Rideshare apps Uber and Lyft are battling thousands of injury and sexual assault lawsuits. A must-pass transportation bill in Congress includes an industry-friendly carveout that would give the companies legal immunity from car crashes and injuries.

Why would any work towards making their tech better when you can just free yourself from the consequences of its mistakes.

  • Akh@lemmy.world
    18·
    2 months ago

    I do not necessarily disagree, I think they should be taxed to all hell and resources used to improve infrastructure. I am just saying if an uber driver runs a red light, may not be anything Uber can do about it

    • mushroommunk@lemmy.today
      16·
      2 months ago

      Taxi companies found a way. Just because a tech monopoly wants to say they’re different doesn’t actually mean they are. They can use that money to properly screen and train drivers and only once a best effort has been made (which again taxi companies have shown can be done) do they get lessened liability.

      But agreed 100% on the tax them into the ground and build public infrastructure instead idea. Loads of people love trolleys and trains, never see anyone get excited about an Uber or a Lyft

    • Tiresia@slrpnk.net
      11·
      2 months ago

      I am just saying if an uber driver runs a red light, may not be anything Uber can do about it

      I am just saying if a factory employee ignores some safety checks, may not be anything the factory owner can do about it

      I am just saying if a surgeon leaves a glove in a patient, may not be anything the hospital can do about it

      Companies create the incentive structures, checks, and balances that drive their employees to take certain actions. Factories that don’t leave enough time for workers to do their due diligence cause workers to ignore safety checks. Hospitals that pay surgeons to work overtime cause surgeons to make mistakes from inattention. Rideshare companies that pay drivers depending on how quickly they get people from point A to point B cause drivers to disobey traffic laws.

      At the very least, legal responsibility for crashes and traffic law breaking is an incentive for rideshare companies to change their drivers’ incentive structure in order to promote save driving. It doesn’t have to be a moral assignment of guilt, just a way for society to have fewer road deaths because of market forces.

    • red_green_black@slrpnk.netEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      Uber could provide training and if there are drivers being reckless of their own accord face a risk of getting banned (fired of you will) from being a driver.