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Car-sharing service HiGear shuts down due to theft of 4 cars worth $400,000

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Re: Car-sharing service HiGear shuts down due to theft of 4 cars worth $400,000

#51
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sadly, such a situation is not unique. Kudos for being open about it. Kudos as well for being able, and having the balls to make the exit. I'm speaking from a background of gangs, where there is no exit. Except a coffin.

What could possibly keep gang member in the gang aside of greed? Why not just move to another side of the country and start a new life?

Perhaps I'm assuming, but it seems you don't know much about the life of the poor.

If they could afford to move from the projects where these gangs operate, don't you think they would in a heartbeat? The foot soldier in a gang is not making a lot of money - far from it. But your mom just got laid off, rent needs to be paid and your baby sister needs to be fed. So you do what you have to do.

I'm a big believer in personal responsibility, and was as big a supporter of Randian thought as one could be without ever reading any of her book. But as I grew up and got exposed to The Real World, I realized that many times we are the victims of circumstances which seem to conspire against us.

So it's not always easy to just up and move to another side of the country.

Re: Car-sharing service HiGear shuts down due to theft of 4 cars worth $400,000

#52
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I apologise for being a lil off topic but I do have a question for you. Before I ask that question, let me tell you a story. When I was growing up, I knew this girl who works part time at a cinema. Her job is basically to clean up the place after everyone has left once the movie has ended. While cleaning up the place, 7 out of 10 times, she will find something someone has left behind and out of that 7 times, probably…

So, where I grew up, everybody was a criminal. I don't mean that hyperbolically either. Everyone in my family (mostly bottom-of-the-barrel criminals, but a few actual bad-ass criminals), every other kid who lived in my neighborhood. All criminals. My older brother ran away from home when he was 15, partially to get away from all of that. I stayed until I was 17, but left for much the same reason. If I felt obliged to…

If you have kept up with this particular friend so that you know his current situation, then you have not removed yourself from the moral dilemma. Glad you got out, and there may be other reasons not to turn someone in, but this is a bad excuse.

Re: Car-sharing service HiGear shuts down due to theft of 4 cars worth $400,000

#53

I felt worse for these guys until I read to the end of the letter and found out about the "HiGear girls". It's not quite as bad as I thought because they don't seem to "rent out" these models like they do cars; I guess it was just a publicity thing. But still, having revealing pictures and even stats (measurements) of the women is pretty much the definition of objectification. FOLLOWUP (responding to comments): I'm n…

I came here to post this too. I felt bad for them until I got to the "girls" part, at which point I didn't feel bad. Although they didn't go out of business because of their sexist business practices, I don't shed a tear for them. Yes, this is a marketing stunt, but I hope the day comes when the cost of this marketing outweighs the benefit (i.e., more people find the objectification of women offensive to the point of…

No, it's completely unrelated. The only topic this is related to is, "Why do people care so much what women do, of their own free will, with their bodies?"

Re: Car-sharing service HiGear shuts down due to theft of 4 cars worth $400,000

#54

I felt worse for these guys until I read to the end of the letter and found out about the "HiGear girls". It's not quite as bad as I thought because they don't seem to "rent out" these models like they do cars; I guess it was just a publicity thing. But still, having revealing pictures and even stats (measurements) of the women is pretty much the definition of objectification. FOLLOWUP (responding to comments): I'm n…

I came here to post this too. I felt bad for them until I got to the "girls" part, at which point I didn't feel bad. Although they didn't go out of business because of their sexist business practices, I don't shed a tear for them. Yes, this is a marketing stunt, but I hope the day comes when the cost of this marketing outweighs the benefit (i.e., more people find the objectification of women offensive to the point of…

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Re: Car-sharing service HiGear shuts down due to theft of 4 cars worth $400,000

#55

I felt worse for these guys until I read to the end of the letter and found out about the "HiGear girls". It's not quite as bad as I thought because they don't seem to "rent out" these models like they do cars; I guess it was just a publicity thing. But still, having revealing pictures and even stats (measurements) of the women is pretty much the definition of objectification. FOLLOWUP (responding to comments): I'm n…

Sexy cars and pin-up girls have gone hand-in-hand for generations, and probably always will. Are you really outraged at the notion of dudes wanting to look at hot girls?

I believe your parent finds the notion of using objectification of women to rent cars distasteful. I know I do. Just as many find the Godaddy girls distasteful.

Re: Car-sharing service HiGear shuts down due to theft of 4 cars worth $400,000

#56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What could possibly keep gang member in the gang aside of greed? Why not just move to another side of the country and start a new life?

Safety, for one. As for moving, family and lack of a link to anywhere else. Starting a new life isn't as easy as you seem to think it is. Nor, for that matter, is moving. Particularly if you don't necessarily have any good marketable skills.

I would guess that former gang member should be able to flip burgers, mop the floor and collect trash from the streets.

That's a good start.

Yes, that might not pay as much as criminal activity, but that's definitely enough to survive.

As for safety - why is it not safe to quit a gang? Why would remaining gang members care about former gang member who disappeared in unknown direction and does not cause any trouble?

Re: Car-sharing service HiGear shuts down due to theft of 4 cars worth $400,000

#57
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, where I grew up, everybody was a criminal. I don't mean that hyperbolically either. Everyone in my family (mostly bottom-of-the-barrel criminals, but a few actual bad-ass criminals), every other kid who lived in my neighborhood. All criminals. My older brother ran away from home when he was 15, partially to get away from all of that. I stayed until I was 17, but left for much the same reason. If I felt obliged to…

If you have kept up with this particular friend so that you know his current situation, then you have not removed yourself from the moral dilemma. Glad you got out, and there may be other reasons not to turn someone in, but this is a bad excuse.

I should be clear, I haven't seen any of these people in many many years. The situation I've explained was how things were set up when I last had any contact with Colin. I haven't heard anything since, so I assume things are progressing more or less the same.

Re: Car-sharing service HiGear shuts down due to theft of 4 cars worth $400,000

#58
post #5

That's sad to hear, but I think he's right to realize that it's going to be really hard to deal with losses when the auto theft community gets wind of their business. I am always amazed by the efficiency and technological prowess that the kids I grew up with who steal cars apply to their trade (even if I wish they were involved in a better trade). One kid I grew up with now has a ring of six guys working for him, pay…

Its ok... Thats why god gave us car insurance..

Re: Car-sharing service HiGear shuts down due to theft of 4 cars worth $400,000

#59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Safety, for one. As for moving, family and lack of a link to anywhere else. Starting a new life isn't as easy as you seem to think it is. Nor, for that matter, is moving. Particularly if you don't necessarily have any good marketable skills.

I would guess that former gang member should be able to flip burgers, mop the floor and collect trash from the streets. That's a good start. Yes, that might not pay as much as criminal activity, but that's definitely enough to survive. As for safety - why is it not safe to quit a gang? Why would remaining gang members care about former gang member who disappeared in unknown direction and does not cause any trouble?

I would guess that former gang member should be able to flip burgers, mop the floor and collect trash from the streets.

And with the pay from that he could afford to live where? No place better than where he came from!

Re: Car-sharing service HiGear shuts down due to theft of 4 cars worth $400,000

#60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I came here to post this too. I felt bad for them until I got to the "girls" part, at which point I didn't feel bad. Although they didn't go out of business because of their sexist business practices, I don't shed a tear for them. Yes, this is a marketing stunt, but I hope the day comes when the cost of this marketing outweighs the benefit (i.e., more people find the objectification of women offensive to the point of…

No, it's completely unrelated. The only topic this is related to is, "Why do people care so much what women do, of their own free will, with their bodies?"

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