Uber Is Gaining Momentum

[ElQueso]

Uber wins in court.

http://www.lanacion....er-no-es-delito

Wow, I'm actually pleasantly surprised. I was not expecting a favorable ruling, much less basically saying that the operation is legitimate, though the judge's comments did seem to leave some room for the possibility of negotiation to settle differences that might exist.

El juez de instrucción Luis Zelaya se adhirió al dictamen del fiscal Jorge Ballestrero y desestimó por "inexistencia de delito" la denuncia que la gremial de los taxistas formuló contra 33 conductores de Uber por los presuntos delitos de "entorpecimiento del transporte, desobediencia, competencia desleal, instigación a cometer delitos y asociación ilícita".

Judge Luis Zelaya agreed with prosecutor Jorge Ballestrero's opinion and dismissed the complaint that the union of taxi drivers filed against 33 Uber drivers for the alleged crimes of "disrupting transport, disobedience, unfair competition , incitement to commit crimes and conspiracy" for "lack of offense".

I loved this part:

El fallo subraya que "todo parece girar en derredor de la disconformidad de los denunciantes con la aparición de un competidor comercial. Sin embargo, todo indica también que este fuero penal no es la vía apropiada para resolver el conflicto".

The ruling emphasizes that "everything seems to revolve around the disagreement of the complainants with the appearance of a commercial competitor. However, all of this also indicates that criminal law is not the appropriate way to resolve the conflict."

It could be that the judge is leaving the case open for other approaches to deal with Uber. His comments also included:

"No parece lógico que la intención de los acusados esté o haya estado orientada a entorpecer el transporte al que pretenden sumar sus servicios", sostiene [Zelaya]

"It does not seem logical that the intention of the accused is or has been aimed at hindering transportation services just because they intended to add their services [to the market]," he [Zelaya] says.

So, it may be that other laws or regulations may be applied in future cases, but at least it has been determined that Uber and their drivers are not intent on disrupting transport, committing disobedience, offering unfair competition or inciting and conspiring to commit crimes! Maybe the complaint by the taxi union's selected legal beagles wasn't the best approach to take? But they are probably so arrogant that they assumed that of course any judge would see it their way, as an afront to the Argentine Way.

Of course, given the wording of the complaint, and the fact that 1) vigilantism isn't accepted here any more than any other place as far as I know and 2) the taxi drivers' union and the taxi drivers themselves did indeed seem to conspire to disrupt transport and conspire to incite crimes against Uber drivers and their clients (I'm assuming through a patriotic desire to stop anti-fascist forces) - who is going to press charges against those thugs?

 

[wineguy999]

Wrong, the problem with Uber is that you don't know what you are going to pay until 15 minutes after the ride. And you pay for all driver mistakes. The Uber "ticker" is in the phone of the driver and it is counting up every KM you travel and every minute you are in the car.

Uber lets you know the price before you request the car.

 

[Somewhereinba]

Uber lets you know the price before you request the car.

Price estimates are pretty accurate - you also get a google maps view of the ride and if any 'detours' were taken you can file a complaint and get a refund with Uber. Anyone that thinks Uber is a bad thing is smoking some good stuff - dodgy taxi drivers have had this coming for a long time. I have no sympathy after getting ripped off multiple times when I first arrived and was naive to think they would be honest.

 

[Ceviche]

I heard Uber drivers will be going to jail for 10 days each.

Whats going on with the Taxi unions.

 

[Somewhereinba]

I urge everyone to take a stand against taxi driver monopoly and bad practices by using Uber. With enough support there will be no choice but to accept it and improve their service if they wish to compete.

 

[gostomper]

I heard Uber drivers in Argentina get paid through bitcoin. Read an interesting article here:
http://qz.com/725822/uber-has-found-a-clever-way-to-bypass-a-roadblock-in-argentina-involving-bitcoin/

 

[RodalfoWalsh]

Just came back from the opera in an uber. Nice car, uber routed us on the Au Illia and General paz to get to Coghlan leading us to get home in 12 minutes from the center. It cost me 143 pesos which included the toll.

Just going by the distance, not by any additional idle charges that trip would have cost me 277 pesos. So yes on one hand I saved 50% by riding in a comfortable well appointed (better than any taxi) car but on the other hand the driver made 143 pesos (- uber's commission) for a 12 minute trip!

I guarantee any taxi driver would jump at that fare for that trip, which is why uber is a much better service. Taxistas wrote their own laws to fix fares and the priced themselves out of business. If uber didn't exist and I were faced with the prospect of a $300 peso trip, I almost certainly would have taken a bus. So in that hypothetical situation there would be a person willing to pay a price for a trip and someone willing to offer that trip for that price and no trip taking place.

 

[on the brink]

How can I get an Uber account?

 

[Girino]

How can I get an Uber account?

https://www.uber.com/en-AR/sign-in/

Or you can simply download and installa the app on your smartphone.

 

[TomAtAlki]

Uber lets you know the price before you request the car.

I have to admit that I haven't used Uber yet but after my last experience in a taxi I may start using Uber. I have an account and the app for iPhone. I put in where I want to go. It gives me the route and how long until I get a car but no estimated price. Am I missing something? A hidden button? or....?

T/