Uber And Lyft Jacked Up Prices As People Fled The New York Subway Shooting

[dogknob]

Rideshare apps Uber and Lyft have been accused of severely increasing the prices for rides shortly following a mass shooting on the New York subway system that left at least 13 people injured and many more fleeing in terror. Screenshots from people’s phones showing fares as high as $145 to get away from the area of the shooting have been going around Twitter as people express outrage over the grimmest bit of price gouging seen since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“@Uber turn off surges in sunset park,” wrote one local woman. “People are scared, let them get out safely.”

Both Uber and Lyft use an automatic system that detects areas of high demand and implements “surge” pricing, increasing the prices of their services based on how many people in the area are requesting them. You can see how this could at times create horrifying dystopian nightmare situations, and yet both companies continue to rely on it.

[lapfog_1]

1. ahhh, the Texas electric utility pricing model.

[madaboutharry]

2. I do believe that greed is the worst vice.

Gouging people in the aftermath of a shooting. That is gross. In fact, their entire business model seems gross.

[CrackityJones75]

3. well wait a second

The prices always fluctuate based on demand. That is an algorithm. Is there evidence that they knew there was a shooting and someone decided to manually make an adjustment?

[Eugene]

4. This has happened several times before.

This time, they say they have put a cap on surge pricing, according to the WSJ.

The usual pattern is that they gouge, and if people raise a big enough stink about it, they will issue refunds. The London Bridge attack is an example.

[FoxNewsSucks]

5. Who's surprised.

Corporations only care about maximizing profit.

And paying no taxes.

[3Hotdogs]

8. How much of that was the driver supposed to get?

[Hoyt]

6. Apparently they've already agreed, under pressure, to refund excess charges.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/12/nyregion/uber-lyft-surge-pricing-brooklyn-subway-shooting.html

[dogknob]

9. Good n/t

[drray23]

7. likely because of the algorithms governing the price.

more demand equals higher price. It's not new, that's how the uber and lyft pricing work and it's well known.