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In Video, Uber CEO Argues with Driver Over Falling Fares

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Re: In Video, Uber CEO Argues with Driver Over Falling Fares

#321

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the way Uber is set up, there's absolutely no reason for Kalanick to give an Eff about the driver's situation. Except, you know, "being a human" > loyalty cuts both ways. Uber drivers can immediately drop Uber and simply work for Lyft. They have complete and utter independence from the Uber company. That's actually not that different from being an employee, where you can usually quit on short notice and start worki…

I don't know whether we need unions or not - but until we do, Uber can hardly be faulted for playing the free market. The CEO has a board to answer to and they care about maximizing profits, like any other for profit organization.

Even ignoring that, by that standard, he is among the worst human being ever with around -80 billions of "profit" so far...

...and ignoring that Uber is structured specifically to make the board toothless – proof: major VCs invested in Uber have to resort to public blog posts because they can't get answers nor actions using the standard tools of corporate governance...

...there's nothing wrong with faulting people for immoral but legal actions they take. Uber and its ilk are inflicting harm on the lower middle class by driving down the income and security of taxi drivers. The spoils go to middle-class customers (now) and VCs (theoretically, someday). Is that a good deal for society overall? Nobody knows. Wal-mart has similarly driven down prices and arguably made life easier for many people. It's also killed Main Street, created an underclass of employees earning minimum wage, and led to the consolidation of power within oligopolies in many markets.

It's not a sustainable solution because boycotts and other means of regulating companies without the power of law just don't work. But there's nothing wrong with it. In fact, it's probably a necessary on the way to actual regulation by laws.

Re: In Video, Uber CEO Argues with Driver Over Falling Fares

#322
post #320

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Simply? The driver never signed up for those rides in the first place. Imagine being pitched an engineer job at an engineer salary with company later expanding into haircutting business and ducking your bonus for not generating enough haircuts.

I've never been an Uber driver, but as far as I can tell from my conversations, they do indeed sign up. My app sometimes says there are no Uber X available in my area, but 5 or 6 Uber Black. How could that be possible unless the Black were not automatically signed up for X?

This admittedly old article implies Uber Black drivers don't have a choice https://pando.com/2014/09/04/uber-continues-to-screw-its-par...

Perhaps things have changed.

Re: In Video, Uber CEO Argues with Driver Over Falling Fares

#323
post #5

Unfortunately, that driver is about to find out what "two party consent" for recordings means.

I bet he was kicked off Uber because of this exchange

If he was, I'm sure there would have been a big hue and cry about it already.

Re: In Video, Uber CEO Argues with Driver Over Falling Fares

#324

This will probably be an unpopular opinion, but I actually thought the driver was exceedingly rude. He clearly took advantage of Kalanick being in the public eye, and thus a "target". Filming him without acknowledging it was totally immoral, it should reduce any fair person's bayesian priors as to the credibility of the driver. I'm no fan of Kalanick, but I thought he comported himself reasonably, taking the time to…

[deleted]

Re: In Video, Uber CEO Argues with Driver Over Falling Fares

#325

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I work for a gigantic corporation and you're right that the CEO wouldn't respond to me. In fact, if we were in a car together and I started talking to him about how my pay wasn't so hot this year I would expect him to be extremely uncomfortable. He should be! He makes huge decisions which affect thousands and thousands of lives. CEOs should be in constant contact with peons like me and Kamel. Maybe they would adjust…

Except the CEO works for the board whose goal is to keep the company profitable so it can continue to exist. If you are upset about pay, you go to your manager or in the case of Kamel, you go work for a competitor Lyft. You have every right to voice your complaints but don't be surprised when they fall on deaf ears.

Somewhat tangential, but if Kalanick's purpose is to make sure that Uber is profitable then he is failing at his job, considering they've lost billions of dollars quarter after quarter. And in this case, the driver can't be reasonably expected to go to Lyft because Lyft doesn't go black car services.

Re: In Video, Uber CEO Argues with Driver Over Falling Fares

#326

To me this illustrates one of the biggest problems we have in america which is the crazy firewall between rich and poor. Kamel wanted to have a serious discussion with Kalanick about how his decisions as CEO were affecting Kamel's life and Kalanick gets upset about this. That's your job! At least it should be. If you can't even handle light criticism from the people you employ, you shouldn't be at the top.

He was clearly off duty. Being the CEO of a company like Uber is very difficult indeed. Surely the guy doesn't have to answer to literally every single person he meets 24/7 because he is the CEO. He deserves no personal free time?

If he wanted "personal free time" without being asked questions, including some pointed ones, he probably shouldn't have taken a car from the service he owns. This person wasn't just "literally" another person, they were technically his employee/contractor and were on the clock even if he wasn't. If I was in this situation where I was working while my boss was technically not but in my presence, I feel like it would be appropriate to ask my boss questions pertaining to my work.

Re: In Video, Uber CEO Argues with Driver Over Falling Fares

#327

1. Uber should really put up a policy against drivers using cockpit cameras to record passengers. Most of them do it without any consent. I usually give them 1 star if someone uses cockpit camera. 2. I have been a big Supporter of Travis Kalanick since last 2-3 years, just for the fact that he's willing to take harsh steps to win. This ultimately helps Uber. Uber's Drivers are not its employees, it doesn't want them…

I have been a big Supporter of Travis Kalanick since last 2-3 years, just for the fact that he's willing to take harsh steps to win. Sir/Madam, I don't really want to be offensive. And I know that this is a stupid comparison, but I cannot help myself and I need to ask: Would you apply the same logic to Hitler? He took really harsh steps to win. And it would've ultimately helped Germany. Other people were not German c…

He's a troll. Don't feed him.

Re: In Video, Uber CEO Argues with Driver Over Falling Fares

#328

Just because someone happens to work for Walmart/Uber/whoever, I don't see why it means that employer suddenly becomes responsible for meeting any particular set of needs that person might have. You would have been the "awful" kind of slaver back in the day.

Did you really just attack someone the way this comment sounds like you did? That's dismaying. If I've read it correctly, it's the kind of attack we ban accounts for, so please don't do that here.

We detached this comment from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13758241 and marked it off-topic.

Re: In Video, Uber CEO Argues with Driver Over Falling Fares

#329

This is a kind of categorical thinking, which is sometimes misatributed as being "autistic". You have a clear logical distinction, I'll grant you that. You have a declaration of your opinion, which on its face seems resonable. But you fail to examine the details of the situation. You are reducing your morality to a few simple and rigid rules. Those rules can be seen as something akin to a computer program. If your mo…

That's unduly personal. Please don't do that on HN.

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13758473 and marked it off-topic.

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