California Lawmaker Votes To Kill Uber... Then Caught Driving Drunk Just Hours Later

from the karma dept

It's a little early in the data to tell for sure, but there are some early indications that ride services like Uber and Lyft decrease cases of drunk driving by making it that much easier for intoxicated people to get somewhere without getting behind the wheel themselves. So it seems notable, if somewhat ridiculous, that California State Senator Ben Hueso was arrested for drunk driving just hours after voting in favor of a taxi-lobby supported bill that would profoundly limit services like Uber and Lyft. The bill was designed to dump a bunch of unnecessary and burdensome regulations on those companies to make it difficult for them to compete or survive in California.

Hueso voted in favor of it, and then a few hours later was spotted driving the wrong way down a one way street at 2:24 in the morning.

Powell said officers identified the driver as Hueso and said he was alone in the car. Hueso showed “objective signs and symptoms” of being under the influence of alcohol and was given a field sobriety test.

He was arrested shortly after, taken in without incident and booked into Sacramento County jail at 3:27 a.m, she said. Jail records show he was booked with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher at 3:27 a.m. Powell said the CHP would not release the precise blood alcohol reading. He was released from jail late Friday morning.

Hueso has apologized for the drunk driving, but perhaps he should apologize for his vote... and for not calling an Uber to take him home (or wherever he was headed) that night...

Filed Under: ben hueso, california, drunk driving, dui, innovation, politics, regulations
Companies: lyft, uber