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There are Uber rides and then there are Uber rides - like from Waltham to Florida
By adamg on Thu, 05/16/2019 - 12:39pm
The Dig interviews an Uber driver who drove a couple from Lexington Street in Waltham to Miami Beach.
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Comments
Mule theory
There seems to be widespread agreement among those that have heard the story that he was probably being used as a drug mule. This raises the question: can you really make money running drugs from Waltham to Miami?
Not looking for employment, you understand. Just curious.
Yes.
Fung Wah, Greyhound, Amtrak...
After 9/11 it got a little tougher what with the dogs and Police officers suddenly dressed like overweight Super Soldiers carrying extended phallic compensators but it still happens. A lot.
Remember the dudes just walking around South Bay strapped with several pounds of Fentanyl?
That old guy who yells at empty chairs even made a film about it.
Going south?
Don't drugs usually flow north? Taking weed to Florida seems a bit like taking coal to Newcastle...
Yes
"After 9/11 it got a little tougher what with the dogs and Police officers suddenly dressed like overweight Super Soldiers carrying extended phallic compensators but it still happens."
Yes, crazy that guys carried big guns after the US was attacked killing 3k people, then some dude tried to blow up a plane with a shoe bomb. Clearly it was all a ploy to compensate for small dicks.
It doesn't really sound like
It doesn't really sound like this couple had the most well-thought-out plan to get rich. They had to take some contraband (probably drugs) from Waltham to Miami and couldn't figure out any other way to do it. TBH this sounds more like they got themselves into a bad situation and had to get out quickly more than a brilliant new scheme to get rich by disrupting the drug-running industry.
So..
So Uber had no problem with allowing a driver to drive 27 hours straight with no sleep? It's not like this flew under their radar; an agent was in touch with the driver due to the non-standard nature of the trip. There's got to be a point well under 27 hours where driving without sleep becomes no different from drunk driving. (googling drowsy driving seems to confirm this)
Independent contractor
Nobody forced the driver to make the trip
Pretty sure plenty of truck
Pretty sure plenty of truck drivers are independent contractors and not allowed to drive over a certain amount of hours consecutively. This uber driver calls himself a "hero" when he put people in danger. No one can be a responsible driver after that many hours. Uber should be held to the same standards as the trucking industry.
Hero?
I missed that part.
There was an agreement between two parties and the independent contractor agreed to the terms.
He would not be penalized by Uber for refusing a fare and it could be argued Uber is merely fostering the exchange of services.
A few months ago Uber
A few months ago Uber implemented hours of service for MA-based drivers. Once you hit 12 hours of driving time you must go offline for at least 8 consecutive hours.
I'm not sure how this is implemented regarding trips longer than 12 hours though. It might not kick you off until you finish your current trip.
As for why Uber was okay with it after he contacted support, they probably assumed he had arranged with the passengers to stop at a hotel overnight, or would be enough of a responsible adult to recognize when he was too tired to drive and stop for a nap.
Probably not a mule.
I mean, who takes weed from Boston TO Miami?
It sort of makes sense. Maybe
It sort of makes sense. Maybe nowadays weed goes north -> south...and the other stuff goes south -> north. Comparative advantage and all that...
Money
Money going back the other way however, makes sense...
Already saw the movie ..
Meet the Millers, lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vsy5KzsieQ
More likely
it was cash returning to Miami after a coke run to Waltham.
How much cash
fits in 5 backpacks? Enough to afford a $3000 cab ride, I suppose. Nevertheless it seems kind of amateurish. It's not exactly laying low.
Reminds me
Of a similar story from a video I watched a while back
https://youtube.com/watch?v=YR6Wh2Zy9jE