As I warned back in April, output was going to be slow with Picayune since I’ve been ill and I’m doing what I can to combat my illness, so thanks for any positive vibes you’re sending my way. I could use them.
However, I want to through in my two cents on something making the national news.
Last weekend, the people of Austin (17% of them) rejected Proposition 1 for the Spring election. In short, it said that Uber and Lyft drivers do not have to go through the same background checks as cab drivers, aka fingerprinting. This isn’t anything new because Houston and San Antonio require this and the “ride-sharing” companies threatened to leave there too. Last I read/heard, Houston is still waiting for Uber to pack its bags. Withdrawing from the third or fourth largest US city doesn’t sound smart.
The real issue over Prop 1 was this. Who gets to write the laws? The Austin City Council many Austinites elected or corporations, one of which is trying to recall one council member it doesn’t like. Hint, its name rhymes with goober. We know who writes legislation for the State Lege…ALEC, a shell company for the Kochs and their ilk; Washington, DC has theirs written by K Street. Austin has the right to stand up for what it wants via the majority. “Local rule” has often been the battle cry of the Republicans, ergo, we along with Houston and SA exercised this. Fingerprinting does seem a tad extreme but it’s standard procedure with teachers, daycare workers and others who interact with children in Texas. To get a part-time job at the used Lego Store, employees are subject to this due to birthday parties and after-school workshops; those workers fall under the teacher umbrella.
Why should Uber and Lyft get an exception over cab drivers? I’ve heard the rhetoric, especially Cedar Park’s mayor (nee North Reaganstan) and other CyberLibertarians (nee the new Me Generation) saying existing laws already cover criminal activity. They’re forgetting how these companies are supposed to be competing with cabs, their original purpose. They want us to overlook how they’re working the refs to gain an unfair advantage. There’s also the other angle of attack…keeping people from using cheaper, more environmentally-sound public transportation. I’ll take the light rail any chance I can to avoid the downtown mess and gouged parking during SXSW. Paying for an Uber/Lyft ride just adds to the congestion for it’s another car in the mix.
I’m confident we’ll have either a crappy compromise via Bloombergian mayor Adler or this will be rammed down by the state lege like they did to communities that banned fracking on their land.
Lastly, making “extra” money as a driver sounds nice initially. Then I recall it sounds about as logical as pizza deliveries. People wearing out their cars, a continuously depreciating asset, for a pittance along with increasing their insurance risk. The rewards an be easily destroyed by the cost. I love my car too, I only drive when necessary to preserve it.