The fall in UBER share prices- the view of a self defence instructor and nightclub security guard.
I recently saw evidence online about the fact that share prices in UBER have fallen. (1.) My only surprise is that they didn’t fall further. Quite frankly I am amazed they are still in business.
I was not in the least bit surprised to read the recent article in the Daily Mail called How safe ARE women alone in an Uber? Read the horrific accounts of two young women sexually assaulted by the same driver, a week apart — and judge for yourself (2.)
I am a self-defence instructor and my books are full of stories of women who have been mistreated by Uber taxi drivers. I advise all my clients not to take an Uber taxi. Again I was not in the least bit surprised to see (3.) “A cab driver, who allegedly raped a woman passenger in Gurgaon on her way to Delhi late Friday, has been arrested. Despite guidelines issued by the government after the Nirbhaya gangrape case, the cab was not equipped with GPS tracking system nor was the driver’s details verified by the cab company, Uber.” Now this video is in Hindi! Being a 2nd generation Indian I can understand it.
These are the criteria to becoming UBER taxi driver. (4.)
You must be 21 years of age or older.
You must have at least one year of driving experience (three years if you’re under 23).
You must have a valid driver’s license.
You must have valid auto insurance that meets certain liability requirements.
You must be able to provide proof of insurance and car registration.
You must have a car that meets Uber requirements.
You must meet all the other state, local, or Uber requirements, which can be found on the Uber website.
You can pass a background and criminal check.
However on doing the online application I found it super easy. Nobody bothered to check anything and anyone can pass a background criminal check.
If you look at the UK government website (5) you will see a marked difference for licensed taxi drivers. They are much stricter.
I do security at from time to time at a gay club. Very often we have women come in who want a night out, have a few drinks without being hassled by men. Obviously these women are somewhat vulnerable. When they come out I like to walk them safely to a taxi and I like to take a photo of the number plate and I ask the customer to text me when she has got home safely.
However every time- without exception- when the customer has told me that they’ve booked an UBER alarm bells ring. Some of those drivers do not speak English. I have yet to see any UBER taxi with CCTV. I sometimes give the address and all too often they say “where is that?” They check the satellite navigation. I have seen UBER taxis with two men in the front and there is no way I am letting a single drunken woman in such a taxi. I remember once I saw an UBER with a CPAP (continuos positive airway pressure) machine on the front seat. I remember those from my doctor days. I asked the driver are you on CPAP? He said “Yes.” On asking it turned out this man had sleep apnoea. In the UK you cannot legally drive if you have sleep apnoea!
At times the UBER taxi driver has asked me “Is the customer gay?” I reply “It’s a gay club it’s highly likely but what does it matter?” The driver hurls abuse at the customer and has often upset the customer.
I never forget seeing a gay couple holding hands walking toward an UBER taxi and the driver refusing them entry. Worse still I remember once seeing two women getting into an UBER, one gave the other a peck on the cheek and the driver threw them out.
This is why I ask all our customers not to use UBER to get home and only get into a properly licensed taxi. What I do is I walk the customers to a taxi, especially those who I think are vulnerable and take them to a good taxi driver.
I also do security at a swingers club and a hugely disproportionate number of the men I throw out are taxi drivers of Pakistani or Arab heritage. It’s usually about 3–4 per night. It is quite common for some of them to go up to women expose their genitals and ask for action. Trust me- within seconds they are out of the building!
Of course with certain protests going on outside schools and certain videos our customers are increasingly refusing to get into taxis with drivers of Pakistani heritage.(6), (7), (8), and (9.) I would tell these people to re-read their Quran and I would remind them that their religion teaches them to love everybody and treat people with dignity and respect. I am more than happy to lend them my copy.
It must be emphasized that these people do not represent the 3 million followers of Islam in the UK. I don’t always agree with Rhiaz Khan but I have great respect for him. On this occasion (10) I agree with every word he says. The overwhelming majority are good, decent, law abiding hard working people. I have many such friends.
I endorse every word he says in this video about the people in that horrible video and you must not listen to them.
By contrast the many decent fully licensed Hindu and Sikh taxi drivers are making a fortune out of this! They put up signs on their taxis saying “I am Hindu” or “I am Sikh.” Their taxis are clearly labelled saying “For your safety this taxi is fitted with CCTV.” In their defence I know many 2nd and 3rd generation Pakistani taxi drivers who are very decent people who have fitted CCTV in their taxis.
I have no problem in walking my customers to these people. In fact I remember once I walked a drunken lesbian couple to a taxi with a Hindu taxi driver. I said “They have just agreed to get married so take them home safely.” To which he replied “I will take them home for free if I can go to the wedding!”
I specifically look for Hindu and Sikh taxi drivers when allocating customers especially single women or people who I think are vulnerable.
In the UK doctors, dentists, pharmacists, opticians and nurses must be registered with a regulatory body to ensure patient safety. Let’s face it people who need medical attention can be somewhat vulnerable.
It is my view that there should be a similar regulatory body for taxi drivers. The driver must have a UK address & listed on the electoral register. Drivers must be legally registered in the UK for at least 2 years- clamping down on illegal immigrant taxi drivers.
The driver must hold a full valid UK driving license. All taxi drivers must be criminal records bureau checked. The driver must be fluent in English. Committing a crime whilst on duty as a taxi driver will result in the license being revoked. A good taxi driver will not object.
This video from For Britain leader Ann Marie Walters explains it all. I know many decent taxi drivers and all of them- including those of Pakistani heritage have no problem whatsoever in her proposals.
What you can do
If you book a taxi then only use a licensed taxi and ask for one with CCTV. Before getting in please take a photo of the number plate and text it to a trusted friend. A good driver will not object. Please pay the driver up front. Don’t get too drunk.
Never use an Uber taxi. They are driving prices down and that means a poorer quality service and poorer wages for the good, decent, hard working taxi driver.
Never buy from any business using illegal immigrants.
Bibliography
1. Uber falls to all-time low as investors grow more skeptical https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/12/uber-stock-falls-to-all-time-low-as-investors-grow-more-skeptical.html
2. How safe ARE women alone in an Uber? Read the horrific accounts of two young women sexually assaulted by the same driver, a week apart — and judge for yourself https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7218511/How-safe-women-Uber.html
3. India 360: Cab company Uber ignored several guidelines for women’s safety https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebQYlNlLLcs
4. 4 Things to Know to Become an Uber Driver Source: https://driving-tests.org/beginner-drivers/become-an-uber-driver-things-to-know/)
5. Taxi drivers- National Careers Service https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/taxi-driver
6. On Shaykh Hamza Sodagar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yX7n89m1qI&list=PLv5_vg_ZHMDHE8l8htJszF_wDgqv_NxHl&index=117
7. Gays Must Die Says Speaker At Orlando Mosque — WFTV 9 Orlando Report https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBlwxqqAprQ
8. Lesbian Couple Awarded $10K From Homophobic NYC Cabbie On Court Order https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alblsGfy7m4
9. Extract from the Jihadi next door https://youtu.be/5Z6YDMcd_Jo?t=667
10. Response to the Jihadi next door Riaz Khan https://youtu.be/nwiDNpnFvR8
11. Who is driving your taxi? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjqaJKvxSZU
