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Uber loses licence to operate in London, will still operate while appealing

(www.bbc.com)
256 points reubensutton | 3 comments | 25 Nov 19 10:19 UTC | HN request time: 3.319s | source
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eggy ◴[25 Nov 19 15:12 UTC] No.21628750[source]▶
If the concern over rider safety was that somebody could pose as an Uber driver and update a photo to make it work, why are black cabs not also deemed unsafe? Couldn't somebody borrow a friend's black cab, slap on a fake photo, and work the city? Maybe a stretch, and more work, but the same concern is there, no? I guess the black cabs have some powerful lobbyists in parliment? Yellow taxis in NYC were a monopoly, and medallions cost a fortune, and somehow it seems to have settled down a bit. Some latecomers to the medallion gig lost a lot in the transistion, but isn't that true of any new jump in technology or service?
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1. geocar ◴[25 Nov 19 16:22 UTC] No.21629617[source]▶
> why are black cabs not also deemed unsafe?

A black cab driver has made a more significant investment in that license and will be much less likely to jeopardise it than some shmuck loaning out his uberx login -- especially when Uber not only doesn't do anything to stop it, but encourages it with more dark patterns.

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2. echelon ◴[25 Nov 19 17:08 UTC] No.21630209[source]▶
> some shmuck loaning out his uberx login

Literally what? Who does this? The app is a source of income, why would anyone share it?

If anything, this ban makes me feel like London is run by a bunch of protectionist luddites.

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3. crispyporkbites ◴[25 Nov 19 18:48 UTC] No.21631374[source]▶
If I want a night off and my mate is banned from uber/doesn’t have a license/doesn’t have his own car I can give him my login and car keys and ask for 50% of his take home.