No, there’s no umlaut over the U. This isn’t über-rape – I don’t want to know what that might be – but Uber- and Lyft-rape.
An article in the NY Times suggests this is a significant problem. I mean, even one incident is a serious problem but here I mean significant as in “significant figures,” the science term for a number large enough to matter (sort of, but close enough).
And how did these paragons of workers’ rights respond, according to the article?
Uber: “[O]ur goal is to protect the company and set the tolerable risk level for our operations.” [Emphasis mine] This was not an official statement, but the idea that an employee would actually not just consider this but write it down and share the document is mind-blowing, as is the knowledge that no one on the email chain saw this and said, Scrub this document from our files.
Lyft: Lyft reports of sexual assault are “statistically very rare,” and represent far less than 1 percent of rides. Less than one percent. (Okay, “far” less.) So what is an acceptable number? One trip in a thousand that results in a sexual assault, either driver or passenger or passenger on driver? That’s okay?
Even worse, they have tools to track algorithmically trips that go off track, especially when the ride is diverted and the trip doesn’t officially end. They have these tools, and aren’t using them.
But oh, well, we’re all too busy worrying about “The Bachelor” and whether to get the IPA or the amber. (Get the porter. There. One problem solved. Now look at the real problems.)
Sorry, but… ugh.
And now back to our irregularly scheduled programming.