UBER the Paper Unicorn

Perhaps the most famous of these examples nowadays is Uber. If you follow my column, you will note that nine months ago I lauded the success of Uber and its presence in China. Fast-forward to today and my song has changed. As an Uber user, I have found several important changes in Uber's execution. The first and most problematic issue was something that I had only read about. Other articles detail how Uber is being used by "drivers" to game the system. Nonexistent drivers pickup nonexistent passengers and they go on nonexistent rides. With some careful software manipulation, criminals trick the Uber system and pocket the promotional fees Uber pays their drivers and the free credit it gives its passengers.

One of the clearest evidence of such fraud, or at least signs of fraud, is that Uber no longer knows who its drivers are. I was often picked up by Uber drivers that look nothing like the pictures on their Uber profile in cars whose license plate do not match those Uber communicates to its users. Drivers tried to negotiate cash fees in lieu of using Uber as an intermediary. Complaints to Uber customer service were, after the prerequisite form response, completely ignored. The inability of Uber to control its product and the rapid deterioration of the services it provides its customers is not welcome news for its users and it is especially not welcome news for its investors.

Uber was last valued at over $62 billion dollars a few months ago. This makes Uber worth roughly one-fifth of Amazon.com. Amazon, by comparison, had over $100 billion in sales last year. So, does Uber deserve the multi-billion valuation it currently holds? Perhaps, as long as the ride-sharing behemoth is able to successfully go public at a valuation greater than the multi-billion dollar valuation in which investors last invested in December, then all is well; however, should Uber continue to execute the way it has been in China in recent months, I am afraid Uber investors will be in for a bumpy ride.

http://goo.gl/Tdgrte
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 BOLTON

 A YOUNG woman who was left fighting for her life after falling 20ft from a bridge after a night out is making a good recovery.

Lauren Hardman was travelling home in a taxi and asked the driver to stop so she could be sick on the bridge over St Peter’s Way in Bradford Street.

But the 20-year-old, who believes her drink had been spiked, plunged over the bridge and suffered life threatening injuries in the fall.

She spent four weeks in Salford Royal Hospital following the incident at 2am on November 9.

The nursery nurse suffered a fractured skull, broke both her arms and both wrists as well as having internal bleeding and being left with facial scarring, but is now making a recovery and hopes to return to work soon.

Ms Hardman says the taxi driver who let her out at the bridge drove off when she fell and she is now appealing for him to come forward.

She says she is unable to remember large parts of the evening, but with the help of CCTV she realised she used a burgundy hackney carriage to get home.

She says the footage shows the taxi driver stopping his vehicle near to the bridge over St Peter’s Way in Bradford Street at about 2am, on November 9 last year.

http://goo.gl/MXa9ph
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 CARDIFF

 The chairman of Cardiff's taxi cab association has lost a suspension appeal after being accused of refusing short-distance fares in the city.

Cardiff council imposed a 10-day ban on Mathab Khan, but he took the matter before city magistrates on Monday.

He was the driving force behind a strike of cabbies at the weekend, which followed a clampdown on drivers turning down low-value fares.

Mr Khan said he will lodge a further appeal in a higher court.

He was told by magistrates the suspension originally handed down in February was "proportionate and appropriate".

The council's licensing sub-committee had decided to suspend his licence after it was claimed he refused short-distance fares to two women.

Mr Khan was at the front of taxi rank on Churchill Way with his light on at 02:15 GMT on 27 February, the council said.

When the women asked if he would take them to Claude Road in Roath, a journey of approximately 1.5 miles, the witnesses told the court Mr Khan answered "not far, not far" before putting his window up and turning his back on them.

He said he was booked at the time and was waiting for a "19-year-old man who didn't turn up".

The women identified Mr Khan through his cab and registration plate and reported him to the council.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-36077112

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NEW YORK



The estranged wife of “taxi king” Gene Freidman sold two Baccarat chandeliers out from under him for a song and must now pay up, a Manhattan judge has ruled.

Sandra Freidman, 25, took the two pricey crystal fixtures and peddled them when she moved out of the couple’s $6.2 million luxury home on East 65th Street last year, court papers allege.
One of the chandeliers Gene Freidman claims his estranged wife, Sandra, stole.Photo: Steven Hirsch
The “ornate statement pieces” were worth $300,000, but Sandra sold them for $13,000, the papers state.

Sandra argued that the chandeliers belonged to her under the pair’s prenup, which entitled her to the contents of their home.

But Supreme Court Justice Tandra Dawson sided with Gene, 45, stating in her decision, “The court finds that the chandeliers were fixtures and should have remained attached to the town house.”

The judge ordered that the value of the chandeliers be deducted from the $5 million lump sum that Sandra is owed under the prenupial agreement.

Gene owns approximately 900 taxi medallions, more than anyone else in the city.

http://nypost.com/2016/04/18/taxi-kings-estranged-wife-must-pay-for-chandeliers-she-sold/
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DAILY MAIL ONCE AGAIN CLASS UBER AS A TAXI


Uber pretty boy, then? African grey parrot reunited with her owner after hailing a TAXI home

http://goo.gl/ItWUTk
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LONDON

RUGBY star Danny Cipriani was driving his Mercedes “very fast” and “swerving” before he collided with a taxi at 5am, a court heard yesterday.

The one-time England fly half was nearly twice the legal drink drive limit and tried to drive off after the collision, it was alleged.

The court heard that police could smell alcohol on his breath and his eyes were glazed.

Cipriani, 28, who has dated actress Kelly Brook and TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, 40, had been celebrating winning Man of the Match for his England performance against the Barbarians last May.

The award came with a bottle of champagne. Cabbie Qasim Muhammad told Westminster magistrates court that Cipriani was driving his £60,000 Mercedes “very fast” and “swerving”.

He added: “I was going in my own lane and I have slowed down to 20mph.

“It was him who came from the left and came to the right when he hit my car.

“This person didn’t stop and he drove his car for about 200 yards and then he stopped because he had damaged two tyres.”

    I could smell his breath. He could not speak properly because he was stuttering

    Qasim Muhammad, taxi driver

When confronted, said Mr Muhammad, “He was saying, ‘No, you hit my car. You hit my car.’

“I could smell his breath. He could not speak properly because he was stuttering.”

Cipriani was standing by the damaged Mercedes when police arrived.

Prosecutor Katie Weiss said: “They could smell alcohol on the defendant’s breath. His eyes were also glazed.

“He was asked, when was your last drink, and he said it was about an hour ago.”

Cipriani was breathalysed and found to be nearly twice the legal limit after the dawn collision in Fulham, west London.

Mr Muhammad says he injured his neck, shoulder and lower back in the crash.

Cipriani, of Merton, south west London, denies drink driving.

The court heard he had 67 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Cipriani, who will join Wasps from Sale Sharks next season, won the Man of the Match award after scoring 33 points in England’s victory over the Barbarians at Twickenham.

The trial continues.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/662157/Danny-Cipriani-driving-very-fast-swerving-hitting-taxi-court-hears-rugby-England