Uber is an online service that has come under the spotlight before, being in the bad books of certain parties, even getting sued by San Francisco taxis because of “unfair competition”. Well, it looks like this kind of dislike for Uber is more or less universal, since Germany has also decided to decline the use of the Uber app after Berlin decided to lay down the banhammer on the app, following in the footsteps of Hamburg. The reason behind this ban? Safety of the passengers.
A ruling from Berlin’s City State Department of Civil and Regulatory Affairs claimed that Uber, which was designed at a California-based company, does not go the extra mile (pardon the pun) when it comes protecting its passengers from unlicensed drivers. Not only that, Uber also has not done enough to offer adequate insurance for its drivers and their passengers in the event of an accident.
Should Uber decide to go ahead in Berlin, it would be liable to a fine of €25,000. Needless to say, Uber is not going to take this ban lying down, and are expected to appeal. As to whether they will succeed or not remains to be seen. What do you think of this ban, and will other cities follow?
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