Born out of the Silicone Valley and expanding to India, China, and across The Atlantic, Uber has been a growing convenience worldwide. Lately, however, the tech platform has been under fire for its paltry corporate responsibility and a long list of battery, assault and even death charges against its poorly screened drivers.
Less than 10 years into its growth, the rideshare app is being blamed for an increasing number of assaults by drivers and has garnered negative press for claims of misogynism and sexual harassment at the corporate level.
And now the world’s 5th largest city – London – has had enough, revoking their operating license as of September 30th. The move will put over 400K drivers out of the job and cause over 3 million Londoners who rely on Uber to opt for other modes of transportation.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has vowed to appeal the revoke and in the meantime, Uber may continue to operate throughout London until the appeal has been exhausted.
WHY UBER’S LICENSE WAS REVOKED
From The Guardian to the New York Times, nearly every publication cites Uber’s “failure to thoroughly conduct background checks” as the first reason for the revoke, or bluntly stated, “allegations of sexual assault.” In some instances, Uber was said to not even have conducted in-person interviews with potential hires prior to employing them.
SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS
Numerous women have alleged that they have been sexually assaulted while the driver was taking them to their destination. The following are commonalities from many of these allegations, which include:
- All passengers were women
- All were intoxicated
- All sat in the front seat
- All were using the rideshare while alone with the driver
- All were assaulted at night
Other allegations include a female teenager who told the driver she was 16, and the Uber driver requested she sit in the front seat of his car after which he proceeded to discuss the teenager’s virginity.
SAFE RIDE SHARING TIPS FOR PASSENGERS
While these tips can certainly apply for all riders, those passengers who are most vulnerable are intoxicated, young women who often use a ride share service as a designated driver. If you or someone you know are using a ride share service, please consider following the tips for avoiding a potential assault:
- Do not sit in the front seat
- If you feel uncomfortable when the Uber arrives, decline the ride
- Avoid accepting any open drink, food, candy, etc.
- Ride with a friend if you don’t need to ride alone
- Ride in the back, right seat opposite the driver so if you ask to stop the car you exit on the side opposite the driver.
UBER SETTLES LOOSE BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR $10,000,000
In April 2016, a San Francisco district attorney sued Uber for falsely claiming they had used “the most comprehensive screening of would-be drivers available.” It was later revealed that these background checks did not include fingerprinting for prior convictions, and Uber settled the case for $10,000,000.
HAVE YOU BEEN INJURED OR ASSAULTED?
If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident while using Uber or Lyft, or has been the victim of sexual assault, you need a legal advocate to protect your rights. Don’t attempt the process alone. Consultations are confidential, free of charge, and do not require an obligation to proceed with a lawsuit against Uber, Lyft or other ride-sharing services.
Call us today at (949) 640-8222. Time limits do apply, so don’t delay.
