StevenL-NYU

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     6 years ago in  Hypothetical: Can I drive over someone if he was trying to attack or grab me from the outside? Would I be criminally responsible?

    Hahaha, yeah, true.  I suppose maybe these two guys didn't commit any crime that night.  

    I will admit that at first, I actually tried to believe they wanted a ride.  Yes, like a customer.  However, I really do try to trust my instincts during my shifts.

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     6 years ago in  Hypothetical: Can I drive over someone if he was trying to attack or grab me from the outside? Would I be criminally responsible?

    I see people making fun of the OP, but this is actually a common occurence and a plausible scenario.  The reason?  It's a standard practice to trap someone when robbing someone in a car. 

    I experienced this firsthand once.  I was driving around only slightly past midnight. I just dropped off a fare at a 7Eleven.  Pulled out and turned on to a side road.  I knew it wasn't a great neighborhood, so I was ready to get out.  I am a very conscious and careful driver.

    I saw this shadow come out from the back of the store, and it was a guy in a hoodie.  Yes, a hoodie.  Typical, isn't it?  This guy approached me at my window, gesturing to roll down the window, saying he had some questions for me.  Looking back, I think he was asking (well, pretend to be asking) for directions.  I knew something wasn't right, so I didn't roll my window down, and I just gestured that I wasn't interested.  I was ready to drive off, even though this guy was super close.  I didn't want anything to do with it.

    Then just as I started to go, I saw another shadow.  It was another guy, his friend, who was standing right in front of my car.  He didn't move at all, just stood tall, and it sent chills down my spine, as he looked like he towered over me.  I think the effect was that I could see the lower part of his body with my headlights, but the top part of him was just a silhoutte, a shadow.

    That's when I noticed I was F**KED.  I was stuck there, and I could NOT drive away.  I cut my wheel, but the guy basically sat on my hood.  Then the guy at my window started to tap on my window. I looked briefly at the guy, but I was too scared to even really engage with him. 

    That's when my instinct took over.  I just floored it.  My tires spun and made a screeching sound.  I did even know my Toyota Corolla could even spin its wheels, but it did.  The guy by the window yelled something at the shadow, the guy on the top of my hood rolled off to my left.  I could hear both of them yelling.  Most likely chasing me and my car.  My mind raced.  I wasn't sure if I should go to the front side of the 7Eleven or just keep on driving.  I didn't even know if the guys had a car or not.  Sped through 5 intersections before I could even look back to see if they were chasing me.

    I always had my driver friends tell me to be aware of where the police stations were. They say if you are being chased or end up carrying a criminal, you can go directly to the stations.  Of course, that night, I wasn't familiar with that neighborhood, so I had no idea.  Completely useless advice.   I called 911 and reported the situation, but after 5 minute of explaining the situation, I realized no one is chasing me, and that they won't even be able to do anything with it, so I just hang up and went on my way.  

    I will admit; that was one night I seriously considered quitting being a taxi driver.  More so than the night I cleaned a vomit and another induced vomit on the same ride. (That's a story for another time.)

    In any case, I have no idea if I am answering the question, but it's self defense, and it should not be illegal!

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Featured Answers by StevenL-NYU

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     6 years ago in  Do you drive for more than one ride hail company? I assume that's common?

    Yes, but not to the level you'd think. Most drivers, at least from what I know, maybe use two apps. They can be signed up for multiple, but really just two. Here are the reasons:

    1) Maintenance of the accounts: Paperwork, background checks, etc. can be a pain. You'd think it isn't, but it is.

    2) You don't need it. If you have three apps, it doesn't mean you get three times as many ride requests. When it's busy, it is busy. When it isn't, it isn't busy no matter which apps you have going on your phone.

    3) In most markets, there aren't thay many options. Uber and Lyft - pretty much it. There are only selected cities (the largest ones) where there is a third player

    4) Streak bonuses. Riders have no idea of this, but there are loyalty bonuses with these rideshare companies. You get bonuses from completing X number of riders a week, for example. So you want to stick with one app as much as possible. Maybe have one more as a back up, but you really don't need more than that.

    Yes, there are apps that enable you (or at least attempt to enable you) to manage multiple but none of them work that great.

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     5 years ago in  Employee vs. Contractor. Has everyone considered the downside of becoming an Uber employee?

    The vote seems to be split on this one. I’m for being an employee to protect the full time drivers. Two arguments  

    1) I think people who want ultimate flexibility are part-time or occasional drivers. I feel the full time drivers need the help, and frankly the full time drivers are enough to cover the existing demand. Let’s bring taxing back to the professional drivers. I don’t think we need more SUPPLY. This industry has existed for thousands of years and it’s been fine. 

    2) The nay sayers AND Uber are saying we will lose all flexibility and paint the picture that we will be working 9-5 like at office jobs. This isn’t true. Look at the taxi industry. Hell, many of us all used to be taxi drivers. Being a taxi driver does have flexibility and you can work the days and times you want. (When you work, you may need to commit to a window, but that isn’t a bad thing. That keeps us committed and it’s easier to control the supply on the road. (Instead of Uber doing all kinds of shady things to do this.)

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