Uber Driver Refuses To Pick Up Woman in Labor, Charges Her $13

[FrodosPet]

http://fortune.com/2016/01/12/uber-pregnancy/

by Jeff John Roberts @jeffjohnroberts
JANUARY 12, 2016, 9:36 AM EST

The baby was early, but the first time parents were ready. They summoned the birthing coach, grabbed the overnight bag, and stepped out the door of their New York apartment for a three mile ride to the delivery room. The Uber arrived, but then came the hitch.

Instead of taking David Lee and his wife to the hospital, the Uber driver balked because the expectant mother retched on the sidewalk. He informed them he would lose $1,000 a day if Lee’s wife became sick in the car and, what’s more, told them no other driver would accept a woman in labor as a passenger.

The birthing coach explained to the driver that Lee’s wife would not be sick again, and the couple pleaded with the driver, assuring him they would pay for any cleaning for his car. Please, just take us to the hospital, they said. But the driver would not budge.

Instead, he drove away – but not before charging them $13 for his lost time. Lee and his wife in labor, along with the birthing coach, were left standing on a Manhattan sidewalk.

~ snip ~

[Kalidurga]

1. If it was me he'd be going without the 13 dollars.

I guess if it was on a credit card they will have to call the credit card company and tell them they were charged and didn't actually get any service they might get the money back.

[FrodosPet]

3. Uber bills your CC, which you have to provide to use the app

When the driver closes the run, you are billed.

[Egnever]

5. And you can dispute the bill and Uber will refund it.

You seem to be on a crusade for some reason I am curious why?

[FrodosPet]

10. I admit... I am in the taxi business

Last edited Wed Jan 13, 2016, 02:40 PM - Edit history (1)

No, I have no delusions that taxi drivers and company owners are saints.

Myself, I always try to be an honorable, honest, and helpful driver. And I am blessed that the company I work for is dedicated to providing great service. And I don't think Lucifer's best buds are driving Uber. Most Uber drivers are hard working people, trying to do the right thing in an increasingly difficult and underpaid situation.

I do think that Uber is deceptive about earnings potential (amongst other things). I believe their subjective driver and passenger rating system is abusive. There are assholes who downrate good drivers just because the driver won't let them eat or drink booze in the car. Or they 1 star them just because they can.

Customer service has been offshored, so your CSR in Manila has no experience with American customs or service expectations. And Uber has been encouraging drivers to break the law. For example, telling drivers they can pick up at airports like Detroit Metro when the reality is you can be ticketed for $500 AND have your car impounded for doing so. Shouldn't encouraging lawbreaking for economic gain be a racketeering charge?

http://uberpeople.net/threads/help-my-car-was-towed-and-uber-wont-respond.12019/

(Spoiler alert: Yes, Uber FINALLY gave in and paid the fine and impound... but the driver should not have had to go through that)

And yet, despite all this, people on a progressive message board (which I would hope would be more supportive of the working class) gush on about Uber's libertarian greatness. I am trying to provide a balance.

[FrodosPet]

2. City and state laws in New York forbid drivers from refusing women in labor

From the link:

According to Emily Martin, the general counsel of the National Women’s Law Center in Washington, DC, city and state laws in New York forbid drivers from refusing women in labor.

“Uber drivers are bound by the same public accommodation laws that prohibit New York City taxi drivers and car services from discriminating on the basis of pregnancy when deciding who they will pick up—and those laws are a good thing, as they help ensure that not many babies end up being born on New York City sidewalks.”

[CBGLuthier]

4. Two very important details for those who do not read the article

They got their money back.

However, Uber refused to identify the driver to them so they could lodge a complaint with the New York's taxi regulators. Uber acts like it is above the law.

Third, bonus detail is the father is a lawyer so I hope he keeps after Uber for their clearly illegal behavior in this matter.

[Egnever]

6. if it was a cab

would they even be able to dispute it? To do so they would have to remember in the moment to get the medalion number and take a note of it. Would the cab company release the drivers name? or even be able to figure out who the driver was if they didn't have the presence of mind to write it down in the heat of the moment?

With Uber it was all logged by the app.

[CBGLuthier]

7. If it was a cab they would not have been charged yet. Uber takes CC when you book

Yeah, Uber logged it all and then REFUSED to tell them something that they should have to. Uber sucks because it thinks it is above all laws and regulations. i wouldn't ride in one for all the money in the world.

[Egnever]

8. Fair enough

either way they were not charged.

and again they would have had zero recourse if it was a cab unless they had the presence of mind to make a note of the medallion or the drivers license number. In ubers case more than likely the driver was removed from the service. In the cab case the driver more than likely would still be on the road.

Personally I think the Uber outcome is better in the end.

Choice is great if you don't like it don't take it but there is no way to deny that the end result in this case is more than likely better on the Uber side.

Are the cab companies required to provide the drivers name after the fact? assuming they can even figure out who the driver was?

[Egnever]

9. As a follow up

On the Uber side you have accountability for the driver because there is no hiding the driver from the company.

On the cab side not so much...

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424053111903591104576466363102067514

After returning the city's letter, a passenger then has to schedule a hearing before an administrative law judge. A recent rule change allows complaining passengers to phone in their testimony instead of showing up in person. Still, many don't take that step. Of the more than 1,000 complaints for reckless driving that resulted in scheduled hearing between January 2010 and last week(a 6 month period), 85% were dismissed. So were 81% of the charges of drivers threatening or harassing passengers.

One afternoon last week, a 75-year-old woman with a walker waited for a hearing at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings on Beaver Street. She said a cabbie had yelled at her, kept locking and unlocking the doors throughout the ride and sped off with the door still open.

"I think anybody with that kind of temper could easily get in an accident or harm someone," she said. The driver didn't show up, but the woman was allowed to testify anyway. An administrative judge fined him $200.

In February, a passenger got into a cab with an autistic child, according to a complaint. The child was talking loudly, which irritated the driver. He asked the passenger if the child could quiet down. The passenger said the child could not. So the driver slammed the divider shut, pulled the cab over and pulled the passengers out of the cab, the complaint says. Then he yelled at them and threatened to kill them. The passenger didn't return the confirmation letter.

All those cabbies following the rules...

[stevenleser]

11. Uber driver took my wife and I to the hospital when she was in labor

With no problems. Just a little less than 10 months ago. I'm guessing this is the case in 99.999% of the time.

[pnwmom]

12. I have never used Uber and don't intend to. It's just a way of getting around

regulations and making big money for the Uber owners -- not the contractors.

[Omaha Steve]

13. Kick