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Ride-hailing apps may help to curb drunk driving

economist.com

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Re: Ride-hailing apps may help to curb drunk driving

#31

Post by jellicle »

lend000 wrote: post #7
Dotnaught wrote: post #3

Perhaps that should be phrased "the availability of drivers using a ride sharing platform has helped reduce drunk driving accidents." If Uber doesn't accept drivers as employees and isn't responsible for their actions, it shouldn't be credited with their collective contributions to a safer society.

That's a strangely bitter way of looking at things. Ride sharing companies, including Uber, have brought tremendous benefits to society, and drunk driving prevention is probably at the top of the list. Uber has made the largest difference of all these companies because it has been the most aggressive in disrupting rent-seekers like taxi companies. The drivers and the general willingness of people to embrace the gig e…

Incorrect. Independent contractors cheerfully 'sharing' their vehicles have made 100% of the difference; Uber does not employ anyone to drive anywhere. The number of drunks driven home by Uber employees is ~0.

Thanks independent contractors!

Re: Ride-hailing apps may help to curb drunk driving

#32

Post by billions »

lend000 wrote: post #7
Dotnaught wrote: post #3

Perhaps that should be phrased "the availability of drivers using a ride sharing platform has helped reduce drunk driving accidents." If Uber doesn't accept drivers as employees and isn't responsible for their actions, it shouldn't be credited with their collective contributions to a safer society.

That's a strangely bitter way of looking at things. Ride sharing companies, including Uber, have brought tremendous benefits to society, and drunk driving prevention is probably at the top of the list. Uber has made the largest difference of all these companies because it has been the most aggressive in disrupting rent-seekers like taxi companies. The drivers and the general willingness of people to embrace the gig e…

Unfortunately this does not play into the mass media narrative of today. Hopefully HN can evaluate statistics more objectively

Re: Ride-hailing apps may help to curb drunk driving

#33

Post by [deleted] »

JohnJamesRambo wrote: post #20
ardit33 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bitter/hating much? I know Uber is not liked, but the fact that they have done a great job at disturbing the market in a great way. (Lyft as well, but they are still a minority player) Having have to deal with NYC cabs often, when they will lock the doors and ask where you are going before letting you in, Uber is a great improvement overall. Also, a NYC taxi medallion would cost 500k to almost 750k (that's like a mor…

But aren't they just disrupting it temporarily? My understanding is that VC funding is propping up those low fares. I guess it is good until that runs out though.

[deleted]

Re: Ride-hailing apps may help to curb drunk driving

#34

Post by lettergram »

daurnimator wrote: post #27
petergatsby wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Study credits Uber because specificity > vagueness. From 2011 - present Uber was responsible for vast the majority of ride-share rides: https://www.thestreet.com/story/13536061/1/uber-now-more-pop...

Living in New York for 2012-2015: it felt like there was about a 50:50 split on Lyft vs Uber. Lyft doesn't seem to have even near that sort of penetration in other cities from what I've experienced.

SF probably 60% Uber, 40% Lyft. Although to be honest, I'd argue Lyft is becoming a bit more common.

Re: Ride-hailing apps may help to curb drunk driving

#35

Post by notliketherest »

Dotnaught wrote: post #3

Perhaps that should be phrased "the availability of drivers using a ride sharing platform has helped reduce drunk driving accidents." If Uber doesn't accept drivers as employees and isn't responsible for their actions, it shouldn't be credited with their collective contributions to a safer society.

That is a such a bullshit argument you ought to be ashamed of yourself.

Re: Ride-hailing apps may help to curb drunk driving

#36

Post by [deleted] »

plytheman wrote: post #19
rubicon33 wrote: post #16

Another bright light on the horizon: Self driving cars. I'm hugely optimistic that within the next 100 years, we could very possibly see deaths from drunk driving shrink to a small fraction of it's current value. It's a great thing when profit driven businesses also have positive side effects for everyone.

I'm curious when self-driving cars become common place how the law will react to it. It's my assumption that the law will still require a driver to be sober in the event that manual control is needed, though I suppose if the car is driving itself perfectly fine police would have no reasonable grounds to pull anyone over and discover they're drunk in the first place.

[deleted]

Re: Ride-hailing apps may help to curb drunk driving

#37

Post by username223 »

lend000 wrote: post #7
Dotnaught wrote: post #3

Perhaps that should be phrased "the availability of drivers using a ride sharing platform has helped reduce drunk driving accidents." If Uber doesn't accept drivers as employees and isn't responsible for their actions, it shouldn't be credited with their collective contributions to a safer society.

That's a strangely bitter way of looking at things. Ride sharing companies, including Uber, have brought tremendous benefits to society, and drunk driving prevention is probably at the top of the list. Uber has made the largest difference of all these companies because it has been the most aggressive in disrupting rent-seekers like taxi companies. The drivers and the general willingness of people to embrace the gig e…

Perhaps, but don't call it "sharing," because sharing is reciprocal. If it were actually sharing, you would be driving for Uber as much as the people who chauffeur you around. Call them what they are: unlicensed taxis.

Also, "the general willingness of people to embrace the gig economy" is just another way of saying "many people are desperate enough to do sub-minimum-wage piecework."

Re: Ride-hailing apps may help to curb drunk driving

#38

Post by VHRanger »

40acres wrote: post #14
petergatsby wrote: post #2

The cited CUNY study: http://academicworks.cuny.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=10...

Nice to see such a great paper from a fellow CUNY grad. NY's city college system is underrated.

I mean CUNY is objectively a great school. It's just overshadowed by NYU

Re: Ride-hailing apps may help to curb drunk driving

#39

Post by soperj »

itchyjunk wrote: post #15

Hmm, the study [0] credits over all reduction of drunk driving accidents to Uber. If ride sharing is the source of reduction, shouldn't ride sharing in general be credited? Maybe Uber was the only ride-share available during the study though since it's data from 1989-2013. "A recent increase in the ease and availability of alternative rides for intoxicated passengers partially explains the steep decrease in alcohol-r…

It's not just about dirt cheap. You know that you're not going to get screwed by an uber driver, even if you're drunk. Can't say the same about cab drivers, who've definitely tried to pull things when they see drunk people. Not to mention the ones that'll just pass you by over and over, or won't come to your location at a certain time, or just not answer the phone. Cabs in general have been horrible.

Re: Ride-hailing apps may help to curb drunk driving

#40

Post by itchyjunk »

notliketherest wrote: post #35
Dotnaught wrote: post #3

Perhaps that should be phrased "the availability of drivers using a ride sharing platform has helped reduce drunk driving accidents." If Uber doesn't accept drivers as employees and isn't responsible for their actions, it shouldn't be credited with their collective contributions to a safer society.

That is a such a bullshit argument you ought to be ashamed of yourself.

Would you mind sharing your counter argument? Although I don't necessarily agree with the parent, asking him to be ashamed seems to be an even weaker argument.
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