber every since reading the news about Uber drivers attacking female passengers and the poor response by Uber. Then I read a number or articles about the drivers not being able to survive financially. And now this.
Like many gig economy companies (Airbnb, Wag, etc), the workers do not receive proper benefits or treatment and the lack of regulations results in all sorts of dangerous situations for the clients and providers.
If you use any gig economy company, please tip as well as you can.
4
Uber is just part of the tail of this beast; a serious consideration of the many other services may be needed as well.
I've never understood Uber and Lyft's appeal. I have a certain confidence in a cab company. It's called regulation, and while it is too often not perfect, it's adequate enough.
Just because we can make an app for something doesn't make it ideal.
4
Ubers in foreign countries are often better than taxis. The chance to rate a driver on public media means the driver is less likely to cheat you. Some cities, like Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal have no taxi service to speak of. I know this from lots of experience and and some cities are just impossible. in other cities, like Valencia, Spain the local cabbies have a culture of great, honest service and Uber is not needed. The gig economy is very problematic, but sometimes so is the alternative.
2
Businesses should be supported, or boycotted, based on the practices of the business.
I don't understand attempting to support or punish a company that supports hundreds (or thousands) of employees based on the ideology of management whose job is the management of the company and its business model, not virtue signaling.
If you want to boycott Uber, it should be for the many questionable business practices that Uber uses that are neither profitable for its work force, nor for its investors.
1
Taxi operators in the U.S. must be run by Luddites. The magic of Uber and Lyft is that just about anywhere in the developed world, you can take out your phone, enter your destination, click on the screen a few times and then minutes later a car arrives and takes you to your destination, while you don't have to think about how to pay the fare. Simple. And the taxi operators could have teamed up to create their own app that does exactly the same thing, which would have easily won over 80% of the market. They could have even called it "Taxi"! Instead, the taxi operators spent all their time and resources whining and complaining about Uber and Lyft.
4
Why go after the CEO of a tech start-up and question the ethics of patrons who use the service?
Now, why not publish an op-ed scrutinising weapons sales to Saudi Arabia by Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon and BAE Systems?
I mean, the weapons supplied by these defence contractors are being used to kill Yemenis on an industrial scale by the Saudi-led coalition.
And what about governments who turn a blind eye and continue to approve such arms sales to the Saudis? Why can't the US Congress consider an embargo on the Saudis the way the European Parliament is already considering one? I think that defence contractors and governments are the ones we ought to be scrutinising, not patrons of Uber or ordinary citizens. Are these not ones who are emboldening the Saudi regime tacitly by ensuring a flow of arms?
1
And tell your kids to dump Uber, too. Too many of my students have had dangerous, scary or just plain creepy rides around Dallas, including in broad daylight. There are new ride share services that hire their drivers as employees, are bonded, and have marked cars with safety features. No need to support a company with Uber's values.
2
Self driving cars are on their way. Uber drivers should not get too comfortable with their temporary jobs.
Uber is a diseased company.
Treat it like one.
Don’t worry about the drivers: they can move to Lyft, where, ironically, they will be treated better.
Save the Uber drivers. Put Uber out of business.
1
A quick ride, at the expense of the professional dignity of the driver and the protection of a union, is a quick race to the bottom.
If an Uber driver accidentally hit someone on the way to a call, they weren't insured. What a tech breakthrough! That's "piecework" for you. That's "the new economy." That's exploitation.
Uber and its smarmy leadership rode the quick, hip wave of smart-everything to reinvent ride-hailing. A bunch of exhausted, bleary-eyed drivers later, the tires are going bald and traditional taxi service is way back in the rearview mirror.
Who counts the cost for being smarter than everyone else in the room, unburdened by historic understanding, compassion, or a moral compass? No worries...There's probably an app for that.
35
Lyft. I always ask drivers which they prefer and they tell me Lyft.
1
Uber's shocking deficiency isn't a CEO's forced to look the other way when a major shareholder murders at will. It's the fact that the company apparently has no public relations or HR functions in place.
1
It was always dodgy, to put ones trust, in a company called, “Uber”, that promised massive social disruption.
I like that interviewers style. And why do so many take the low road. When providing answers, go high. Doesn't this guy get coaching?
Uber has never made a profit. Probably never will. Limitless billions of VC money have been sunk in to subsidize rides. Uber loses money every time you call a car.
Perhaps instead of deleting Uber, people should fleece the company for all it's worth.
I love Uber and how it has changed America for the better. The writers at NYT will complaint about anything if they don’t fit into their narrow view of the world. Uber will continue to drive us around the cities regardless of the whining about their politics. Uber drivers have nothing to do with their leadership, why punish them?
7
Americans like to gripe (especially online!!), but are loathe to put their convenience where their mouth is. The last effective boycott by a substantial number of Americans was the U.F.W. boycott of grapes and those stores that sold non-union produce. A half century ago.
3
I’m quite impatient with these hypocritical virtuosity tests.
Anyone who has used gasoline or diesel vehicles or plastics (derived from petroleum) contributed to Prince Mohammad’s bonesaw budget.
Anyone who bought cotton shirts or plastic toys or consumer electronics contributed to President Xi’s re-education camp budget.
Welcome to the real world.
3
I wonder how many boycotters are voters and are encouraging their peers to vote? While I think boycotting is great as it raises awareness (maybe boycott Walmart for their poverty line wages), real, lasting fundamental change occurs from major policy overhaul like ending the work around many companies are doing to the FLSA and other wage rules.
From sexual harassment to winking at murder, Uber never stops showing us its "ethics are for other people" mentality. Not even a tiny shred of decency.
The Uber CEO has to huddle with advisors for an hour to take the bold ethical stand that murder is bad? Wow. The fact that the Board puts people like that in charge is all I need to know about Uber.
I only use Lyft.
1
"company’s fifth-largest shareholder, Saudi Arabia" - so what? How low down the ranking does Saudi Arabia go before people stop judging a company by some investor? Why pick on SA? How many companies have investors or customers from China, which also abuses human rights? (Read up on organ harvesting.)
If Uber's CEO says something stupid, then he said something stupid. That does not define a company that uses contractors for most of its income. The contractors are the real workers and I think they really don't care what the CEO's opinion is of a journalist killed by a foreign government in another country. (Shouldn't we care more about how many people have been killed by USA in other countries? Should we boycott American companies as a reaction?)
Let's step back and think about the housing loan mess of 2008. How many families lost their homes and money? How many thousands of lives have been upended because of that meltdown? Now tell me how many banks and investment firms were boycotted because of this. Bank Of America (which bought Countrywide, one of the worse offenders) is still going strong.
"Uber...long been criticized for lacking a conscience". Does anyone care about the views of regular taxi drivers? No. I am not defending Uber (don't really care) but I think people latch onto moral causes that have less consequence than bigger issues where offenders go unpunished (e.g. 2008 financial meltdown). Uber seems to be an easy target these days because of their visibility.
3
I do not have Uber's app and I do not Uber for the simple reason that I find its business model exploitive, coercive, overbearing, and - just like their techster brethren at Tesla and Facebook, off the charts with arrogance.
2
@Jason Shapiro As a user why do you really care about their business model? Isn't it cheaper to use Uber vs. 'traditional' cabs?
I'll take an Uber over a taxi any day...
5
I do not need to boycott Uber. As much as I travel, I consciously avoid them because of their history. Have never used the. I hope this is a bigly nail in their coffin.
1
The Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund is the 5th largest investor in Uber. So if you want to contribute to the wealth of the Saudis, keep using it.
The sooner Uber files for bankruptcy the better for all of us.
It was time to delete Uber the moment Kalanick and the then-friendly—and often STILL-friendly—media inflicted it on us.
Demand buses for your area instead—and the taxes on the rich to fund them.
One tenet of "insufferable wokeness" or "cancel culture" is surely selective, hypocritical and disproportionate outrage.
4
If you are like me benefiting from UBER services that are mostly reliable, hassle free and cheaper than most cabs; worried about the effect of a boycott on the hard working men and women drivers; yet still disgusted by their CEO comments. Don’t boycott, keep doing business and call on the board to remove the CEO. An angry request from an actual customer should carry more weight than activists not using the service.
2
Wonderful things about living in a mostly free society:
We can speak and write our opinions about things like Uber, both critical and complimentary, and reasoned or superficial.
We can choose how to spend our dollars in the market place, a type of voting more frequent and sometimes more powerful than ballots in a voting booth.
We can try to offer other transportation options that fit our personal economic and social goals, and see if enough other people agree--and spend their dollars accordingly.
1
Definitely the last straw for me. I'm switching to Lyft. Lots of drivers work for both companies, so hopefully any measure of a boycott will hurt Uber and not their drivers.
By boycotting Uber, you're not only boycotting a company, you're also boycotting the working-class drivers who make vehicle purchases and life decisions around their rideshare income. You're suggesting that the business shouldn't exist for those who absolutely need it, including people who don't own cars, can't drive, and don't live in a city along a bus route. Finally, you're taking away the designated driver for those who like to enjoy a little alcohol on a Saturday night.
Sure, you could tell everyone to go to Lyft. But they've been more exploitative of their drivers lately than anyone else. For example, Lyft's rate card for Phoenix as of August pays drivers $0.3525 per mile, well below the IRS 2019 standard mileage rate of $0.58/mile.
I'm glad that Uber is available on the occasions that I need it. They're far from a perfect company, but they've been a net gain for societal mobility.
4
@Robert Parks What's wrong with taxis? Are their drivers any less worthy of you money and support?
1
@Patrick Not less worthy but completely unreliable in my area. When I worked 3rd shift, the company I relied on was constantly late and changed priced midride. Coming home from a night out, the dispatcher asked me to squeeze into a cab between two passengers with no seatbelt. I laughed in his face and downloaded Uber. Is it perfect? No, but I haven't been in a precarious situation since.
I don’t use Uber or Lyft because they have broken the system for those who play by the rules. I use medallion taxis, even if it means calling and waiting for one. Inconvenient? Yes but these guys are trying to make a living and usurpers like Uber and Lyft make it impossible.
12
The concept of boycotts is feel-good, but largely ineffective. For many years I have boycotted anything made by Nestle, for the simple reason that it's a corporate predator. It traverses the planet, looking for companies to buy up, but Swiss law prevents anybody else from trying to buy it in return. This is simply unfair. Most people I know are amused by my looking for Nestle ownership on products before I buy, but it works for me.
Their reputation is compromised to me, They try to hide their name on certain products. They use the brand name "NWNA" for Nestle Waters North America, which masks their ownership of Zephyrhills and other plastic-bottle water brands.
But I get it that boycotts are largely symbolic. Most people don't care about anything but their own lives and they think Nestle (and Bayer) are American anyway. Similarly, if the ride is cheaper than a regular taxi, then they don't care about ethics either.
3
When government-run taxi services catch up to the efficiency of Uber, I will consider switching. Until then, I will continue to use Uber when needed. Due to the relatively low pay received by Uber drivers, I always tip.
And as a side note: whenever I have asked drivers who work for both Uber and Lyft, they have uniformly declared that they prefer Uber to Lyft.
2
Of course, the real problem is a government that allows Uberserfs to be so poorly paid that they need tips—and the cause of THAT problem is lobbying and media-buying by the well-funded Uber-Lyft cartel. The vile GOP happily take on that take.
Every dollar sent to Kalanick prolongs that vicious cycle. Breaking it is now already tough—and still necessary.
But if you are only asking Uber drivers who had worked for Lyft and not Lyft drivers or Lyft drivers who had worked for Uber than you are essentially only asking those Uber drivers who clearly prefer Uber because they have already chosen Uber as their company to drive for over Lyft.
Notice how often techie "disruption" is based on ignoring the rules and regulations that apply to the rest of us? Uber did it, Air BnB did it, YouTube did it before Google bought it, Napster did it, and let's not even get started on Facebook. These guys are the self-entitled, self-styled gunslingers of the New Wild West. OK, you can say that taxi rules weren't serving consumers and deserved to be jettisoned. Fine, but we have a process for that. It can be slow and uncertain, but once you throw rule of law out of the window, what does the U.S. have? Where do you draw the line? Do you let Wall Street nearly bring down the U.S. economy? Apparently so.
Now we have a president who is just as dismissive of rule of law. This is not going to end well unless we start drawing some lines around what is and isn't permissible with American capitalism.
3
@Thomas Even in the face of competition by Uber and others, government-regulated taxi services continue to be inefficient patronage systems. If I were you, I would not hold your breath waiting for government-regulated taxi systems to modernize.
2
I take the decidedly Old Testament view that people should be judged based on their actions - not their thoughts and opinions, however abhorrent and contrary to my morals and beliefs they may be. The American society can become a lot more peaceful and cohesive if we learn to tolerate and accept those whose personal beliefs we can never agree with - as long as they do not DO anything that objectively violates the fundamental rights and liberties of others.
1
Both sides are, of course, right. What's wrong is our presumption that consumerism can force corporations to behave morally. Corporations seek profit; that is their very essence. Their morality is defined by regulation, nothing else.
3
@Martin
It has always struck me as very odd that our business sector should except itself from our society's system of moral values.
I don't care about the CEO's political comments, or somebody's identity politics, or whatever. I just want the ride-sharing cars off the road because they increase the traffic everywhere to annoying levels, to say the least. It's true that some people may actually need the service, such as seniors who need to head for the nearest grocery and can't wait for the next elder-bus. But there must be another way. On the rare occasions that I actually can't drive my own car, I don't mind paying for a taxi if it means less traffic for everyone.
2
It wasn’t a difficult choice to delete after talking with drivers who worked multiple platforms. Driver’s resoundingly expressed preference for the alternative to Uber on all counts. Don’t miss it a bit!
6
Well said. This is why we need a “union of global citizens” - not a United Nations - to hold global leaders to a standard marginal level of accountability. The citizens of nations are held to globalIzard standards by their leaders, why not “watch the watchers” so when “mistakes” happen, leaders are held to account? Obviously, the “free press” ought not waste it’s time. But free people? That’s a different matter altogether.
Since Uber ( and Lyft) lose money on each ride, woudn't it be better to use them a lot so they will lose more money?
5
I've used Über or Lyft maybe three times. I detest them, especially Über. Their drivers are an absolute menace on the streets of San Francisco, for one thing. They seem to attract a lot of people who have no business driving an automobile, and they come from miles around to clog the streets of the city. They've made things significantly worse for Muni, pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers.
On top of that, of course, is the fact that their business model is a menace to society in a number of different ways. It's amazing how much awfulness is wrapped up in this one company.
I won't need to boycott them; I avoid them like the plague.
21
As I understand it, every time you use Uber you cost the company money. I'm not sure how to reason out the ethics of a boycott.
3
I don't have Uber, but a couple of things. Pick your battle and know what you're trying to achieve.
On the first point, if you want to reduce Saudi Arabia's global clout, then consume less oil. Don't just delete Uber. Reduce consumption of fossil all together. It would also help with climate change. Merely replacing Uber with Lyft or taxi companies is far removed from hitting Saudi Arabia where it hurts.
On the second point, given that Uber seems to lose more money as it makes more revenue, you should probably use Uber more to hasten its cash burn rate. Which hurts its investors.
In conclusion, boycotting Uber to get at Saudi Arabia is not something I'd seriously consider.
10
While the comment by Uber's chief was reprehensible, let's step back and take stock of our own culpability.
Start with a tech company I really like, Apple. The company squeezes every inch of profit out of its product by using Chinese manufacturers and parts. And, all of us know that Apple has made a deal with a company that is putting its Muslim Uyghur population in "re-education" camps. China is undermining freedoms in Hong Kong.
And, now let's look at our illicit drug consumption that partially fuels the violence in the much of Latin America. And, the list can go on.
While I don't excuse Uber, they are too easy of a target. We owe it ourselves look deeper. Otherwise we are all complicit in the on-going gag from HBO's Silicon Valley where every company's motto, despite all the awful misdeeds, always ends with "and make the world a better place."
2
Jamal Khashoggi was a Bin Laden apologist (the two had been friends before Bin Laden became a target of the international community for sponsoring and planning terror attacks). If we're going to hold Mr. Khosrowshahi responsible for not condemning Khashoggis murder more harshly, why not hold Khashoggi equally responsible for his failure to more strongly condemn radical ideologies and terrorists among his own people?
Khashoggi was no friend of the United States and his murder should influence or foreign policy no more than any other unsolved murder in any other country. This isn't a story at all.
3
I hope the public will decide that they don't want to support a company that would refer to a brutal murder as a forgivable "mistake." Most Uber drivers are also Lyft drivers, so why not just switch to Lyft? Exactly the same drivers, exactly the same cars that are provided by the driver, not the company. What I'd really like to see long-term is a non-profit ride share company that would put riders and drivers together with the drivers keeping most of the money. But until then, please don't patronize Uber. They are the worst of a bad business model.
2
I have never trusted Uber's and Lyft's business models and never hailed a ride myself but with others who hailed one. Now I will stop riding any Uber service regardless of who hails it. This story just confirms my suspicion. The founders and CEOs of these services only think about money. They have no principles. They will exploit the drivers and will not speak against officials or governments who issue them permits to operate in their country. Poor excuse for a human being.
79
@Jana I have also boycott Amazon and Whole Foods - anything with beezoos. used an uber once to get from hotel LAX international on a very tight connection - 5 years ago. lyft never. I am finding that a few local stores are convenient enough and priced competitively enough [and you do not need to deal with Amazon dumping your package on the street -- and go looking for them].
3
@Jana Delete Uber never. Delete cancel culture? Please tell me where I can press that button.
2
This is absolutely correct in and of itself but fails to mention that Uber is also quite problematicsd from both social and environmental perspectives. We will not solve our enviro-transportational problems by enabling a cadre of techie and financial elites to hurtle around urban areas in cars piloted by exploited have-nots (or robots) whie the people who make their beds, change their kids diapers, and create their artisanal tacos are relegated to a transporetation system consisting of antiquated buses on streets congested with Ubers. Lyfts, and Amazon drivers delivering frou-frou puppy chow to people who think a phone app is a piece of industrial technology.
85
@richard Right on. Many of these apps are basically ways to funnel money from small and independent businesses into the pockets of oligarchs. Those who claim these apps provide employment avenues should try taking a break from their day jobs for a week, just a week, and taking up the employment opportunity.
5
@richard
So, your basic argument against Uber is:
1. Some taxi company won't solve all environmental issues. (Even though it clearly has the very real potential to do its bit by reducing the need for car ownership).
2. Some people view working for Uber as the best employment prospect they have in front of them given their current range of options. You want to take this away because reasons. Something about artisinal tacos.
And this was a "times pick?" Really?
15
At 70 I do just fine without Uber or Alexa or Siri or Talking Google. I find many of these companies to be a post-modern form of exploitation and surveillance that I do not wish to support. That said I do understand that many people rely on Uber to replace their lack of a personal vehicle. As for cancel culture, I am all for it. Corporations and companies cheat and abuse people massively, daily. What better way to protest than to dump them, knowing there is almost always an alternative option. When I dump a company I try to find a way to let them know I will make it my life's work to trash them every chance I get...just because.
146
@Nancy M
Hear hear!
15
@Nancy M, zipcar is a convenient alternative for those who need a vehicle now and then. As for ride-hailing, uber has so successfully torn down the taxi industry which has been ripe for improvements. But I'd rather see taxi industry ravamped instead.
I have no need for alexa or siri or nest. I don't allow open-mic or open-cam at home. Tech can be a good auxiliary supplement to life, but it must not supplant my life. I pull the technology when I need it, rather than having technology constantly monitoring my "needs" that push things on me. The idea of pull versus push, is what counts for me.
31
@tiddle I agree. Fix what's wrong with the taxi industry. Uber is not the answer.
26
I don't use them and never have. First because of their labor practices. I doubled down after I saw they were seeking to undermine public transportation. Public transportation fights climate change. And now this.
130
@Patricia
Thank you!
For me it's the way they double-park and block traffic. The absolute worst is when they block a crosswalk, because you know, wouldn't want to get a bad rating.
If you use Uber/Lyft please let them know that you will give a bad rating if they are breaking traffic laws, especially parking laws. Tell them you do not mind walking a short distance
Thank you!
24
@Patricia Well you must never go anywhere? I'm 70 and use Lyft (not Uber) whenever I travel. They are there in 5 minutes and the rates are reasonable. If you think the drivers are underpaid, you can always tip big. The tip goes straight to the driver. These drivers are so much nicer than cab drivers, who are sometimes smelly with messy cabs and not always dependable. Unfortunately I have to use a very expensive cab from Ohare airport.
3
No Uber. Ever. Dishonest about checking out drivers. Dishonest about employees vs. contractors. Untrustworthy. It only takes one bad experience to say never again.
16
A hundred diffuse boycotts don't do anything because they are scattered. What the left needs is a clearing house of actions, where people can vote on and decide where to focus their fire.Once Company X has been voted as being particularly odious and sociopathic, boycott it till it is totally dead, and the CEO is ruined. No mercy for kleptocrats.
Deleting Uber means going back to my local taxi drivers. If you can prove they're perfect people, I'll happily do so.
2
@Robert
Exactly - let's create a questionnaire for regular taxi drivers to see if their views line up with our moral standards before we take a ride with them! Who really cares what the CEO said about an event unrelated to the running of the business? I don't care if Saudi Arabia is a 5th largest investor anymore than if China was the 5th largest investor.
3
I'd never use Uber or Lyft. Passengers get assaulted by drivers, and the companies never care. I want a reputable cab company that screens its drivers.
3
I watched the Axios interview in disbelief. Truly disturbing.
4
Boycott Uber. Bankrupt Saudi. Hey, that is like killing to (ugly) birds with one stone.
Improve Uber. Delete Mr. Khosrowshahi.
1
Missing from this otherwise excellent piece is the role media plays in jumping on the bandwagon to promote and fuel start-ups like Uber or Airbnb.
All manner of bad behavior is excused or ignored until it reaches a tipping point of egregiousness. Then a switch flips and media runs a counter narrative of how "toxic" the environment is. The angle shifts from "thrive" to "survive".
Worst of all are the "news" and media corporations who have contributed to #MeToo and our current political miasma. NBC news covers for Harvey Weinstein. Fox News pimps for Donald Trump, on a daily basis.
It's true start ups and politicians have much to answer for. So too do media companies. They couldn't do it without you fellas. For sure.
3
Never used Uber. And now, never will!
Good riddance.
3
For crying out loud, not every action and transaction in your life has to be a virtue signally statement. Use Uber or don't but don't judge people over something as blatantly ridiculous as a statement made by a CEO of a transportation company on TV. Most people DO NOT CARE. AT ALL. They are simply trying to get where they are going. This comment section is full of statements by people who clearly feel superior over their own choice of transportation and want to shame others. Get over yourselves. This is exactly what the Trump people are talking about and why they love 'owning libs' so much. Stop giving them ammunition. Cancel cancel culture.
16
@Andy
Yes! This!
Delete Uber never. Delete cancel culture? Please tell me where I can press that button.
6
I literally just deleted Uber after reading this article.
6
However as soon as you need a taxi in San Mateo you’ll be downloading the app again.
3
Here's a question for Ms. Attiah: Saudi money is invested heavily in US universities. Saudi money is invested heavily in US businesses.
If it is a murderous regime re Uber, it is a murderous regime re everything else.
I don't suppose Ms. Attiah would suggest boycotting all things Saudi. Or maybe she would.
So it boils down to stupid comments by Uber's CEO.
Indeed people make mistakes. Mr. Khosrowshawi should stick to business and there is much to fix in Uber. If he does fine and if not, CEOs come and go.
4
If I boycotted every company with whom I had a beef of one kind or another, I’d be living in the woods somewhere, trapping wild game and scavenging from dumpsters. And these companies know it. It’s a rare consumer boycott that effectively shifts capitalist’s tendencies.
You just hold your nose and go about your life. Things can change, but deleting Uber ain’t gonna be why — unless, of course, you can talk 100 million people into joining you. Facebook? Make that a billion. Good luck with that.
39
@Robert Deleted facebook years ago. Haven't missed it. It's an unnecessary time waster.
12
@Robert "This above all - to thine own self be true", said someone once in a play... meaning that it matters to do the right thing even if it doesn't "matter" to effectively shifting a company's business activities. It's called personal integrity, it's what you reflect upon in looking back on a life hopefully well led.
3
@Robert: Yup, and that's one reason why we invented Government, to do what we can't do as individuals.
1
This sudden new wave of moral objections against Uber sickens me. When was there ever a time to use Uber? The very birth of the company was exploitative and parasitic - lowballing working cabbies (a notoriously overpaid group) and underpaying poor people desperate enough to drive for them.
They succeeded due to millennials' sappy love affair with all things 'tech' and everybody's love of saving a buck. But using Uber always required turning off one's conscience. It seems we now have a matter of 'situational morality', where wrong is wrong only when it gets too big. Need we say hypocrisy? That people are only now having a problem with Uber is two things: shameful and overdue.
85
@Charles E Dawson
Uber has never been about being cheaper. Ubers routinely cost more than a similar cab ride (sometimes a LOT more with the predatory "surge" pricing). The things that Ubers popular are A) knowing exactly how much your ride will cost before you step foot in the vehicle and the route your driver will be taking and the ETA (no more being taken for rides or running up the meter) and B/ ease of payment (no card swiping no need to carry cash). These are big inventions that cab companies, had they been smart at the beginning, could have implemented as well. But they didn't and instead dug their heels in and tried to get cities to keep them alive. And thus we are where we are.
That said. Uber has always has always had the most vile tech bros running the company and with this new revelation of exactly how for-sale their ethics are I'd say a boycott is in order. Thankfully many if not most Uber drivers also drive for Lyft so boycotting Uber doesn't have to directly hurt the drivers. Just the company.
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@Charles E Dawson
I'm not sure you know the history of Uber, for a long time after it started most drivers made good money because there was not a saturation of new drivers and there were restrictions on the car type and condition. Unfortunately, many of these elements don't ring true as the company has tried to mitigate costs and the overall quality of the service has gone downhill unless you order Uber Black. The reason us "millennials" as you put it, use this service is because it's simply more efficient then cabs. The cab industry needed disruption. The industry in my town was corrupt, slow and pretty close to useless. I have zero moral ambiguity when it comes to this service. If I walk out of a bar or restaurant having a few libations I'm hitting Uber.
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@Charles E Dawson
Nonsense. Uber has succeeded due to our under-funded public transit and high-cost cabs. Enjoy your super-duper moral high ground.
3
In addition to the excellent reasons set forth in this article, it is important to remember Uber’s oppressive labor practices and deliberate violation of law. When Uber first came to Portland, it created software designed to evade police detection while operating in violation of local law. This company is an ugly multi-billion dollar multinational corporation that does not deserve our business, despite its clever technology.
95
My car broke down last week, I could have called Uber for a ride but I walked the five miles home instead. This in a area where every road is a dead end. I watched many a car with a fish symbol on the back pass by a 64 year old man in obvious distress. I even attempted to wave down a passing Sheriff department patrol car, he passed right on by. My call to the sheriff department dispatch was not a very pleasant one for them.
12
Never used Uber and never plan to. I'll use a bus, subway, or yellow cab if i need transportation. Uber doesn't deserve my hard earned cash.
15
Our own government couldn't even be bothered to officially condemn the killings and they really do represent us. Why should business executives be held to a higher standard than the leader of our country? The tone has been set at the top.
12
I deleted Uber in 2017 when it tried to profit off a strike called by taxi drivers at Laguardia, and haven't missed it for a single second. The world doesn't need Uber and mustn't tolerate Khorowshahi. And with Uber, it's so easy to take action, just uninstall.
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@In the wheels
Why shouldn’t Uber take advantage of a taxi strike to promote their competing service? That action alone made me stick with them over their competitors.
2
We in Austin learned about Uber and its policy of buying its way out of illegitimacy years ago. A city ordinance was in place that would require all such services to use fingerprints in certifying their drivers. Uber and Lyft spent over $8 million in support of a petition that obtained a place on the city ballot to vote to rescind that ordinance, and it was roundly rejected by the populace.
So they went to the state level. Who got paid and how much is unknown -- but while the state government is Republican dominated, Austin, the capital, is definitely Left. The state then passed a law nullifying local control, and permitting them to operate without the deep background check fingerprinting would obtain -- specifically to thwart Austin.
Such essentially unregulated rode-hailing companies should be forbidden. I am eager to celebrate Uber going down the tubes.
23
I never used Uber and never plan to. When I travel in Europe, I use regulated taxis or public transportation. In the US, I use Lyft exclusively. Lyft isn't perfect but at least they aren't treating women like second class citizens or dismissing the murder of Khashoggi as a mistake. Uber needs to clean house completely. It's rotten to the core.
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Of all the problems with Uber, the ID of a sovereign wealth fund that invested in it, a minority share, is really just not important.
Yes, but I'm practical.
I have Lyft and Uber on my phone, because sometimes I need them. I haven't called Uber in the U.S. for at least 5 years, I call Lyft. Can't call Lyft in other countries, so hold my nose and call Uber.
If I was on the Board of Directors of Uber, I'd get rid of the craven Khosrowshahi yesterday, but they won't.
I boycott Uber, unless I can't. I have spine issues and sometimes have no choice. I don't love Lyft, but IMO there is a real difference here in corporate ethics. It's between little and none.
Boycotts rarely work, but yes, they can, so do it when it's the right thing.
Dan Kravitz
7
In fact I did delete the Uber App after watching the interview with the CEO.
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Ironic that as he's saying "I think that people make mistakes..." he himself was in the process of making a dumb mistake.
But to answer the question posed by the title, if somebody feels better deleting Uber, even though I think doing so in reaction to a boneheaded comment by a CEO is silly, go ahead. Just don't confuse every trending Twitter hashtag with a meaningful outcry in the real world. Facebook is doing as well as ever despite #deletefacebook b/c most of the people using it (or Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.) are not plugged in to the world of Twitter outrage, and nor are the overwhelming majority of Uber users.
4
Is this a joke? Most sane, ethical people deleted Uber years ago.
42
"It was worse than a crime. It was a blunder."
Without minimizing murder, that applies in this case too.
1
I've deleted my uber account before Kalanick was ousted. I have thought Lyft, with its corporate culture, is at least marginally more palatable than uber when it comes to ride-sharing. I've come to realize how simiar Lyft is as uber, in squeezing its driver, in racing to offer discounted rides.
As a consumer, I don't want to be a part of it. Yes, it's cheap(er), it offers convenience, but at the expense of society and such low-cost labor that is neither sustainable nor healthy.
So yes, we should all delete our uber (and Lyft) account. We should advocate strengthening public transport as a real alternative to grow cities and societies, rather than constantly tearing down existing infrastructure and eroding livelihood without contributing much of anything back to the communities, all for the pocketbooks of Silicon Valley. Enough is enough.
14
The company has been a dumpster fire from the get go. Doing the “right thing” doesn’t seem to be in their wheel house, they haven’t ever been ethical. Don’t imagine that will change anytime soon.
16
It is indeed time for Uber to be killed off, and there is no reason whatsoever to show any more mercy to the company than its big investor showed to Khashoggi.
These worthless companies (see also WeWork), touted somehow as "innovative""tech"companies (they were neither) are all overdue for their dates with the executioner.
23
And what of any other company where employees or senior officials or CEOs say the wrong thing?
I can get a boycott of Uber because of being opposed to ride sharing in general. I should point out that I have yet to meet an Uber or Lyft driver who does not like working for Uber or Lyft (I have asked often).
But to get incensed about these comments on Saudi Arabia is the height of hypocrisy. What of all the Senators and Representatives and Presidents (Democrats and Republicans alike) who have been selling weapons to Saudi Arabia for decades, or great ally, despite the rampant human rights abuses there? Are we going to pretend the kiling of Kashoggi was anything new, or unexpected?
Then there is the situation for consumers: I prefer Lyft for the record, and use Lyft whenever I can, but I would take an Uber any day over a taxi cab, because I despise the taxi cab monopoly.
As somebody who took taxis in NYC on a regular basis before Uber came around, I know how horrible they were, how racist and rude the cab drivers were, how they routinely cheated passengers by pushing the button with the wrong rate on the meter (read up on it), not to mention the horrible state of the cars.
Without Uber as competition, Lyft would become substantially worse for consumers. Like it or not, we need both companies, and likely many more ride sharing companies, in order to have a good marketplace for consumers.
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@gus How many Uber drivers have you asked? And do you really think they'd risk telling you they hate their jobs knowing that you get to rate them? Heck, you could possibly be a company plant.
Uber drivers in Canada are opting to unionize. The fact that Uber claims that the drivers are not employees is typical of the current abuse of workers in this "gig economy"
Check out Uber Drivers United
1
What an amazing opening sentence! That alone was worth this week's subscription price. Thank you!
6
Never used them. Always choose Lyft.
5
@MissEllie Lyft has been more exploitative of their drivers lately than anyone else. For example, Lyft's rate card for Phoenix as of August pays drivers $0.3525 per mile, well below the IRS 2019 standard mileage rate of $0.58/mile.
1
Sure, if you were gullible enough to actually use it in the first place. 21st Century indentured servitude, using a Human with their OWN machine. All expenses incurred by said Human.
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It's *way* past time...their egregious culture of sexual harassment was more than enough reason to delete them long ago, in addition to their undermining of the protections and accountability of local taxi licensing boards. Khashoggi's murder was horrific; to use it as a "higher-order" reason to question giving the corporation money at this late date is bro-clueless.
11
Yes.
Done.
11
"Is it time to delete Uber?" you ask?
Not for me
I never signed up
I abhor Uber and their scooters too
56
I don't have to boycott Uber because I don't have any need to use it. When I have requirement for getting around without a personal vehicle and the distance is too far to walk, I use public transportation.
33
While my thoughts would be with out of work corporate employees and drivers, I believe they and rest of the world would be far better off if Uber were to be dismantled.
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@Hi Neighbor
The corporate employees would be just fine. The scientists and engineers are very well-compensated and have many lucrative skills for which there's no shortage of demand.
The drivers, on the other hand, may need to find other employment, which might be harder -- but hey, I'm sure Lyft will take them.
3
I'd willingly keep Uber on my phone if Trump could be removed from office.
In places where the cost of living is not extremely high (many small or medium sized cities) I suspect /speculate Uber drivers feel comfortable with their earnings
2