# Why doesn't MADD thank Uber Drivers?



## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

Uber has "partnered" with MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Driving) 
- MADD is a great organization
- I drive for making a profit but love keeping drunks off the road
- Shouldn't MADD be thanking Uber Drivers?
- Let MADD know that Uber Drivers actually keep Drunks off the roads...not the Uber App

What I find sad is that no where on the MADD website could I find a reference to MADD "thanking" Uber Drivers for actually keeping Drunks off the road. MADD only references Uber Corporate. (http://www.madd.org/sponsors/uber.html)

_" MADD would like to thank Uber for their support of the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. Uber and MADD are working toward a world where a safe ride is always within reach."_

I would encourage MADD to change this on their Website to include "Uber Drivers". Also, whenever MADD issues a press release, they should include "Uber Drivers" if they are even the least bit serious about giving credit where it is actually due.

Last time I checked, no one at Uber Corporate drove even "one" drunk home from a local bar.

Suggestion - when you see a great organization like MADD partner with Uber, send them an email or a message on their Twitter/Facebook pages letting them know that they should encourage Uber to pay their Drivers more, provide adequate insurance for Drivers at all times, and/or whatever you find enlightening and important so " I (Uber Drivers) can afford to continue driving drunks home safely".

It's difficult as a Driver to influence Uber directly but letting organizations like MADD know how you feel could end up being more effective.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MADDOnline
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MADD.Official


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## unter ling (Sep 29, 2014)

SCdave said:


> Uber has "partnered" with MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Driving)
> - MADD is a great organization
> - I drive for making a profit but love keeping drunks off the road
> - Shouldn't MADD be thanking Uber Drivers?
> ...


Perhaps uber are required to make a donation to madd to be a partner. However it would still be good to acknowledge the uber drivers/ partners who do the work


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## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

unter ling said:


> Perhaps uber are required to make a donation to madd to be a partner. However it would still be good to acknowledge the uber drivers/ partners who do the work


Yes, this started when Uber did a promo (summer 2014 I believe) to donate $1 to MADD for every Uber Trip for a day (or so).

Really the point I was trying to make is that Drivers influencing Uber directly is a loosing deal but that it is probably more effective to contact companies/non-profits like MADD to re-evaluate having a relationship with Uber.

Example is the Million Women Jobs deal Uber tried to float with the UN Women which lasted 1 week before the UN pulled out of the partnership.

So just using MADD as an example of a noble organization that should review it's partnership with Uber.

MADD can still say that getting drunk drivers off the road is our primary goal and we appreciate all the Uber Drivers who drive our son's and daughter's home safely. But until further review, we will not be accepting any donations from Uber and we are reviewing Uber as an official partner. Or MADD can just thank Uber Corporate, disregard the Uber/TNC Drivers and take Uber money without doing any research.


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## Optimus Uber (Oct 7, 2014)

They should have a thank you party for us with an open bar and then have uber employees drive us home


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## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

Optimus Uber said:


> They should have a thank you party for us with an open bar and then have uber employees drive us home


Yes, that was the other point I was trying to make. I might leave this out of the email I send MADD but none the less, an important point


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## unter ling (Sep 29, 2014)

SCdave said:


> Yes, that was the other point I was trying to make. I might leave this out of the email I send MADD but none the less, an important point


Here are the partnerships forms from MADD and references to donations

http://www.madd.org/sponsors/corporate-partnership.html
http://www.madd.org/sponsors/corporate-partnership-faq.html


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## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

unter ling said:


> Here are the partnerships forms from MADD and references to donations
> 
> http://www.madd.org/sponsors/corporate-partnership.html
> http://www.madd.org/sponsors/corporate-partnership-faq.html


Thanks. read the partnership faqs. Didn't see the "ethics" reference by MADD. Hmmm...MADD might want to add that as part of their_* "Criteria for Businesses Seeking a Partnership with MADD"*_...or not.

Whether MADD partners with Uber or not, the same number of Drunk Drivers are going to be driven by us "TNC Drivers". The only difference is money in MADD's pockets and how much they want to sellout no matter where they get their money from. Decisions...decisions.


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## unter ling (Sep 29, 2014)

SCdave said:


> Thanks. read the partnership faqs. Didn't see the "ethics" reference by MADD. Hmmm...MADD might want to add that as part of their_* "Criteria for Businesses Seeking a Partnership with MADD"*_...or not.
> 
> Whether MADD partners with Uber or not, the same number of Drunk Drivers are going to be driven by us "TNC Drivers". The only difference is money in MADD's pockets and how much they want to sellout no matter where they get their money from. Decisions...decisions.


 I was surprised at the cost of the partnering arrangements.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Optimus Uber said:


> They should have a thank you party for us with an open bar and then have uber employees drive us home


or try to have Uber dtiverss drive them home. But then when nobody will pick them up because its not surging and because of the crappy rates maybe they'll figure out the Uber is not a great partner


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## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

then there came the D.A.M.M. organization (drunks against mad mothers)


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## Teksaz (Mar 16, 2015)

When I was 18, me and a bunch of my buddies were going to start DDAM. Drunk Drivers Against Mothers. Glad I sobered up, kinda. lol


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## ARIV005 (Mar 4, 2015)

Optimus Uber said:


> They should have a thank you party for us with an open bar and then have uber employees drive us home


Don't forget the dancers


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## Huberis (Mar 15, 2015)

SCdave said:


> Uber has "partnered" with MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Driving)
> - MADD is a great organization
> - I drive for making a profit but love keeping drunks off the road
> - Shouldn't MADD be thanking Uber Drivers?
> ...


My guess would be that MADD probably doesn't want to be regarded as endorsing any one TNC company despite the partnership.

MADD may also want to avoid muddying the following truth: irrespective of whether or not there are rideshare or taxi cars available, it is never acceptable to drive under the influence. It is that simple.

I have certainly heard over the years from pax who felt all they were required to do was make a reasonable attempt at hiring a ride, and if that ride was not available in an amount of time relative to their patience, well then they should be allowed to drive home drunk.

I don' think MADD needs to go there or go out of there way to give drivers a pat on the back. Drivers are doing what they are in the business of doing. It's that simple. It is the person drinking at the bar who is being responsible.

As drivers we could get a pat on the back for having to deal with the bullshit from extremely difficult people. That would be nice. As drivers we can all call the attention of the police to drunk drivers who cross our paths during the course of the night. Driving drunks is part of what we do....... The message needs to be clear, it isn't acceptable to drive under the influence no matter the inconvenience. If the wait time is too great pick a DD from your friends and go that route.

Asking MADD to urge Uber to treat its partners better, that is reasonable and a fine idea. That has value.


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## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

Huberis said:


> My guess would be that MADD probably doesn't want to be regarded as endorsing any one TNC company despite the partnership.
> 
> MADD may also want to avoid muddying the following truth: irrespective of whether or not there are rideshare or taxi cars available, it is never acceptable to drive under the influence. It is that simple.
> 
> ...


They can stay true to their mission statement and also have expectations that the companies they partner with, such as Uber, have ethical standards their organizations can support.

Or MADD can continue to promote their Partnership with Uber blindly without digging deeper into the ethics of Uber corporate.

So which do you think Uber Drivers have a better chance of influencing? The Uber Mother Ship or an organization like MADD?


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## BufordTJustice (Jun 4, 2015)

Fuzzyelvis said:


> or try to have Uber dtiverss drive them home. But then when nobody will pick them up because its not surging and because of the crappy rates maybe they'll figure out the Uber is not a great partner


You don't happen to drive a black transam do you? I've been looking this one in particular for almost 40years.


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## BufordTJustice (Jun 4, 2015)

Lidman said:


> then there came the D.A.M.M. organization (drunks against mad mothers)


Is this another one of those feminist organizations?


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## Huberis (Mar 15, 2015)

SCdave said:


> They can stay true to their mission statement and also have expectations that the companies they partner with, such as Uber, have ethical standards their organizations can support.
> 
> Or MADD can continue to promote their Partnership with Uber blindly without digging deeper into the ethics of Uber corporate.
> 
> So which do you think Uber Drivers have a better chance of influencing? The Uber Mother Ship or an organization like MADD?


There you go...... that all sounds far more interesting than simply expecting a pat on the back from them for only doing your job.

As to the questions you posed, look up the fiasco that was Uber's attempted involvement with the organization UN Women. Uber came out of that looking more "real" than they did going in. That would be a prime example of what you are looking for. World labor unions got involved and said "Woa!! this kind of work does not represent an advancement for women in developing countries." That was the general tenor and tone. The sentiment was that women in developing nations were trying to leave the shadow economy and move into the light. It really backfired on Uber.

There needs to be more of that. Considering it would be extremely difficult to unite drivers, this kind of idea is one of your few hopes short of simply walking away from rideshare entirely.


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## SCdave (Jun 27, 2014)

So maybe my very simple question for MADD would be:

_Will MADD partner with, and accept money from, any corporate sponsor without considering the ethics of that corporate entity?_

Sadly, that was a rhetorical question since we know the answer is YES...sigh


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## Huberis (Mar 15, 2015)

SCdave said:


> So maybe my very simple question for MADD would be:
> 
> _Will MADD partner with, and accept money from, any corporate sponsor without considering the ethics of that corporate entity?_
> 
> Sadly, that was a rhetorical question since we know the answer is YES...sigh


You don't know that to be entirely true. It wouldn't be easy. Some sort of collective voice would need to be cultivated. You seem to suggest that as individuals, you have little or no impact on Uber's decision making process. The idea of finding other advocates with influence to speak out on your behalf is reasonable.

It may not be your first choice or when you expect it. MADD may never stand up for Uber drivers as hoped, yet they served a function simply by suggesting the notion as a possibility. That alone has value.


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## BufordTJustice (Jun 4, 2015)

Sounds interesting!!


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## CNJtrepreneur (Mar 25, 2015)

Here's an idea for Uber. Partner up with the local Chiefs of Police. And the FOP/PBA organizations. Explain to the cops that we help to get the drunks off the road. And maybe they'll ease up a little.

Oh, that would be too much benefit for 1000's of drivers.


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## Lidman (Nov 13, 2014)

They don't need to team up with the topcops. They already have half the countries state legislatives in their back pockets.


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## troubleinrivercity (Jul 27, 2014)

M.A.D.D. promotes policy that is comparatively ineffective and vengefully punitive. They should promote general social health and strong communities if they want to reduce alcoholism, and not focus on otherizing people who drive drunk. Otherizing offenders always leads to recidivism, which leads to incarceration and an entrenched class of marginalized and helpless people.


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## UberSneak (Dec 31, 2014)

I was thinking about this the other day; on any Friday/Saturday night (11PM-3AM), across the US, Uber/Lyft gives 100k rides (200k? 500k? 1 mil? I have no clue how many). Of those 100k, let's say 60k (60%) are intoxicated above the legal limit. Before Uber/Lyft existed, 30k (less? more?) of those 60k took taxis home. So the question is, how did the remaining 30k intoxicated people get home? Some relied on friends and family. Some walked home. Some stayed wherever they were partying at. Some probably decided to just stay home and not go out. Point being, Uber/Lyft MUST have had a significant impact on drunk driving. That would be a nice fact to know. Maybe with some graphs and stuff. DUI's before Uber/Lyft, DUI's after. How about partying, now that there is a cheap easy way to get home, did that cause people to go out and party more??? 

These are all rhetorical. Lol.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Optimus Uber said:


> They should have a thank you party for us with an open bar and then have uber employees drive us home


No' bloo'y loikely, as Our Friends Down Under might say. MADD is a neo-temperance/neo-prohibitionist organisation.


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## troubleinrivercity (Jul 27, 2014)

There were taxis before Uber. There was carpooling before uber. There was the bus before Uber. All uber did was make one sort of transport option (the taxi) more available and affordable. It’s tech grandiosity and an intentional distraction from Uber’s other sins.


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