40,000 Drivers to lose their jobs in the next 21 days

michaels

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

Every theatre, opera and ballet show I've been to in London has finished ~22.30, never later than 23.00. Regular tubes and buses still run at that hour, no need to use the night services for those of a nervous disposition. Those who go Out out ie clubbing are presumably young and hardy enough to cope with a night bus. I really do think the number of those who only go out because of Uber is vanishingly small in the context of the London economy.

Given all that it seems odd that 3.5m people use Uber in London if there is a cheaper, better, safer alternative they could be using....but I am sure you are correct, if uber were not available all of those trips would be made by another means and not a single person would decide the extra cost/inconvenience/feeling of being at risk would deter them from going out.

michaels

Herzlos wrote: »

I think it's more likely that they are there to protect the public.

Such barbaric practices as carrying out background checks for drivers.

I didn't realise it was self regulation and that the employers carried out the background checks on the drivers. I had always thought it was the licensing authority(TFL) who licensed the drivers.

Fella

I've never used Uber & probably never will but this is blatantly a political decision. A Labour mayor has pulled a stunt that will please Unions & dismay business. Putting the Tories in the position of having to either support the move or appear to be supporting big bad business in the form of Uber.

Khan has always been a poisonous little snake. The only good thing about him is that at least some of his venom gets reserved for his own party & their Dear Leader.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

michaels wrote: »

Given all that it seems odd that 3.5m people use Uber in London if there is a cheaper, better, safer alternative they could be using....but I am sure you are correct, if uber were not available all of those trips would be made by another means and not a single person would decide the extra cost/inconvenience/feeling of being at risk would deter them from going out.

I didn't say "not a single person", I said "vanishingly few". For those that really are scared of leaving their house without Uber, I understand that other smartphone taxi apps are available.

michaels

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

I didn't say "not a single person", I said "vanishingly few". For those that really are scared of leaving their house without Uber, I understand that other smartphone taxi apps are available.

I still don't understand why 3.5m people would use Uber and 750k of them would sign a petition if it was making such a 'vanishingly' small difference to there lives.

kelpie35

Best news I have heard for a long time.

They will now have to get REAL jobs instead of picking and choosing wen and where they work.

Hope they have been keeping their tax and NI contributions up to date too.

economic

kelpie35 wrote: »

Best news I have heard for a long time.

They will now have to get REAL jobs instead of picking and choosing wen and where they work.

Hope they have been keeping their tax and NI contributions up to date too.

whats a REAL job?

Out,_Vile_Jelly

michaels wrote: »

I still don't understand why 3.5m people would use Uber and 750k of them would sign a petition if it was making such a 'vanishingly' small difference to there lives.

You'd think 3.5m people had just had their water supply cut off, or been told they have to spend a day per week labouring in their landlord's fields.

Were West End theatres reporting terrible falls in audience numbers and revenue in 2012, before Uber arrived?

westernpromise

I can remember being in my late 20s and looking wistfully at black cabs and restaurants, proper Hampstead ones with white tablecloths, wishing I could afford either.

I still don't really feel like I can afford black cabs. From the City to where I live, a distance of 8 miles, is £40 and takes about 35 minutes (late at night, which is when I might use a taxi). A driver who does 8 hours a day at £40 an hour (allowing for when he's empty) is on over £300 a day, which is £75,000 a year.

I'm not wholly persuaded that driving a cab should pay that kind of money. We have in front of us evidence that anyone with a driving licence and a satnav can replicate the service for about 40% of that price. It feels to me like a cab driver should earn about what a bus driver earns.

Ronaldo_Mconaldo

kelpie35 wrote: »

Best news I have heard for a long time.

They will now have to get REAL jobs instead of picking and choosing wen and where they work.

Hope they have been keeping their tax and NI contributions up to date too.

What a stupid thing to say. As their fares are entirely paid online i.e. not in cash then I would imagine that their tax and NI is more up-to-date than most black cab drivers.