# So, What Can We Do?



## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

Is there anything we can do to stop Uber from destroying rideshare for the drivers? I have never met this Travis character, but is he able to be reasoned with? Can we get an injunction or something to stop Uber from treating the drivers like shit while he builds his empire on our backs?


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

So TRAVIS is "Destroying rideshare for the drivers"? ... and it is now called ride-hailing, BTW.

Oh, right, it is we drivers who had the guts to roll into every city on earth, thumb our noses at the entire entrenched taxi industry, organize the local gypsy cabs, muster massive public support and ram new laws into being (or not). TRAVIS is screwing things up for all the little people ? We can only dream of, and fear, the power of this megalomaniac. He needs us, but without him there was no money to be made.

Without Travis none of us would have ever gotten anything from this gig. All agree that early days were sweet deals, yes? (I'm late to this party). All agree that the gravy train is over, yes? But for a job that any monkey could do it, in the early days the money was too good to be true. We all knew that. And now our hubris is playing out.

So, go legit Livery for hire. You have options - use them. Come here and bellyache, though. It is fun.


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

You know, you are about a trolling ********. How about instead of you being such a wiseass you provide some useful input or shut the **** up. I don't give a rats ass if you are a part time prison guard or some other state employee in your other life. If you cannot take shit seriously, step the **** off. And, if you have a ****ing problem with it troll, I live but an hour and fifteen minutes from you.


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

I repeat. Go legit Livery for hire. You have options - use them. Come here and bellyache, though. It is fun.


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## uber_sea (Jan 9, 2015)

Rich Brunelle said:


> Is there anything we can do to stop Uber from destroying rideshare for the drivers? I have never met this Travis character, but is he able to be reasoned with? Can we get an injunction or something to stop Uber from treating the drivers like shit while he builds his empire on our backs?


We tried to organize large protests and failed, many times before. There are some very intelligent people that work at Uber. They've developed a very smart business model that works in their favor. The only thing I see that could help drivers cause is a court order to regulate. Perhaps you can write to your local politician?

In the mean time if you "have to" drive to survive, then uber on. Otherwise, turning your app off would be the least you can do.

Don't worry about that troll Sacto Burbs, he will be deactivated in a few weeks and then be out of the forums shortly after.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Drivers who can do math don't drive. 

Some may be fortunate to have surges or patient enough to wait it out and only app on when they are paid properly, during surges. 

The individual response is the probably the only response needed. From my end I would observe that low pay will force driver math into the equations regardless. Most will have to experience loss before they realize it.

I do feel for anyone who bit on new vehicle purchases. There used to be a rule in the banking business that your first loss is your best lost i.e. take the immediate asset hit rather than hold an asset that declines and continues to decline in value.

There is unfortunately another really strange principle in play here with lower rates as well. Drivers who 'need' the cash flow will drive more. Just like oil producing countries who need oil to pay their bills are forced to sell even more oil when prices are low to meet their bills, thereby hammering prices ever lower with more supply. This is the gambit that Uber has been milking on the backs of drivers. 

These kinds of math anomalies usually don't last very long because there is a 'real' cost of production that comes due, sooner rather than later when prices are too low.


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## SDUberdriver (Nov 11, 2014)

Rich Brunelle said:


> Is there anything we can do to stop Uber from destroying rideshare for the drivers? I have never met this Travis character, but is he able to be reasoned with? Can we get an injunction or something to stop Uber from treating the drivers like shit while he builds his empire on our backs?


_The only thing you can do it quit. Uber could care less about the drivers. Like your friend Sacto said, livery is another option. Turn your vehicle into a livery vehicle. Apply for your TCP obtain your cities airport permit and build your own transportation business. I have my TCP /Airport permits. I don't rely on Uber._


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

https://richbrunelle.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/is-uber-really-this-bad/


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

I accept the accusation of troll.

"with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response"

Rich's blog linked to above glosses over a crucial fact, that the offer was "make $60,000 per year diving a ********* with our app". That is what I, as a member of the general public, would zero in on and ignore most of the rest of the article.

Until we stand up and say, "yes, I saw something that was too good to be true, and I took the bait, and now I'm paying the price", we will be perceived as whiners

But when we stand up and say

"My name is Sacto Burbs and I was a sucker, and I am not going to let this happen to anyone else." we have the moral high ground for a PR campaign.


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## SDUberdriver (Nov 11, 2014)

_Uber is/was a great concept. The problem is what makes them think they can skirt the laws and policies that traditional cabs and livery companies have been following ? You just can't have any Tom ,Dick and Harry driving people around. I agree,Uber created a way for people to earn an income,but at the same time laws need to be followed. Insurance ,drug test etc. I do feel sorry for the people who went out signed a lease ,or bought new vehicles . Then to get hit with lower rates. Here in San Diego ,the rates for cabs are $2.70 -$2.80 per mile. _


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## PT Go (Sep 23, 2014)

Rich Brunelle said:


> Is there anything we can do to stop Uber from destroying rideshare for the drivers? I have never met this Travis character, but is he able to be reasoned with? Can we get an injunction or something to stop Uber from treating the drivers like shit while he builds his empire on our backs?


Perhaps the only hope is that they try to take the company public with an IPO. At this point, I don't think that may happen yet. However, if it does, the game changes as now there are a Board of Director and shareholders that want a return on their investment. The Board will want to eliminate any negative press and will have to rectify that which is wrong. Probably at that point, Travis will have built himself a huge golden parachute and will walk away with Millions in his pocket. Google, Goldman Sachs and others have a fair investment at this point and unless their using this to report a loss (which I don't think they need to do), will want controls in place.


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

Sacto Burbs said:


> I accept the accusation of troll.
> 
> "with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response"
> 
> ...


What the big promotion was in the Bay Area when I came on board was: " Work in the City 40 hours per week we guarantee 5k per month." That was the promo that brought me in. As I drive a motorcycle, a car was needed. Uber was right there for that. As for saying "I was a sucker" I did so and included my real name and photo. I have been writing my blog for about 3 years now. I use my real name and photo there also. I am as genuine as you can get. No user name, no icon or other graphic that disguises who I am.

"I fell for Uber's lies and bullshit . . . and it will cost me for the rest of my life." DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STATEMENT? For most that get screwed by Uber, they have ample opportunity to recover from the financial damage that they are subjected to. For over 20 years I lived within my means, used no credit, and owed nobody until I took the risk of Uber. I will be worm food and pushing up daises before I can recover from this loss, and it really frustrates me that I actually have no recourse at this time to do anything. Hell, I am even too old to go Postal on their ass . . .


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

We are talking PR here.

Change "I fell for ..." to "take full responsibility for…. ". Then your story has traction, and you can be our poster boy. Nothing sufficiently sensational yet to be a real news story on its own. We write up copy in advance and wait for something else to show up in the news so that you can be the second-story follow up. Call around all the local papers finding out who the news editor is so that we can fax it to them as soon as we have an opening. Is there still a Contra Costa Times?

We would need a lot though. Bankruptcy from medical bills, losing your house etc. that tugs on the heartstrings of anybody over 50. Unfortunately the headline reads, "proud hard-working old guy gets taken for a ride". You down with that?

I am not planning on doing the grunt work, but I can help orchestrate.


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

Okay, let's change my question . . . How do we take action to get the attention of all of the rest of the Uber drivers nation-wide? Are there specific places that we can meet and discuss things with other drivers? With Lyft and SideCar they promote meets and such, but what about Uber? I know many of the San Francisco Drivers use a local gas station and there is always the TNC lot at the airport. Maybe I will print up some flyers or something.


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

Sacto Burbs said:


> Without Travis none of us would have ever gotten anything from this gig.


This is complete BS!

Travis started Uber as the UberBlack service. Uber was nothing more than software to efficiently hail existing, licensed and legal Black Car services in cities.

It was Lyft that started the Peer 2 Peer model. A model I LOVE. A model Travis is DESTROYING because he got jealous of Lyft and is trying to kill them. We drivers are paying the price for his plan to murder Lyft.


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

Lyft is not likely to die because they're not expanding too fast. They have their market niche, in San Francisco, their home market, they will survive because everybody likes them.

They piggyback on all the Uber drivers downtime. And they are still getting funding.


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## UberHammer (Dec 5, 2014)

Sacto Burbs said:


> Lyft is not likely to die because they're not expanding too fast. They have their market niche, in San Francisco, their home market, they will survive because everybody likes them.


Thanks for dodging the point.


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

Sacto Burbs said:


> We are talking PR here.
> 
> Change "I fell for ..." to "take full responsibility for&#8230;. ". Then your story has traction, and you can be our poster boy. Nothing sufficiently sensational yet to be a real news story on its own. We write up copy in advance and wait for something else to show up in the news so that you can be the second-story follow up. Call around all the local papers finding out who the news editor is so that we can fax it to them as soon as we have an opening. Is there still a Contra Costa Times?
> 
> ...


And here I thought you were of no other use than as a troll, thank you for proving me wrong. I am not trying to be the poster boy, just need to vent a bit. I would much rather take it to Uber with a little organized demonstration. Uber sas they have 160,000 drivers, one tenth of that can get a hell of a lot of attention. There are laws that protect even independent contractors from situations such as this and I think we need an attorney . . . But, I guess I may be putting the horse before the cart. Is anyone else interested in doing something about this other than *****ing about it?


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Just keep taking it fools. If you haven't figured out that large corp America scams people daily with lies what can I say to that? It's just the reality we live in today.

Don't feed these liars is the only credible driver option. If they can't pay a rate you can justify your vehicle, time and expense, then DON'T. Very simple premise. Either Ubering pays or the company and pax can all **** off.

Will you pay a price? Sure, if you took the lie hook too deep it will hurt to pull it out no matter if done slowly or all at once. 

Your other choice is to donate your own time, money and vehicle for a worthless cause. In which case you will NOT receive even a thank you from the pax or Uber. You'll run your vehicle into the ground and be paid exactly nothing to do so.

Uber will laugh at driver ignorance all the way to their IPO and bank cause so many fools willingly bend over and take it. And pax will take your subsidized fares and spin you round and round cause yer foolish enough to provide it to them.

In which case, Uber on suckers.


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

Uberhammer, see the private conversation?


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## Rich Brunelle (Jan 15, 2015)

scrurbscrud said:


> Just keep taking it fools. If you haven't figured out that large corp America scams people daily with lies what can I say to that? It's just the reality we live in today.
> 
> Don't feed these liars is the only credible driver option. If they can't pay a rate you can justify your vehicle, time and expense, then DON'T. Very simple premise. Either Ubering pays or the company and pax can all **** off.
> 
> ...


My wheels don't turn without the money to make it happen


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Rich Brunelle said:


> My wheels don't turn without the money to make it happen


It's the only credible responsible choice. I have no issues whatsoever with Uber, the concept, the app, anything, as long as the PRICE IS RIGHT.

And if it's not, then the only logical reaction I have as an individual is not to do it because it doesn't pay to do so.

All the other cries to organize and app off as a group are not going to work. As soon as the price rises plenty of drivers will be there. And if not, too bad for Uber and pax. And if some hands full of math challenged want to donate, let 'em. Knock yerselves out. Piss in the wind. Stick you neck out on the chopping block.

Nobody will stop you from being ignorant in this country.


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## Sacto Burbs (Dec 28, 2014)

What folks seem to want is revenge. 

Being a poster boy could focus all Uber's corporate spin team on making him happy so that he is out of the picture. Compensation eliminates the desire for revenge for most people. 

Oh, and Lyft was first, Lyft is the best. Yay Lyft.


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## The Kid (Dec 10, 2014)

Uber is in a race to the bottom.

They are going to become as cheap as public transit. The drivers will be non-English speaking, new immigrants that don't know the area and can't follow the GPS. The cars will not be as clean or as well maintained. Basically every complaint people had about cabs, except cheaper. The Walmart of transportation.

Other will come along to fill the gaps between Limo and Uber. The Macy's of transportation. There will be many more choices out there in next year or two.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Rich Brunelle said:


> Is there anything we can do to stop Uber from destroying rideshare for the drivers? I have never met this Travis character, but is he able to be reasoned with? Can we get an injunction or something to stop Uber from treating the drivers like shit while he builds his empire on our backs?


I think the best idea, and I heard somewhere it was being attempted, is something on the equivalent of a union for rideshare operators, but since we are not employees, I don't see how it can be done, unless your state legislature creates a new class for Unions to apply to riderhare operators. Pitch the idea to your state legislature.


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