As Uber Crackdown In France Continues, Uber Downloads In France Reach Record Highs

from the marketing-the-controversy dept

We've been covering France's bizarre war against Uber, starting with last week's taxi driver riots in which they overturned Uber cars, set fires, and held drivers and passengers hostage. This was followed by a bizarre caving in by the French government, who didn't go after the taxi drivers for their actions, but rather declared that Uber should be stopped and told law enforcement to seize the cars of Uber drivers. And, yesterday it went up a notch with two top Uber execs in France getting arrested and accused of the horrible crime of "inciting illegal employment" in a country where the unemployment rate continues to rise.

We keep pointing out that the public really seems to like Uber, so this crackdown seems rather bizarre. And, not so surprisingly, it seems to only be creating that much more interest in Uber in France, with the service reaching a record high in downloads since this all went down.
So I decided to take a look at Uber downloads in France, to see what happened during the strike. Not surprisingly, they spiked. In fact, Uber last Thursday was the second-monst downloaded iPhone app in France, which was the first time that had ever happened. Then, on Friday, it hit the top spot.
As Uber has discovered in the past, controversy can be great marketing. But it really makes you wonder what French politicians think they're doing here. Yes, there are some people who really hate Uber, but the public certainly seems to find the service to be pretty damn valuable.
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Filed Under: france, protests, riots
Companies: uber


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  1. icon
    Ninja (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 12:01pm

    but the public certainly seems to find the service to be pretty damn valuable

    It's been a while since Governments cared about what the public thinks.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 1:47pm

    Can't wait for the next article where French taxi drivers slap smartphones out of people's hands, prompting the government to sue the top phone manufacturers and phone carriers for inciting a riot.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 1:49pm

    Re:

    "It's been a while since Governments cared about what the public thinks."

    I don't know, they sure put a lot of effort into hiding what they're doing from the public.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 1:52pm

    Right to Make Forgotten

    Do the taxi drivers have a right to make the public forget about Uber? I'm sure this must all be Google's fault, somehow.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 1:56pm

    Well, who would want to use a service where they are willing and able to kidnap you. Now they get to see what service uber can provide.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:09pm

    Streisand to the phone please

    Miss Barbra Streisand to the mobilphone please!
    Please everyone check your cellphone for news about Streisand! We repeat EVERYONE please check the internet for news about MOST WANTED APP in France please.
    And thank you for using Uber!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    The Dull Drone of Reality, 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:13pm

    Suppose you're in an accident during Uber trip. Do you know whether you're insured?

    That assurance is just part of why licensed drivers cost more. I think it certain that like US, insurance companies in France don't cover commercial transportation (esp of persons) at same rates. So if the driver is trying to skate by without the commercial level and you get injured, you're likely not covered!

    And there'd be no one but a poor driver to sue. A driver who's already skating and would just skedaddle. -- The Uber corporation isn't AT ALL responsible if drivers are "independent contractors". You can bet your last cent that the corporation wouldn't care even if you're paralyzed for life.

    So enjoy your Uber ride.

    Uber is like a Ponzi scheme in that wlll run until losses mount, then collapse all at once.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    The Dull Drone of Reality, 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:14pm

    Suppose you're in an accident during Uber trip. Do you know whether you're insured?

    That assurance is just part of why licensed drivers cost more. I think it certain that like US, insurance companies in France don't cover commercial transportation (esp of persons) at same rates. So if the driver is trying to skate by without the commercial level and you get injured, you're likely not covered!

    And there'd be no one but a poor driver to sue. A driver who's already skating and would just skedaddle. -- The Uber corporation isn't AT ALL responsible if drivers are "independent contractors". You can bet your last cent that the corporation wouldn't care even if you're paralyzed for life.

    So enjoy your Uber ride.

    Uber is like a Ponzi scheme in that wlll run until losses mount, then collapse all at once.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    The Dull Drone Of Reality, 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:17pm

    Why no amusing anomalies here like this "trip from hell" via Uber?

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3050281/Uber-passenger-s-New-York-car-ride-hell-compounded-s ent-12-000-bill.html

    An Uber customer was hit with a huge $16,000 bill for her 7-mile nightmare journey across New York.

    Jaime Hessel said her driver had been on his phone, cut across lanes, and even driven down a bus lane during the 35 minute 'trip from hell'


    We all know the reason: Masnick LOVES Uber -- which, incidentally, was funded by his precious Google, which directly funds Masnick.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:24pm

    Re: Why no amusing anomalies here like this "trip from hell" via Uber?

    If I might add,from your linked article:

    "The company has since pledged to refund the entire cost of her ride.

    A spokesman said: 'We apologize to this rider for any inconvenience and we have provided them with a full refund.'"

    Damn that Masnick for supporting companies that help their customers... "socialism"...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. icon
    Gwiz (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:25pm

    Re: Why no amusing anomalies here like this "trip from hell" via Uber?

    Why no amusing anomalies here like this "trip from hell" via Uber?

    It's funny that you call this instance concerning Uber an anomaly. From my experiences, overcharging tourists, rude drivers and bad driving is SOP with the taxi industry.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:26pm

    Re: Suppose you're in an accident during Uber trip. Do you know whether you're insured?

    Unless the driver has to have an inssurance or either their personal or yours covers it. I hate it too when reality doesn't agree with me

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:28pm

    Re: Re: Why no amusing anomalies here like this "trip from hell" via Uber?

    Only if you get picked up at the airport or trainstation aka if you are a tourist. Otherwise they just charge 20x the fuel cost in my exp.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. icon
    Roger Strong (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:42pm

    Re: Suppose you're in an accident during Uber trip. Do you know whether you're insured?

    No, it's not a Ponzi scheme. Uber is simply taking advantage of the drivers, but in an entirely open way.

    For now. Their service will be well-established in cities around the world just as self-driving taxis become practical. At which point the "independent contractors" are no longer needed, except for fares heading to areas with poor wireless data or mapping, or where self-driving cars are likely to be flipped and burned.

    Of course the traditional taxi services will adopt self-driving fleets at the same time. The difference between them and Uber will disappear.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  15. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:49pm

    Re: Re: Why no amusing anomalies here like this "trip from hell" via Uber?

    The apology for at the bottom of the article. OOTB would never read that far in an article before commenting on it.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  16. icon
    Spaceman Spiff (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:55pm

    No such thing?

    Given that there is no such thing as bad publicity, Uber has to be just tickled pink! They should change their logo to the Pink Panther I think!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  17. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 2:58pm

    Re: Re: Re: Why no amusing anomalies here like this "trip from hell" via Uber?

    Right, 32ish (26ish) lines might be waaaay to much to read for a normal US citizen but for a EU one that is waaaay below the "tl;dr" rule.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  18. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 3:41pm

    Duh...

    "Corporations are up in arms about XYZ"

    basically translates to:

    "XYZ is a boon for consumers"

    link to this | view in thread ]

  19. icon
    Stan (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 3:45pm

    France's reactin to Uber

    As I've mentioned elsewhere, if France had reacted to Germany's invasion 8 decades ago the way that it is reacting now to Uber, WW2 would have been over and done with in weeks.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  20. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 3:57pm

    "We keep pointing out that the public really seems to like Uber,"

    The many comments under every Uber story you write say otherwise.
    You and a couple of the fanboys think it's great, but the overwhelming tone is that people distrust uber.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  21. identicon
    Senor Space Beans, 30 Jun 2015 @ 4:01pm

    Re: Suppose you're in an accident during Uber trip. Do you know whether you're insured?

    It's funny, my state government checks to see if I have insurance before issuing my drivers licence. It doesn't cost six figures to perform said check. The license doesn't provide the insurance; it stipulates that you have insurance.

    Taxi Licenses in Paris cost so much because legacy taxi companies lobbied to have them raised to prevent any new comers from elbowing in on their market share. They've created their own problem and nobody's talking about it because it's easier to blame someone else when you've failed to innovate.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  22. identicon
    Senor Space Beans, 30 Jun 2015 @ 4:05pm

    Re: "We keep pointing out that the public really seems to like Uber,"

    Here. Let me read the article for you.

    In fact, Uber last Thursday was the second-monst downloaded iPhone app in France, which was the first time that had ever happened. Then, on Friday, it hit the top spot.


    Well gee! It seems like the public really seems to like Uber!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  23. icon
    Dan (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 4:20pm

    Re: Suppose you're in an accident during Uber trip. Do you know whether you're insured?

    Yes, you're insured. Uber provides insurance to cover both drivers and passengers. Next?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  24. icon
    Dan (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 4:29pm

    Re: Suppose you're in an accident during Uber trip. Do you know whether you're insured?

    As Uber's web site explains, yes, all Uber passengers are covered by Uber's commercial liability insurance. 15 seconds with Google (or other search engine of your choice) would have answered this question for you, but then you wouldn't have gotten to post your FUD twice.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  25. icon
    ottermaton (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 4:43pm

    Yippee!! Another article's comments almost entirely hijacked by a troll!

    Way to go to all of you halfwits that waste your time replying to the troll. You're AWESOME!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  26. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 4:51pm

    That's what happens when you don't pay the required bribes to the corrupt officials. They shut you down using hired goons and ignore those that do break the law as long as they pay off those in charge

    link to this | view in thread ]

  27. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 5:34pm

    Re: Re: "We keep pointing out that the public really seems to like Uber,"

    You and I both know that a spike in downloads does not a spike in users make.

    Show me the rise in Uber rides from this. Is there one?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  28. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 5:36pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Why no amusing anomalies here like this "trip from hell" via Uber?

    Now that's just wrong.

    Even the average American would read up to 26 lines.

    The average American trolling idiot like out_of_the_blue, though - he'll just happily admit he never reads articles and insults everybody else for actually reading them.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  29. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 5:48pm

    Re: Right to Make Forgotten

    Uber could be found via Google so they do share part of the blame for facilitating an illegal organization.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  30. icon
    That One Guy (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 5:50pm

    Re: Re: Re: "We keep pointing out that the public really seems to like Uber,"

    So 'many comments' are a good indicator that people don't trust or like Uber.

    A massive spike in downloads of the Uber app on the other hand is evidence of nothing. Because clearly a ton of people who don't like Uber just downloaded their app because... reasons?

    Good to know.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  31. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 6:43pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: "We keep pointing out that the public really seems to like Uber,"

    Reasons? ¿curiosity

    A lot of people have just heard of it for the first time - it's in the news - they've downloaded it to see how it works. There's no evidence they like it, there's no evidence they've entered their credit card number and used it.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  32. icon
    MrTroy (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 7:22pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: "We keep pointing out that the public really seems to like Uber,"

    "But... but... I asked both of my friends, and they both agreed they distrust Uber. If that's not overwhelming, I don't know what is!"

    link to this | view in thread ]

  33. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 8:01pm

    Just throw in a bunch of cheese and the french drivers will forget about why they are rioting.

    Bunch of cheese eating surrender monkeys.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  34. This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Jun 2015 @ 8:02pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: "We keep pointing out that the public really seems to like Uber,"

    My "Fanboy Bingo" card is starting to fill up.
    Need Gwiz and Ninja for the line.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  35. icon
    MrTroy (profile), 30 Jun 2015 @ 8:35pm

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: "We keep pointing out that the public really seems to like Uber,"

    I'm on a bingo card? Wow, I don't know what to say.

    I'd like to thank my parents, and my friends, I couldn't have done it without you guys...

    link to this | view in thread ]

  36. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 1 Jul 2015 @ 12:14am

    So French cab drivers just Streisanded Uber.

    Good job, sport!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  37. identicon
    ViewFromTheTower, 1 Jul 2015 @ 1:39am

    Uber last Thursday was the second-monst downloaded iPhone app in France, which was the first time that had ever happened. Then, on Friday, it hit the top spot.


    Could also mean that the Uber app has simply become a collector's item.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  38. icon
    Ninja (profile), 1 Jul 2015 @ 4:04am

    Re: Why no amusing anomalies here like this "trip from hell" via Uber?

    This driver probably won't eve be able to get any more customers both because he was exposed and because Uber app allows you to RATE. Both customers and drivers can do it. So it will eventually weed out bad users.

    Now let us talk about the same issues with cab drivers, shall we? Do the bad ones go out of business? Hardly.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  39. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 1 Jul 2015 @ 7:48am

    Of course they are downloading the app. The Uber drivers aren't attacking other drivers and their cars, or setting stuff on fire.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  40. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 1 Jul 2015 @ 5:42pm

    Re: Re: Why no amusing anomalies here like this "trip from hell" via Uber?

    The funny thing is, even blue acknowledges that this is an "anomaly". He freely admits his point is largely indefensible. What a cunt.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  41. icon
    NaBUru38 (profile), 5 Jul 2015 @ 4:43pm

    It's easy to attract customers when they pay taxes and you don't

    link to this | view in thread ]


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