Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Four Dutch Uberpop Taxi Drivers Arrested, Fined

Posted by timothy on from the not-so-laissez-faire dept.

An anonymous reader writes with news that authorities in the Netherlands have arrested four drivers sharing their car for money through the Uberpop app. The drivers were then released with a fine of EUR 4,200 (USD 5,300) each and further threatened with additional fines of EUR 10,000 (USD 12,600) for each time they might be caught doing it again. While similar bullying applied to short rentals of private rooms through sites like Airbnb hasn't had the same success so far the thoughts go to the fined drivers, hoping they won't ever be caught carrying their grandmother to the supermarket then have to explain how they dared. Uber says it will "fully support" the affected drivers."

8 of 282 comments (clear)

  1. Biased summary by excelsior_gr · · Score: 4, Informative

    What kind of person bills his grandmother for taking her to the supermarket? Jeezz...

    Repeat after me: "it's against the law to drive people around for money without the proper credentials".

    1. Re:Biased summary by WoOS · · Score: 4, Informative

      The arbitrary requirements you linked are to be allowed to use buslanes and taxi parking spaces in Amsterdam not to be a taxi driver in the Netherlands (it explicitely says that taxi drivers from outside Amsterdam are still allowed to drive into and out of Amsterdam without the "Taxxxivergunning"). So how about some information on the real requirements? Another page on the same site you linked mentions e.g. the "regels van de Wet Personenvervoer 2000" but my Dutch is not the best.

      At least in Germany the "proper credentials" do include e.g. a special driver license which includes a medical analysis, a police clearance, a check of the driving penalty points registry, check of local knowledge, ... .

    2. Re:Biased summary by Harlequin80 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Uh huh...

      NBC recently tested Uber’s background checks by putting forward reformed criminal Beverly Locke, who bragged about her “three-page rap sheet”, as an UberX driver. Locke, on probation after nearly beating a woman to death, had prior convictions for burglary, drugs and assault, but was hired to be an UberX driver after filling out the online application.

      But this is where regulation comes in. I have no trust in Uber. I mean my should I? There have a vested interest in approving drivers. The regulator however does not. A regulators signoff on a person is worth something to me, seeing their picture on Uber's website is now.

  2. Re:I'm sorry by Vinegar+Joe · · Score: 2, Informative

    Life's not all about cheap dope and Eastern European hookers. Native Dutch have been leaving the Netherlands for years.

    "Last year, 144,175 people emigrated, the paper says, quoting figures from the national statistics office CBS. In 2011, nearly 134,000 people left and in 2010, 121,000."
    http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/a...

    --
    "The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old......They literally know nothing." - Ben Rhodes
  3. Re:I'm sorry by mjwx · · Score: 5, Informative

    Life's not all about cheap dope and Eastern European hookers. Native Dutch have been leaving the Netherlands for years.

    "Last year, 144,175 people emigrated, the paper says, quoting figures from the national statistics office CBS. In 2011, nearly 134,000 people left and in 2010, 121,000."
    http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/a...

    To put this into perspective, the Netherlands has a population of 16.8 Million people. 150,000 aren't even 1% so that's pretty normal for emigration. Hardly the crisis you're making out.

    I'd be willing to bet a good proportion of those would be Dutch retiring to some place warmer with cheaper prostitutes like Thailand (Thailand seems to be the go-to place for European retirees, Americans usually end up in the Philippines, we Australians have infested both places).

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  4. Re:I'm sorry by Harlequin80 · · Score: 5, Informative

    And yet net migration remains positive. In 2013 144,175 people left and 197,241 came. So a little over 50k people decided it was a better place to live overall. Helps if you get both numbers.

  5. Re:News at 11. by SuperKendall · · Score: 3, Informative

    How? You can't even buy normal tickets anymore in The Netherlands.

    You can get a ChipCart (I think that's the name) at the airport or at Central Station, then use that to ride the trains. You check in at readers on the platform before you board, check out when you get wherever using the same technique and it deducts money from your card.

    You can use that same card for buses, trams, trains, etc. You can keep it and use it again when you come back.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  6. Re:I'm sorry by Blaskowicz · · Score: 4, Informative

    Your own property? yes, feel free to drive without a permit *ON* your own property. Public roads aren't such.