5 ms·

They did the same thing in USA. Here's a series of articles penned by Paul Carr documenting what Uber did in the US. http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/31/assholes-

by Indyan 13y ago

They did the same thing in USA. Here's a series of articles penned by Paul Carr documenting what Uber did in the US. http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/31/assholes-shrug/ http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/31/assholes-shrug/ http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/17/whos-the-real-bully-uber-or-new-york/ http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/17/whos-the-real-bully-uber-or... [written by Nathaniel] http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/24/travis-shrugged/ http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/24/travis-shrugged/ http://pandodaily.com/2012/11/02/a-final-word-on-uber-and-their-ghastly-attempt-to-spin-their-way-to-sainthood/ http://pandodaily.com/2012/11/02/a-final-word-on-uber-and-th... http://pandodaily.com/2012/12/04/shock-uber-scores-victory-against-dc-lawmakers-by-actually-negotiating-with-dc-lawmakers/ http://pandodaily.com/2012/12/04/shock-uber-scores-victory-a... http://pandodaily.com/2012/12/13/what-a-difference-six-months-can-make-the-consistent-and-in-no-way-disingenuous-messaging-of-travis-kalanick/ http://pandodaily.com/2012/12/13/what-a-difference-six-month...

viggity 13y ago
regarding the first link, in which Uber jumped fares during Hurricane Sandy - People who think price gouging have obviously never given the consequences more than a moments thought. He even mentioned that Uber reported the supply of drivers went up 50%. Isn't that a major, important factor. The author just blows it off and calls the Uber evil. fuck that. I'd rather know that a service is going to be available, but at a higher price than to not have the service available at all. Supply and demand is economic law, bitches. Price "gouging" is actually a public service, it LITERALLY SAVES LIVES. It ensures that needed materials find their way to the people that need them the most. If I'm reasonably well stocked on batteries, and a business isn't allowed to raise prices during a hurricane, I have no dis-incentive from clearing off the shelf and buying all of them. However if the prices get jacked up, I won't buy them if I don't need them. It also provides an incentive and encourages people to be well prepared. http://mises.org/daily/1593/Price-Gouging-Saves-Lives-in-a-Hurricane http://mises.org/daily/1593/Price-Gouging-Saves-Lives-in-a-H...
- untog 13y ago
  Price "gouging" is actually a public service, it LITERALLY SAVES LIVES. It ensures that needed materials find their way to the people that need them the most. Seriously? The lower income people living on Staten Island during Sandy would like a word with you. Price gouging ensures that things are only available to people with excess income to absorb the gouged price. The whole point about price gouging during Sandy is that it was an exceptional event, and maybe not one we should leave to market forces. If every grocery store tripled the price of bottled water and essential supplies then many people would be unable to afford them and starve. How is that a good thing?
  - viggity 13y ago
    It is either Higher Prices, or ZERO availability. I'll opt for the former.
    - untog 13y ago
      Why do you assume that? During Sandy there was plenty of water to go around, and supplies were delivered. There was availability. Maybe if some asshole bought all the supplies available in a store then there might a be a problem, but guess what- no-one did. If that situation had persisted it would actually be one of the rare situations where rationing makes sense- and that rationing would logically be controlled by the government. Which makes all the free market Rand-ians foam at the mouth- despite the fact that it makes sense.
      - jbooth 13y ago
        Look Untog, on the one hand, we have what you saw with your own eyes. On the other hand, I just finished my freshman year in economics, and when we draw a dotted line across the X of supply/demand, then there's this little triangle see? Shade it in. Yeah. So anyways that's what happened. BTW, there's no axis for "natural disaster" on my graph so clearly that's irrelevant. I don't know why you're bringing up red herrings.
        pekk 13y ago
- venomsnake 13y ago
  No it means that the resources will go the ones that have the means to pay the most. Those are not always the ones that need it most. There is reason why there was rationing during WW2.
- mikeash 13y ago
  "He even mentioned that Uber reported the supply of drivers went up 50%. Isn't that a major, important factor. The author just blows it off and calls the Uber evil." I think people either don't realize, or at least haven't properly internalized, the fact that Uber doesn't employ drivers directly, but just connects drivers and riders and manages payment. If Uber employed drivers directly, then complaining about high fares during a hurricane would make sense. It would be reasonable to say that they should just keep fares the same, put a lot of drivers out there, and maybe take a loss for the good of the community. I don't know if I'd be comfortable saying that they should, but I can understand the point of view, at least. But with Uber simply acting as an intermediary, they have no direct control over drivers. If they want more drivers out there, they need to offer an incentive.
- drivebyacct2 13y ago
  So the rich "need" transportation to safety more than poor people. Got it.

by Indyan 13y ago

viggity 13y ago

regarding the first link, in which Uber jumped fares during Hurricane Sandy - People who think price gouging have obviously never given the consequences more than a moments thought. He even mentioned that Uber reported the supply of drivers went up 50%. Isn't that a major, important factor. The author just blows it off and calls the Uber evil. fuck that. I'd rather know that a service is going to be available, but at a higher price than to not have the service available at all. Supply and demand is economic law, bitches. Price "gouging" is actually a public service, it LITERALLY SAVES LIVES. It ensures that needed materials find their way to the people that need them the most. If I'm reasonably well stocked on batteries, and a business isn't allowed to raise prices during a hurricane, I have no dis-incentive from clearing off the shelf and buying all of them. However if the prices get jacked up, I won't buy them if I don't need them. It also provides an incentive and encourages people to be well prepared. http://mises.org/daily/1593/Price-Gouging-Saves-Lives-in-a-Hurricane http://mises.org/daily/1593/Price-Gouging-Saves-Lives-in-a-H...

untog 13y ago
Price "gouging" is actually a public service, it LITERALLY SAVES LIVES. It ensures that needed materials find their way to the people that need them the most. Seriously? The lower income people living on Staten Island during Sandy would like a word with you. Price gouging ensures that things are only available to people with excess income to absorb the gouged price. The whole point about price gouging during Sandy is that it was an exceptional event, and maybe not one we should leave to market forces. If every grocery store tripled the price of bottled water and essential supplies then many people would be unable to afford them and starve. How is that a good thing?
- viggity 13y ago
  It is either Higher Prices, or ZERO availability. I'll opt for the former.
  - untog 13y ago
    Why do you assume that? During Sandy there was plenty of water to go around, and supplies were delivered. There was availability. Maybe if some asshole bought all the supplies available in a store then there might a be a problem, but guess what- no-one did. If that situation had persisted it would actually be one of the rare situations where rationing makes sense- and that rationing would logically be controlled by the government. Which makes all the free market Rand-ians foam at the mouth- despite the fact that it makes sense.
    - jbooth 13y ago
      Look Untog, on the one hand, we have what you saw with your own eyes. On the other hand, I just finished my freshman year in economics, and when we draw a dotted line across the X of supply/demand, then there's this little triangle see? Shade it in. Yeah. So anyways that's what happened. BTW, there's no axis for "natural disaster" on my graph so clearly that's irrelevant. I don't know why you're bringing up red herrings.
      - pekk 13y ago
venomsnake 13y ago
No it means that the resources will go the ones that have the means to pay the most. Those are not always the ones that need it most. There is reason why there was rationing during WW2.
mikeash 13y ago
"He even mentioned that Uber reported the supply of drivers went up 50%. Isn't that a major, important factor. The author just blows it off and calls the Uber evil." I think people either don't realize, or at least haven't properly internalized, the fact that Uber doesn't employ drivers directly, but just connects drivers and riders and manages payment. If Uber employed drivers directly, then complaining about high fares during a hurricane would make sense. It would be reasonable to say that they should just keep fares the same, put a lot of drivers out there, and maybe take a loss for the good of the community. I don't know if I'd be comfortable saying that they should, but I can understand the point of view, at least. But with Uber simply acting as an intermediary, they have no direct control over drivers. If they want more drivers out there, they need to offer an incentive.
drivebyacct2 13y ago
So the rich "need" transportation to safety more than poor people. Got it.