Uber throws in the towel in battle with French taxi drivers

[KamaAina]

http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/578984/uber-throws-towel-battle-french-taxi-drivers/

Uber Technologies is suspending its UberPop service in France, after a bitter fight with taxi drivers who say the service breaks the law....

Uber has been disrupting transportation markets around the world -- nowhere more so than in Paris, where taxi drivers recently blocked highways and airport entrances with burning tires in protest at the company's behavior. The protests also reportedly included attacks on Uber drivers, their vehicles and passengers. The taxi drivers are angry because, they say, UberPop breaches a new law on hiring vehicles with a driver that entered effect on Jan. 1.

Uber has been carrying on regardless, but now says it will suspend the service and wait for the Constitutional Court to determine the validity of the new law in a ruling expected by Sept. 30. It made the move to calm the debate, it said, and because it did not want its drivers or passengers to take any risks....

On Monday, two senior Uber executives were arrested on suspicion of inciting people to work without paying the necessary social security charges on their income, according to local media reports.

[KittyWampus]

1. Good. Want to reform medallion or whatever system is in place? Reform it.

Want rides available via smartphone app? Insist taxi companies develop those apps.

That's what East Hampton NY just did.

No Ubers allowed. Local taxi companies are developing apps for easy access AND plan on putting kiosks in bars, hotels etc for patrons.

[gratuitous]

2. Gee, a $40 billion company (Uber's number) chiseling?

Can't they afford to operate unless they're cheating? Or did they build their $40 billion company by not paying for things?

[Starry Messenger]

3. Arresting executives for wrongdoing, how refreshing.

[KamaAina]

4. Well, it is in France.

They get to do stuff like that. Us, not so much.

[stevenleser]

5. Sucks to be French on this one. Love my Uber! nt

[KamaAina]

7. Many taxi drivers are unionizing and operating as co-ops

in response to the threat from Uber, Lyft, etc.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026501379

[TexasProgresive]

6. Well they have a tradition

Taxis helped push back the Kaiser's forces from Paris in September 6, 1914. Certainly the role of the Fiacres has been blown up a bit over the years, but they did play a part in getting reinforcements to the front.