# Uber driver robbed, nearly carjacked in Baltimore.



## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...-ci-uber-driver-carjacked-20151224-story.html


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

Ther are so many stories about TNC drivers being robbed, beaten and carjacked it should have its own sub forum.


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## F-uber (Aug 1, 2015)

Yeah, one might think it would be safer somewhat than cab driving, but now I am beginning to wonder.

Perhaps it is just more newsworthy because the TNCs are more trendy and the novelty of it all. That is the argument that is frequently used when an Uber assaults or rapes a passenger.


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## F-uber (Aug 1, 2015)

Upon further reflection, I think the sub forum should also include the alleged TNC assaults on passengers.

I, as a cabbie for a mere 5 years, have been baffled that so many people want to engage themselves in that risk for such little reward. And the risk of being assaulted by a passenger is probably less than that of a serious auto accident.

Perhaps the sub forum could be something like "the risks of Ubering, is it worth it?".


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## Bart McCoy (Nov 4, 2014)

observer said:


> Ther are so many stories about TNC drivers being robbed, beaten and carjacked it should have its own sub forum.





F-uber said:


> Yeah, one might think it would be safer somewhat than cab driving, but now I am beginning to wonder..


True
But not sure that this had anything to do with being an Uber driver. Its not your typical being an Uber driver, picking someone up, and that person robbing you. According to the article seems like some criminals just picked a car and decided to rob it. This seems like it could happened to anyone driving on the street at that time.


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## Huberis (Mar 15, 2015)

Bart McCoy said:


> True
> But not sure that this had anything to do with being an Uber driver. Its not your typical being an Uber driver, picking someone up, and that person robbing you. According to the article seems like some criminals just picked a car and decided to rob it. This seems like it could happened to anyone driving on the street at that time.


That doesn't mean if the person wasn't driving for a TNC at the time they would have been on the road, or even in the area where the incident occurred.


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## Bart McCoy (Nov 4, 2014)

Huberis said:


> That doesn't mean if the person wasn't driving for a TNC at the time they would have been on the road, or even in the area where the incident occurred.


I don't understand what you're saying. My point is , from the info in the story, is that it could have happened to anybody who drives a car. I don't see anything in the story that alludes to "he wouldn't have gotten robbed if he wasnt an Uber driver".Nothing says the driver was targeted because he's an Uber driver

I would just hate for this to be perceived as an Uber incident, when in fact it could easily happen to anybody who doesn't uber. I would hope we wouldn't want to alarm current Uber drivers unnecessarily.......

Of course if this was an Uber driver picking up a pax who tried to rob him, then totally different story,and all Uber/Lyft drivers should be aware. I would hope we wouldn't want to alarm current Uber drivers unnecessarily.......


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## Huberis (Mar 15, 2015)

Bart McCoy said:


> I don't understand what you're saying. My point is , from the info in the story, is that it could have happened to anybody who drives a car. I don't see anything in the story that alludes to "he wouldn't have gotten robbed if he wasnt an Uber driver"


If you are driving TNC, you are simply out there more often, you are likely to find yourself in al sorts of places you would not find yourself, both good and bad.

No the people who hijacked him were not his pax, they were a third party. However, if he hadn't been driving TNC, it is quite likely, he wouldn't have been on the road at all let alone in that neighborhood.

"I don't see anything in the story that alludes to "he wouldn't have gotten robbed if he wasnt an Uber driver""

You are correct, it could have happened to anyone who happens to drive a car. However, the average Joe Blow drives how many miles a day? Not much on average. A typical driver for a TNC puts on far more miles per day, so mile it could happen to anyone driving, they are driving far more and thus more exposed, more frequently.

The TNC driving activity increases the opportunity for such incidents due to greater exposure. Such a person is simply out there far more often for much more time. They also often wind up places their personal patterns and habits might not take them.

It should seem pretty obvious. More time on road, more mileage, they equal more exposure and risk, it is one reason commercial insurance policies exist at all.


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## Huberis (Mar 15, 2015)

Bart McCoy said:


> I would just hate for this to be perceived as an Uber incident, when in fact it could easily happen to anybody who doesn't uber. I would hope we wouldn't want to alarm current Uber drivers unnecessarily.......


How is it not an Uber related incident if as an Uber driver you are out on the road for much greater periods of time than you would otherwise be? You would find yourself in places you wouldn't otherwise be quite often.

It is true, the incident doesn't directly involve a pax, but if a third party were to simply collide with your car and damage it while logged onto the app, clearly, that would be an Uber related accident. Otherwise, the only damage to your car that could said to be Uber related would be that done by the pax themselves inside or out of the vehicle. That makes no sense.

Your logic is flawed. No, it wasn't a pax. However, without question, all the extra hours on the road increases your risk. To suggest otherwise is silly. If this had been a traffic accident rather than a hijacking, it dan well would have been considered a part of the risks of being an Uber driver. A traffic accident could just as easily happen to anyone, however, most people would not question that all the extra time behind the wheel increases the chances for such an event.

Drivers should damned well be aware. You are more at risk, your logic Bart is flawed here.


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## Bart McCoy (Nov 4, 2014)

Huberis said:


> If you are driving TNC, you are simply out there more often, you are likely to find yourself in al sorts of places you would not find yourself, both good and bad.
> 
> No the people who hijacked him were not his pax, they were a third party. However, if he hadn't been driving TNC, it is quite likely, he wouldn't have been on the road at all let alone in that neighborhood.
> 
> ...


I mean , if you want to say this happened because he drives Uber......then fine. But any resident that lives in that area and doesn't Uber could clearly be out at that time exercising their free right to be out when and where they want and end up being a victim. It's kind of silly to think if you use your car to drive a lot and come out late you must be an Uber driver. There are thousands of people who put a rack of miles on their car and don't rideshare


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## Bart McCoy (Nov 4, 2014)

Huberis said:


> Your logic is flawed. No, it wasn't a pax. However, without question, all the extra hours on the road increases your risk. To suggest otherwise is silly. If this had been a traffic accident rather than a hijacking, it dan well would have been considered a part of the risks of being an Uber driver. A traffic accident could just as easily happen to anyone, however, most people would not question that all the extra time behind the wheel increases the chances for such an event.
> 
> Drivers should damned well be aware. You are more at risk, your logic Bart is flawed here.


If you want to scare Uber drivers for anything that can happen to any regular driver, then also fine. I said my peace. Not going to argue with you. People reading can make their own decision about this


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## Choochie (Jan 4, 2015)

I think it is very obvious to the general public when they see a driver and a person in the back, this is a vehicle for hire and probably an easy mark. They never mentioned anything about the female, was she part of the setup? What happened to her? 
The fact that he was out at that time of night, perhaps in an unfamiliar area or higher crime area would definitely put him in a more precarious situation, so yeah, chances of these things happening to drivers are greater.


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## Uber 1 (Oct 6, 2015)

F-uber said:


> Yeah, one might think it would be safer somewhat than cab driving, but now I am beginning to wonder.
> 
> Perhaps it is just more newsworthy because the TNCs are more trendy and the novelty of it all. That is the argument that is frequently used when an Uber assaults or rapes a passenger.


Maybe it's because of the image or perception of the driver that makes us easier "targets"

Even tho I very seldom (hmm ever?) ridden in a cab, the cab driver I imagine is a "Pauley" type from the movie Rocky....Gruff, tough, smoker etc...

When I think Uber....I think Middle Class person, probably educated, clean, articulate in a nice ride just looking to make a few extra $$...Read easier target....

Given a choice on who to rob (if I HAD to)...I would choose the Uber driver rather than a "hardened" cabbie....

Maybe we need some of our drivers to BE "Bad" to change our stereo type....Assulting Pax, robbing pax, etc....( OK on edit maybe the robbing should be for a TIP NOT just mindless robbery ;-O )

WE CANNOT be seen as easy prey....(maybe watch the movie "Hardened" ?? ;-))

Heck We may need to break bad on some Cabbies too....Yeah we AIN'T gonna be victims any more!!!

HOW about WE attack Cabbies back for Attacking US ??....Like Cripts VS Bloods only not ;-O

I want us to be able to have enough respect that when we drive into a bad hood the thugs respect us enough to check their weapons in upon entering he vehicle and tipping us before receiving their checked weapons back before they exit the vehicle.

We want THEM to think, we don't want no problems, just a nice safe ride from point A to point B ;-O

Andy


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## Huberis (Mar 15, 2015)

That is not even r


Bart McCoy said:


> if you want to say this happened because he drives Uber


Not even remotely what I said. The bottom line is you are in fact out on the road far more than you would otherwise, it is that simple. If it had been an accident involving a third party's car while logged on with pax as this driver was, a driver's personal insurer surely would tend to disagree. No, the Uber driving didn't cause the accident, but it damn well exposes a person to all sorts of extra risks and that should be made very well clear. This particular incident I will admit is a bit of an unusual example no doubt, but drivers should be very real with themselves, by being on the road and driving thousands of extra miles a year, you very much are exposing yourself to all sorts of risks, that is simply being real Bart.


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## uberguuber (Feb 23, 2015)

If you drive Uber in Baltimore they should issue you a bulletproof vest. that place sucks !


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

It is a waste of time even to rob a cab driver, these days. So few people pay cash, these days. In fact, the most recent cab robbers arrested have been arrested for serial robberies over one or two days. Likely, what happened is that every time the thug robbed a driver, all that he got was twenty dollars, or so. If you commit multiple robberies, the odds of your getting popped start to increase geometrically.


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## Hugo (Oct 13, 2015)

In ancient times, I briefly drove a cab. Cash only. A radio dispatcher assigned fares. As a new driver, I was given the graveyard shift at a high-crime area. BTW, the pay sucked.

As you can imagine, cab drivers were easy prey. Simply hail a cab or call the cab company from a pay phone (anyone remember those?), ask to be driven to a desolate area (no witnesses), maybe kill the driver, and then take off with the driver's cash. Rarely made the news.

After a couple of close calls, I found a safer, better-paying job.


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## maui (Dec 22, 2015)

F-uber said:


> Upon further reflection, I think the sub forum should also include the alleged TNC assaults on passengers.
> 
> I, as a cabbie for a mere 5 years, have been baffled that so many people want to engage themselves in that risk for such little reward. And the risk of being assaulted by a passenger is probably less than that of a serious auto accident.
> 
> Perhaps the sub forum could be something like "the risks of Ubering, is it worth it?".


In the end, I would be surprised if there was not a huge rise in assaults in the next year or so.

It is a simple scam with very little risk.

1) Accomplices set up in posh area of town and request a ride. They scan through and find a young gal in a nice ride or someone who looks like an easy mark

2) The fare is to a lousy part of town or a little isolated. Perhaps near a dive bar, friends place - long and short little to no street cameras, dark, isolated, and an alibi for the fares.

3) Driver takes the accomplices to the location. Along the way, other passengers can be sending updates, giving heads up to the gang.

4) Uber Driver arrives to let out passengers, car gets jumped, by the waiting perps. The fares "Run off". Driver beaten, robbed. Car stolen. Perps will have keys. Smash drivers cell phone, search for other phones.

5) The decoys have an alibi. Uber driver was in the wrong place at the wrong time, even though it was a complete set up. Long and short. Car is stopped, doors are open and would only take a few seconds, and the fares have the advantage of leading the uber driver into a trap.


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## LA Cabbie (Nov 4, 2014)

Long story short, better this happen to uber drivers than me. Sorry


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## Funky Dung (Nov 3, 2015)

observer said:


> http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...-ci-uber-driver-carjacked-20151224-story.html


This was all over my facebook. I think this was a random carjacking, which isn't uncommon in West Baltimore (see Freddie Grey riots). Nothing to do with Uber. The usual method is a bump from behind, then stealing your car when you get out to see the damage. When I wander into West Baltimore, I find the quickest route out.


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## Funky Dung (Nov 3, 2015)

maui said:


> In the end, I would be surprised if there was not a huge rise in assaults in the next year or so.
> 
> It is a simple scam with very little risk.
> 
> ...


And the passenger that handed Uber all their personal information to register will be the first person they question.


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## Funky Dung (Nov 3, 2015)

uberguuber said:


> If you drive Uber in Baltimore they should issue you a bulletproof vest. that place sucks !


West* Baltimore


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## David Pickett (Nov 2, 2015)

I wonder how it compares to MX ?


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