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Here's Uber's respose to the Met Police's letter with their version of the story: https://www.uber.com/en-GB/blog/how-uber-in-london-works-with-the-metropolitan

by eyko 9y ago

Here's Uber's respose to the Met Police's letter with their version of the story: https://www.uber.com/en-GB/blog/how-uber-in-london-works-with-the-metropolitan-police/ https://www.uber.com/en-GB/blog/how-uber-in-london-works-wit... > A complaint was made that, following a trip, a driver got out of the car and hugged a female passenger. This violates our community guidelines and the driver was prevented from using our app while we investigated. He was subsequently given clear direction concerning his alleged behaviour prior to being reinstated on the app. When a second complaint was made some time later, of the same driver touching a rider’s leg, it was decided that we could no longer maintain our partnership with the driver and he was permanently stopped from using our app. At the same time we informed TfL of the allegations in order that they could consider revoking his private hire licence and prevent him from working with any other operators in London. We deal with all complaints on a case by case basis but swiftly identify and deal with any pattern of alleged behaviour such as this. As stated above, we also advise individuals to report incidents to the police and support them in doing so.

theptip 9y ago
From the OP: > Both cases were charged as sexual assaults and are at court next week for hearing... While Uber did not say they would contact the police the victim believed that they would inform the police on her behalf. The fact that the victim thought Uber would contact the police, and that the prosecutor has decided there's a case to hear, suggests that this was more than "a hug". We don't have all the information here, but I'm quite uneasy with this downplaying of a potential sexual assault (one that is currently being heard in court). > Uber hold a position not to report crime on the basis that it may breach the rights of the passenger. When asked what the position would be in the hypothetical case of a driver who commits a serious sexual assault against a passenger they confirmed that they would dismiss the driver and report to TfL, but not inform the police. Regardless of whether the individual case doesn't sound bad in Uber's telling, their stated position on a hypothetical serious sexual assault is very concerning. Either way it shows either disregard or ignorance for the regulatory environment under which they operate. (It sounds to me like ignorance, since they did report the driver to TfL, and neglected to inform the police as required).
- WisNorCan 9y ago
  This reminds me of the quote: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” - Upton Sinclair Uber's statement potentially demonstrates the exact problem with self-investigating. Given the negative PR from a sexual assault story, Uber employees have a strong incentive to convince themselves that nothing happened and that it was just a "hug". Uber's statement would be the third significant moral failure in a single incident.
ptero 9y ago
Uber is under obligation to report serious crimes to the police. From their description though, I am not sure it qualifies: > A complaint was made that, following a trip, a driver got out of the car and hugged a female passenger I bet it was unpleasant, uncomfortable, unprofessional and a bunch of other "un"s but does getting hugged on a street (not when confined in a car) supports a serious crime claim in the UK or US? This is an honest question, I would really like to know the answer.
- Anechoic 9y ago
  >but does getting hugged on a street (not when confined in a car) supports a serious crime claim in the UK or US? It depends on what that "hug" really was - walking up behind a woman, wrapping my hands around them and grabbing their breasts might be considered a "hug" but it's also sexual assault.
  - qeternity 9y ago
    That's absurd. No reasonable person would call groping someone's breasts a "hug".
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
    - RodericDay 9y ago
      A lawyer would, trying to defend their client or their client's inaction.
    - drunken-serval 9y ago
      Unfortunately, not all people are reasonable.
    - genofon 9y ago
      of course they would, to protect their image, be vary cautious with statements like this

by eyko 9y ago

theptip 9y ago

From the OP: > Both cases were charged as sexual assaults and are at court next week for hearing... While Uber did not say they would contact the police the victim believed that they would inform the police on her behalf. The fact that the victim thought Uber would contact the police, and that the prosecutor has decided there's a case to hear, suggests that this was more than "a hug". We don't have all the information here, but I'm quite uneasy with this downplaying of a potential sexual assault (one that is currently being heard in court). > Uber hold a position not to report crime on the basis that it may breach the rights of the passenger. When asked what the position would be in the hypothetical case of a driver who commits a serious sexual assault against a passenger they confirmed that they would dismiss the driver and report to TfL, but not inform the police. Regardless of whether the individual case doesn't sound bad in Uber's telling, their stated position on a hypothetical serious sexual assault is very concerning. Either way it shows either disregard or ignorance for the regulatory environment under which they operate. (It sounds to me like ignorance, since they did report the driver to TfL, and neglected to inform the police as required).

WisNorCan 9y ago
This reminds me of the quote: “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” - Upton Sinclair Uber's statement potentially demonstrates the exact problem with self-investigating. Given the negative PR from a sexual assault story, Uber employees have a strong incentive to convince themselves that nothing happened and that it was just a "hug". Uber's statement would be the third significant moral failure in a single incident.

ptero 9y ago

Uber is under obligation to report serious crimes to the police. From their description though, I am not sure it qualifies: > A complaint was made that, following a trip, a driver got out of the car and hugged a female passenger I bet it was unpleasant, uncomfortable, unprofessional and a bunch of other "un"s but does getting hugged on a street (not when confined in a car) supports a serious crime claim in the UK or US? This is an honest question, I would really like to know the answer.

Anechoic 9y ago
>but does getting hugged on a street (not when confined in a car) supports a serious crime claim in the UK or US? It depends on what that "hug" really was - walking up behind a woman, wrapping my hands around them and grabbing their breasts might be considered a "hug" but it's also sexual assault.
- qeternity 9y ago
  That's absurd. No reasonable person would call groping someone's breasts a "hug".
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
  - RodericDay 9y ago
    A lawyer would, trying to defend their client or their client's inaction.
  - drunken-serval 9y ago
    Unfortunately, not all people are reasonable.
  - genofon 9y ago
    of course they would, to protect their image, be vary cautious with statements like this