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Striking French Cab Drivers Attack Uber Cars, Demand Government "See Things Their Way"
Poor Uber: the limo company has had its share of tribulations in the US over the past month, being accused periodically of price gouging when it implemented surge pricing during times of peak demand and lack of alternatives (and a very confused consumer, who naturally has the option of not paying the surge price if they feel insulted by it). However, this is nothing compared to the treatment the company that is a manifestation of pure capitalism at its rawest received in socialist France yesterday.
As Rudebaguette reported previously, a French taxi drivers strike turned ugly for none other than an Uber driver who was carrying Eventbrite CTO Renaud Visage & Kat Borlongan from the airport to Paris, when "he was attacked by multiple assailants, who allegedly, after smashing one window and slashing two tires (as seen in the photo), as well as defacing one side of the car with glue, attempted to enter the vehicle. Borlongan says their Uber driver manoeuvered the two out of the situation before anything could happen, leaving the three stranded on the shoulder of the freeway."
This is what Kat Borlongan tweeted shortly after the incident:
Got attacked in an @uber by cab drivers on strike near Paris airport: smashed windows, flat tires, vandalized vehicle and bleeding hands.
— Kat Borlongan (@KatBorlongan) January 13, 2014
And while strikes in socialist France are a daily thing, this one was different:
Taxi drivers today are protesting against the likes of Uber, and against what they consider to be a government that refuses to see things their way, according to an official press release. The only problem is that this protest comes less than a month after the French government caved in to the Taxi union demands to enforce the 15-minute law, not just for new users, as was originally intended, but for all users of Chauffeur apps.
It’s a question of credibility, according to Le Figaro’s Yann La Galès, who thinks the Taxis are looking to have their cake and protest the lack of the aforementioned cake, too.
Meanwhile, one Chauffeur App startup, Allocab, says it won’t take the protest, or the 15-minute law, lying down. According to Frenchweb, the startup is already pushing legal action through against the 15-minute law – we spoke last week about how the “law,” which actually is a Presidential decree, not voted on by the legistlative body, may be ruled invalid, due to the fact that decrees cannot take affect if they change the balance of competition – I think that’s an easy argument to make.
Shortly thereafter, Uber's GM of France Pieter-Dimitry Gore-Coty had this comment:
“Uber strongly condemns this morning’s incident where two of our users and our driver were confronted with severe violence.
First, we are very glad all involved are safe and ok. Also, we would like to praise our partner who has shown great courage and professionalism, who focused on getting his customers out of a very challenging situation.
That the taxis chose to use violence is unacceptable, that they chose to strike is their business. However, Parisians also have a choice when it comes to moving around in their cities, and today’s incident will certainly not tempt Parisians into choosing a taxi for their next ride. Safety, reliability and choice, not violence, are what continues to draw customers towards VTCs.”
And some more recent updates from the French socialist vs capitalist taxi battleground:
- A second incident of an Uber car being attacked by up to 20 men has been reported by Bertier Luyt, confirmed by Uber.
- No less than a dozen confirmed incidents in Paris & Lyon, including “flat tires, eggs, broken windows,” confirms Uber.
So there you have it dear Uber: no matter how bad you think you may have it in the US, there is always France. Because sometimes socialism and capitalism just don't mix...
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Yea, but French imported Butter is really good.
And they're so proud of their president for seducing a beautiful actress!
And that's bullish for the French tire industry.
uber is the next great thing, thats why they hate it.
WTF is Uber?
Imagine netjets, but for cars.
On one end of the spectrum is Car-to-Go, where its DYI car service. On the other side is Uber.
Basically we are seeing the same fracture in car ownership that happened in retail sales: one side is ultra-thin margin do it yourself wholesale (Amazon) and on the other end 0.01% luxo-glam living (Macy's, Saks, Herrods, Ralph Lauren etc etc).
This is why we have a 2nd amendment.
Uber is theft. If theft is a great thing then we all should be thieves. And perhaps some are.
Uber rocks.
The drivers are extremely polite and clean. They go out of their way to make you enjoy your ride because they are continuously graded by their passengers. If they don't consistently score highly, they lose Uber sponsorship.
It costs about $8, tip included, to get across town in San Fran. Cheaper than the rude smelly established taxis.
So.. Avoiding taxation and law makes one "rock". Got it.
Not sure where you get your "facts", but, since you're not backing up your scurrilous accusations with any kind of details, why not throw in pedophilia and bestiality while you're at it?
@Four chan
Yeah, reminds you of the barking seal trolls here when Bitcoin articles are posted.
Get that zit cream yet?
President... salted... and there goes your cholestorol...
Not nearly as good as Irish butter.
Centrally managed economies are soooo good.
To which Holland replied...
Take that!
#TwoThumbsUp from @HairyReed
It is good to be the king.
So there you have it dear Uber: no matter how bad you think you may have it in the US, there is always France. Because sometimes socialism and capitalism just don't mix...
But then there still is this, “the law, which actually is a Presidential decree, not voted on by the legislative body, may be ruled invalid,…”
There are those of us in the US that have all but given up hope on this remedy as it seems the separation of powers has all but evaporated into the same ether world the fed’s endless supply of cyphers has originated from. Our current executive has more orders being carried out by non-legal persons, committees, departments, czars and secretaries than any sane US citizen should be beholden to as to make us the envy of the French.
The world is truly upside down.
Jmo again.
"You'd better manage it my way, or else!"
Violence is merely politics by other means.
Meanwhile, politics is merely violence by other means.
At last - making the world unsafe for Mercedes and those inside looking out at the destruction they have caused and that they profit from. But don't stop with slashing tires - gasoline in a bottle does an even better job of making crispy bankers.
Shape charges work better! Especially against the armored vehicles they travel in today because they KNOW they're screwing everyone. The proles are beginning to catch on, and they're pissed!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Herrhausen
Forgot about that one.
Shape charges are great, and there are plenty of proles with EOD and urban operations experience that would make great use of those.
I would go for triple-strand concertina wire as well -it works great for stopping vehicles whether tracked or wheeled. It would be a satisfying sight to see a rich bitch banker's armored car getting concertina wire tangled up in it's suspension. They ain't getting out of that!
Wow very informative stuff in this thread. Thanks guys!
Great link I would like to subscribe to your publication sir.
Socre le tire bleu! Seems like the have nots are beginning to get pissed off at the haves. The Eloys better watch out.
Yes, yes, this is terrible, etc. Only if you are rooting for France.
If, however, you enjoy seeing the collapse of the most smug and decadent country of the smug, sclerotic and decadent Continent, stories like this are a regular joy.
Decades of resentment of the United States, broadcast, print and political mocking of the United States has gone around and around in zeroland, and now comes around in the form of demographic, cultural and financial collapse.
They are doomed. Sit back and enjoy the show.
Umm... all sides in this are rooting for France. THEIR France.
A bunch of people fighting over control of the state apparatus of power is hardly an anti-state position.
In other words, there's nothing to enjoy here. No matter what the outcome, the state gets more power.
It's ironic, any post that denigrates the French gets big ups from the peanut gallery here, but criticize the Japs and you get nothing but reds.
That's because the smug arrogance of the French (at least of the French elites and opinion makers) has been for long both obvious and easy to understand, while the Nips remain inscrutable and bewildering to non-Nipponese.
@Richard Whitney
You are a victim of neo-cons propaganda
Pew Poll July 2013
http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/07/18/chapter-1-attitudes-toward-the-united-states/
http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/07/18/americas-global-image-remains-more-positive-than-chinas/
Does Pinkerton's operate in France?
No but considering the number of muslims they have, there's new meaning to "off with their heads".
Damaging a progressive crony, that's OK, damaging a poor defenseless auto that never harmed anybody, now that's just cruel!
Certain parts of America still exist where such shenanigans would result in cases of severe lead poisoning.
She should have pulled out her pistol and shot them where they stood. lol. Oh that's right, they ain't allowed to have sharp objects or to run with scissors.
And that's why every NON french company should shut down their doors in France, fire every single moron and give france back to the french....
Do these guys ever think before they act?
Sometimes socialism and capitalism don't mix? You mean to say that there is some place on this globe where either one of the two actually exist?
At least the Mercedes didn't surrender!
These Jay Leno's style jokes are a bit tired !
You forgot to call them "Cheeseeating surrender monkeys" btw.
In fact this ugly disdain and pitiful jokes come from the firm refusal of the French to join America in Irak, in 2003.
Look, in my opinion, any previous refusal to join War America was commendable. But look who's leading the charge into Africa: Socialist War France. And that ain't no Mirage (lame Leno-type pun intended).....and for crying out loud, the French have a reputation for taking out their frustrations on other people's automobiles, and that is worthy of mockery....and shit, Napoleon was no surrender monkey, but he was a Son of France that loved to lead Frenchmen and other unwilling conscripts into bloody battle.....while he watched from a safe distance.....
Scooters for all!
Hollande to the rescue!
Listen my American friends, I have spent two hours perusing the Englishers websites of paid prestitutes, so you dont have to. The Guardian, the Mail, the Telegraph, need I go on? And I have come to the conclusion, if they dont like your opinion, they do one of three things:-
Censor you, delete your posts, or ban you outright. They seem to think by absolving your written word, you cant be heard??
Oh, we will folks. Will we not.
There is reckoning come, I can nearly taste it.
And this my friends, is pissed off folk doing the do. Expect this to multiply as this year goes on.
Not your usual hellfire and brimstone rant but spot on anyway.
2nd that. I've been banned and or censored from so many sites I've lost count. Remember good doggie.net? The Rottweillder blog? Back in 2003 it was filled with a die hard, gung ho Bush-can-do-no-wrong fucking redcoat Repulican warriors. All given military class assignment titles while ripping you a new one if you dared to question anything about 911, the war, the coming wars or Bush. And they were good at ripping you a new one. Damn if money can't buy good talent.
God, those were the good old days.
Lesson from this: French airports should sell katanas so people can defend against retards.
You can have the sword, I'll keep my guns.
But you wouldn't get that satisfying sound of cold steel cutting through lazy people.
I don't often behead cretins, but when I do I use a Hattori Hanzo sword.
How many nails can one coffin take?
France is headed the wrong way and its economy's size is the only thing that rates it a mention.
It has ceased to inspire unfortunately.
Hollande is a fool and those that voted for him are the greater fool.
In today's news, Mercedes announces thier production of the Mercedes C320 Uber Edition. It features electric-shock door handles, bullet proof glass, puncture resistant tires and a tear gas system.
In response, the French have uncondionally surrendered.
@DYS
Pitiful joke ... and this car must be very expensive !
BTW, you probably don't know that Renault is a big supplier for Mercedes motors :
1.5 DCI 90Ch - Class A, B, CLA
1.5 DCI 109Ch - Class B
1.6 DCI - Class C
Hollande took his cue from the Bo. He thinks the hoi polloi just want to sit around all day and drink thier EBT cards, or whatever equivalent they have over in . Wait a minute, that is what they want to do. We can't take away the goodie bag. That brings out the hooligan. Protect the union. Nothing else matters. The Mary Kay Henrys can drink with the John Stumpfs and laugh at the rest of us as the plane goes down.
Not the time to flaunt your "richness"...must blend in with the other 99% to survive what's coming.
Uber is being preached to become a globalized Wal-mart of transportation. Unregulated, flying high above laws and regulations that mere mortal are forced to comply to, uber-monster prospers on destruction of local companies left and right. Same as Wal-mart did. It is funded by Google, the "do-no-evil" "company". To monitor your every step. Just in case...
Since when did Justin Bieber and his posse go into the French taxi business?
Long Yugos
Unter is the new uber.
Damn Van Dal tribesmen!
The Coming Insurrection.
violence is condemned except when liberating oil from soveriegn nations
Frogs are really making those of us in the USSA look like pussies.
the french taxi drivers are nothing compared to ours here in thailand. I got attacked by a taxi driver once in paris and he was not even armed! in Thailand they all have guns and knives. they will attck you if you dont pay them, even to let you pick up your own friends at their hotel in your own car while visiting you here.