• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Uber’s C.E.O. to Take Leave Amid Inquiry Into Workplace Culture

Carjosse said:
I have read the opposite, the self-driving cars are usually better at seeing and reacting to potentially dangerous situations when driving autonomously. Self-drivings cars are not just limited to information they can see in front of them like people, they can see all around and take the best course of action.
Click to expand...

It sort of depends on how you define these things. For example, here's an article about Uber's experience.

https://www.recode.net/2017/3/16/14...k-self-driving-internal-metrics-slow-progress

The human driver has to take over for the robot about once per mile, which is a lot, given that these cars are being operated on regular routes in a single city. And about once every 50-200 miles (depending on conditions), the driver is required to take over in a "critical" intervention, which means a case that would otherwise have resulted in hitting a person (!!) or causing more than $5,000 in damage. I drive about 10k miles per year, so at 100 miles per "critical" intervention, a driverless car for me, using current technology, would be involved in about 100 major wrecks, per year, or roughly two per WEEK. It's been 20 years since my last 'major' accident.

It's true the driver can intervene and stop those wrecks, but the problem is either the car is totally self driving or you've gained little to nothing and might actually be making things LESS safe with "self driving" technology. If the driver is safe most of the time, that means lots of drivers (more than now) will text, read, talk on the phone, eat, drink, etc. and feel somewhat 'safe' not paying attention to the road, but until the technology makes LEAPS forward, you have to pay attention every moment like you do now or risk killing someone or getting into a major wreck. And it's hard paying attention like you do now when you only need to intervene once every hour or two of driving.
 
They guy is also on the board of cheap flights airline "Ryanair", who also have issues regarding women...
 
Praxas said:
So you know personally all your cab drivers that you get into a cab with?



The requirements to drive a car are to have a driver's license, not even a valid comparison there. Now if a plumber also has a barber's license, why wouldn't I want him to cut my hair?
Click to expand...
I refuse to get into a strangers personal vehicle and I'd rather help support a traditional working class industry. I will not support the decimation of working-class jobs. My buddy drives on the side for Uber. He can't go anywhere without his little GPS app. Every time I get in cab, give them the address, they automatically know where I'm going and know this town like the back of their hands. It's what they do and it's their bread and butter and it gives me piece of mind.
 
HenryChinaski said:
I refuse to get into a strangers personal vehicle and I'd rather help support a traditional working class industry. I will not support the decimation of working-class jobs. My buddy drives on the side for Uber. He can't go anywhere without his little GPS app. Every time I get in cab, give them the address, they automatically know where I'm going and know this town like the back of their hands. It's what they do and it's their bread and butter and it gives me piece of mind.
Click to expand...

Studies have shown drivers with Uber and Lyft make as much money as taxi drivers. I do not believe riding a taxi is any safer than riding from a Uber/Lyft driver.
 
Manc Skipper said:
They guy is also on the board of cheap flights airline "Ryanair", who also have issues regarding women...
Click to expand...

Not just women. Ryanair hates all passengers with a burning passion.
 
Bucky said:
Studies have shown drivers with Uber and Lyft make as much money as taxi drivers. I do not believe riding a taxi is any safer than riding from a Uber/Lyft driver.
Click to expand...
Cool.
I find getting in a strangers personal ride creepy. I'll never do it.
 
Bucky said:
Studies have shown drivers with Uber and Lyft make as much money as taxi drivers. I do not believe riding a taxi is any safer than riding from a Uber/Lyft driver.
Click to expand...

Only for now

Uber is losing a lot of money because it has to pay drivers extra to retain them
 
Lord Tammerlain said:
Only for now

Uber is losing a lot of money because it has to pay drivers extra to retain them
Click to expand...

Uber made 6.5 billion in revenue last year. They are a company valued at $200 billion and not even public yet.
 
Bucky said:
Uber made 6.5 billion in revenue last year. They are a company valued at $200 billion and not even public yet.
Click to expand...

It's not clear how much of that was sustainable. From the looks of things these guys thought that they could play churn em and burn em forever, that they would always hop on the next best new thing.

Like they had a god or something who talked in their ear with excellent advice.

Or maybe they thought that they were really really bright.

Prob That.
 
Last edited:
HenryChinaski said:
Cool.
I find getting in a strangers personal ride creepy. I'll never do it.
Click to expand...

Yet that is exactly what you do in a cab.
I just used uber for the first time and it was way better than
The taxis which were nasty and disgusting.
 
ludin said:
Yet that is exactly what you do in a cab.
I just used uber for the first time and it was way better than
The taxis which were nasty and disgusting.
Click to expand...

True. With taxi cab drivers, the majority of them are not even legal citizens. You are seriously risking your life and safety when getting into a yellow cab.
 
Bucky said:
Uber made 6.5 billion in revenue last year. They are a company valued at $200 billion and not even public yet.
Click to expand...

And I believe it lost 2 billion last year on those revenues.

Eventually it will have to make profit. Either through higher fees or lower compensation to drivers. Meaning fewer drivers
 
Bucky said:
Uber made 6.5 billion in revenue last year. They are a company valued at $200 billion and not even public yet.
Click to expand...

That's really misleading. I think that's gross revenue, and about 80% of that is paid out to drivers. So their cut is nothing near that.

This is a pretty good analysis of their financial situation. Can Uber Ever Deliver? Part One ? Understanding Uber?s Bleak Operating Economics | naked capitalism

Bottom line is they have a negative gross margin in excess of 100%. So for every dollar they make in net revenue (after driver fees), they lose more than a dollar in net margin. They lost $2 billion for the year ended 9/2015. And the worst part is their margins aren't improving as they are scaling up.

It's great and all that a bunch of wealthy venture capitalists are subsidizing a huge amount of every fare, including several rides I took here and in France (thanks VCs!!), but it's not clear how that's sustainable or how they can create margins in a simple, low margin business, with software and an approach that's already been replicated.

One regret is they are privately held, so I can't short their stock... I read that JPM and Deutsche Bank 'passed' on selling shares to their wealthy clients because Uber would not provide detailed financials. HUGE red flag!
 
Last edited:
JasperL said:
That's really misleading. I think that's gross revenue, and about 80% of that is paid out to drivers. So their cut is nothing near that.

This is a pretty good analysis of their financial situation. Can Uber Ever Deliver? Part One ? Understanding Uber?s Bleak Operating Economics | naked capitalism

Bottom line is they have a negative gross margin in excess of 100%. So for every dollar they make in net revenue (after driver fees), they lose more than a dollar in net margin. They lost $2 billion for the year ended 9/2015. And the worst part is their margins aren't improving as they are scaling up.

It's great and all that a bunch of wealthy venture capitalists are subsidizing a huge amount of every fare, including several rides I took here and in France (thanks VCs!!), but it's not clear how that's sustainable or how they can create margins in a simple, low margin business, with software and an approach that's already been replicated.

One regret is they are privately held, so I can't short their stock... I read that JPM and Deutsche Bank 'passed' on selling shares to their wealthy clients because Uber would not provide detailed financials. HUGE red flag!
Click to expand...

LOL! Tesla hasn't made a profit and you bet you shorted their stock?

Profit isn't important for a young company like Uber. The best exampe for Uber are companies like Facebook and Amazon. Those companies didn't make any profit early in their existance.
 
Bucky said:
LOL! Tesla hasn't made a profit and you bet you shorted their stock?
Click to expand...

No, but that's hardly an apples to apples comparison. Tesla makes unique products in an incredibly R&D intensive emerging industry. Uber gives people a ride in cars. It's been done the same basic way for decades, and Uber does it much like cab companies do it in every major city on the planet.

Profit isn't important for a young company like Uber. The best exampe for Uber are companies like Facebook and Amazon. Those companies didn't make any profit early in their existance.
Click to expand...

Profit isn't important, but I don't see how they're going to make profits - at least more than the current companies providing the same services Uber does - rides in cars. What does technology do to make that more profitable, increase efficiency by leaps and bounds? Wow - instead of calling a cab company on the phone, I use an app to hail an Uber car, and can watch as it gets closer to picking me up! And then use my app to pay for the fare. Where is the disruption of the status quo? In my most recent trip, the cabs took Apple Pay. Uber needs a car, a driver, and a passenger. Same basic requirements of a traditional cab company. How can Uber provide that ride for less, and make more money as a company?

I've used the service and like it. It's very convenient, especially in areas without a lot of cabs, outside the hotel district and tourist spots. But when we travel, we are as likely to use a traditional cab as Uber because very often the traditional cab is more convenient - it's there, lined up, ready. Get in, off you go.

And like Tesla, Amazon and Facebook just aren't good comparisons.
 
Bucky said:
LOL! Tesla hasn't made a profit and you bet you shorted their stock?

Profit isn't important for a young company like Uber. The best exampe for Uber are companies like Facebook and Amazon. Those companies didn't make any profit early in their existance.
Click to expand...

For every Amazon or Facebook there is a Twitter and Pets.com

Tesla will soon have to start to make a profit, or it will go the way of Tucker. The major automakers are starting to take electric cars seriously and will start to roll out good ones soon
 
Bucky said:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/13/...st-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Hopefully this gives Travis the time to grief his mother's death and changes the misogynistic culture that exists in Uber.
Click to expand...

I think the Uber Balloon is growing beyond it's capability to erm, self-govern. There are too many hands in the pot right now. Maybe the new CEO will take it public so it can be subjected to regulations. Which honestly it needs. It's a large company, probably $80 Billion+ at this point. It almost needs it's own government council, after the messy year it had.
 
Lord Tammerlain said:
For every Amazon or Facebook there is a Twitter and Pets.com

Tesla will soon have to start to make a profit, or it will go the way of Tucker. The major automakers are starting to take electric cars seriously and will start to roll out good ones soon
Click to expand...

Amazon and twitter just barely started making profits, and twitter is shaky as it is.
 
ModerateGOP said:
Amazon and twitter just barely started making profits, and twitter is shaky as it is.
Click to expand...

do not confuse accounting profit and actual profit.
companies can be making money hands over fist while showing losses on the books.
 
ludin said:
do not confuse accounting profit and actual profit.
companies can be making money hands over fist while showing losses on the books.
Click to expand...

Amazon has been spending massive amounts of money on capital improvements and expansion to gain market share in nearly everything that involves selling of product. It is helping drive traditional retailers out of business. It is making some profit but when it stops or slows down its expansion should make quite a bit of profit.

Twitter has not found a way to make much money on its business model. Uber has not either, and its valuation is way out of whack
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom