In Video, Uber CEO Argues with Driver Over Falling Fares • Hacker News Board

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

#41

Post by carniaclaly » Tue, Feb 28, 2017, 9:25 PM UTC

RandomInteger4 wrote: post #23

envy2 wrote: post #5

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

I'm ... fare-ly ... certain certain this law does not apply to recordings for security purposes in a place of business; the vehicle being the place of business of the Uber driver. EDIT: Er, scratch that. Didn't realize there was audio attached. I think audio might be the incriminating factor in the two party consent thing. I mostly just wanted to make a bad pun.

Some states make exceptions for recordings that take place for business security purposes. California does not.

However, CA does make an exception for recording "in any other circumstance in which the parties to the communication may reasonably expect that the communication may be overheard or recorded."

You could certainly make an argument that this douchebag might reasonably expect audio to be recorded in his company's driver's cars. Not so sure you could make that argument for the other passengers.

Interestingly, Bloomberg could be sued (or prosecuted; $5000 fine) for distributing the recording if it indeed falls under CA's wiretapping laws.

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

#42

Post by pjwal » Tue, Feb 28, 2017, 9:25 PM UTC

stagbeetle wrote: post #26

This seems like a slam piece following the #DeleteUber bandwagon. 1). The title doesn't match the contents. Instead of reporting on the specifics of the fare changes, Newcomer rehashes the more prominent Uber scandals and some short commentary on TK's "short temper." 2). A very short paragraph (around 1/20th the article) breifly elaborates on the fares: > And the gig has gotten harder for longtime drivers. In 2012, U…

So, let me get this straight. Uber has lowered the fair once on Uber Black to $3.75/mile, yet it seems that this driver was falsely insisting it was $2.75/mile. That would be frustrating to me too.

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

#43

Post by idiot_stick » Tue, Feb 28, 2017, 9:26 PM UTC

stagbeetle wrote: post #26

This seems like a slam piece following the #DeleteUber bandwagon. 1). The title doesn't match the contents. Instead of reporting on the specifics of the fare changes, Newcomer rehashes the more prominent Uber scandals and some short commentary on TK's "short temper." 2). A very short paragraph (around 1/20th the article) breifly elaborates on the fares: > And the gig has gotten harder for longtime drivers. In 2012, U…

>I have an immigrant in my family who's just like the driver. He's not interested in "fighting over a good idea

You may want to rephrase that, because it sounds an awful lot like you're attributing "stubbornness" to the fact that this guy's an immigrant.

>Additionally, it's plain rude to engage in this sort of thing with a stranger.

He's not a stranger. He's the boss.

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

#44

Post by rockarage » Tue, Feb 28, 2017, 9:26 PM UTC

Travis is right on a technicality they did not lower Uber Black prices much if any. What they did instead was coerced Uber Black drivers to take Uber X request. Yes drivers can reject Uber X request, but if you reject a certain amount of Uber rides, they kick you off their system. Probably why the driver is complaining about going bankrupt, you need a luxury car to drive Uber Black, but if you're stuck picking Uber X fares you'll lose money.

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

#45

Post by bearcobra » Tue, Feb 28, 2017, 9:26 PM UTC

MegaButts wrote: post #22

frgtpsswrdlame wrote: post #16

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.

> If you can't even handle light criticism from the people you employ, you shouldn't be at the top. I ask this in all seriousness: what qualities make for a good leader assuming the ideals of capitalism? I understand many people here will say they would prefer to work for a moral leader who can handle criticism and adapt to make sure his employees are taken care of, but do those leaders perform better at growing comp…

There are studies that have shown that CEOs are more likely to be psychopaths than the general population. If you assume being a psychopath also makes you an asshole, and some level of success is required in order to become a CEO, it wouldn't be unreasonable to claim that being an asshole makes you more successful.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/13/1-in-5-ceos-are-p...

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

#46

Post by seertaak » Tue, Feb 28, 2017, 9:27 PM UTC

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 explain things from his perspective. He could have just said: "sorry no time". Instead he shook the driver's hand, tried to explain the logic of his moving down the luxury scale.

The fact that the footage of him with two women wasn't cut out is frankly disgusting and a total invasion of his privacy. He didn't do anything wrong except flirt a bit. How tawdry of Bloomberg to show that material.

What is wrong with newspapers nowadays? It seems the press decides someone's "fair game" and they just engage in the most blatant character assassination.

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

#47

Post by pjwal » Tue, Feb 28, 2017, 9:27 PM UTC

noobermin wrote: post #40

Watching as someone who already doesn't like Kalanick due to recent news, but at first, I didn't really take sides. The driver engaged first, and his tone was a little more tensive than Kalanick's. Moreover, Kalanick's argument seems sensible[0] regarding why he might have had to lower rates. However, once Kalanick's retort essentially becomes "you're not taking personal responsibility and blaming others (ie., me)" h…

I don't consider it a fair discussion when the driver falsely insists the fair is $2.75/mile, when it is $3.75/mile and continues to pound the theme when Kalanick had already given his explanation. What is the driver expecting? For Uber to go back and raise fairs on Uber Black?

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

#48

Post by MegaButts » Tue, Feb 28, 2017, 9:27 PM UTC

harigov wrote: post #38

MegaButts wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If you can't even handle light criticism from the people you employ, you shouldn't be at the top. I ask this in all seriousness: what qualities make for a good leader assuming the ideals of capitalism? I understand many people here will say they would prefer to work for a moral leader who can handle criticism and adapt to make sure his employees are taken care of, but do those leaders perform better at growing comp…

Turning that question around, what sort of a leader do you want to work for? Or folks usually like to work for? This whole idea of growing a company as the only (or most important) thing that matters is something that should die. We want people who we genuinely respect and imitate as our leaders. We want to build products that are genuinely useful and bring about a positive change in the society.

Yes, that's a personal decision in deciding where to work. But it's easy to come up with specific examples of CEOs that are assholes who grow gigantic companies. I was just using this specific example with Kalanick to raise the question. Perhaps a better example is Steve Jobs, someone who had something of a cult following but from what I've heard was an all around terrible person. If these people truly weren't tolerated, they wouldn't get to the top in the first place.

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

#49

Post by koolba » Tue, Feb 28, 2017, 9:29 PM UTC

loeg wrote: post #18

koolba wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does that apply to being recorded in a public location (and would the driver's cab count)? Also, for all we know there could be a sign in the black car that says, " Smile you're on candid camera! ".

Inside of a private car with the windows up isn't public. I don't know whether California is a two-party consent state, and the specifics of what that requires are different state to state anyway.

> Inside of a private car with the windows up isn't public.

If it was your car and someone got in and recorded you, then I'd say that's more clear cut. But if you get into someone else's car do you have a reasonable expectation of privacy?

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

#50

Post by stagbeetle » Tue, Feb 28, 2017, 9:29 PM UTC

idiot_stick wrote: post #43

stagbeetle wrote: post #26

This seems like a slam piece following the #DeleteUber bandwagon. 1). The title doesn't match the contents. Instead of reporting on the specifics of the fare changes, Newcomer rehashes the more prominent Uber scandals and some short commentary on TK's "short temper." 2). A very short paragraph (around 1/20th the article) breifly elaborates on the fares: > And the gig has gotten harder for longtime drivers. In 2012, U…

> I have an immigrant in my family who's just like the driver. He's not interested in "fighting over a good idea You may want to rephrase that, because it sounds an awful lot like you're attributing "stubbornness" to the fact that this guy's an immigrant. > Additionally, it's plain rude to engage in this sort of thing with a stranger. He's not a stranger. He's the boss.

> You may want to rephrase that, because it sounds an awful lot like you're attributing "stubbornness" to the fact that this guy's an immigrant.

I am. This sort of behavior is common among older people from the country my family member -- and I -- emigrated from.

> He's not a stranger. He's the boss.

That's a bit of an exaggeration. Travis isn't directly overseeing this specific driver's operations (ignoring the whole "Uber is a contractor not an employer").