Thursday, December 8, 2016

Why I am no longer going to drive for, or ride with Uber

A couple weeks ago I thought it would be cool to try ridesharing while I'm out and about running errands.  I was able to be a driver for three people over that time and earned a total of about $25 including tips. It was kinda fun providing this service and getting paid for it.

I was emailed about possibly attending a conference with Uber while they were in SLC.  But for me, being an Uber driver was initially done out of a curiosity rather than a real need for extra cash.

I just received an email this morning regarding the official rules of conduct of being an Uber Driver/Rider.  Here's the standards: https://www.uber.com/legal/community-guidelines/us-en/

I totally agreed with everything until I got to the section:
Firearms Ban
Uber prohibits riders and drivers from carrying firearms in a vehicle while using our app. You can learn more about our firearms prohibition policy here. [1] If you violate Uber’s firearms prohibition policy, you may lose access to Uber.
For me, having a stranger in my car required me to be prepared should my safety be in jeopardy and I need to defend myself.  I simply refuse to trust anyone to enter my car to be compliant with the Uber standards.  If they get in my car and attempt a carjacking, I want to be prepared to defend that action.

It's not as if I would openly carry it or have it visible at all.  For those three rides, I had my firearm easily accessible but completely out of sight.  In the United States, we are finding more and more of an attitude that by simply banning firearms, that bad-guys will respect those rules.  That is a false and dangerous ideology.  Banning firearms on private property, fine.  But what I have in my car, that is completely legal in my state, is NOT for Uber to decide.

So goodbye Uber, I am done with you.  You need to rethink the rights of your riders and drivers to carry firearms in a concealed manner by permitted users.

1 comment:

Gords said...

Robert Westlake Chose to defy this policy and used it to defend himself and actually killed an assistant and it was deemed justified. According to Uber policy Westlake should have just called 911 in this case. Dumb.