French Dispute Over The Uber Taxi App Turns Violent

As technology grows it inevitably makes its way into different business arenas. The latest to not take an I.T introduction too lightly is the taxi industry. The vehicle-booking app ‘Uber’ has been making its way around the world, splitting opinion wherever it introduces itself. Where many see it as a modern and revolutionary avenue to book taxis, others (especially the French) see it as an encouragement to kill the ‘hail-and-ride’ trade. Many taxi drivers rely on flag down fares, with un-booked rides making up the majority of their income. With customers now having access to these pre-booked taxis, traditional drivers have become greatly angered. The French government supported the angry drivers to some extent, imposing a minimum 15-minute wait between the time a customer can book and be picked. However, hail-and-ride drivers are demanding the waiting time be increased to 30 minutes as well as a minimum €60 fare for each pre-booked taxi. Yesterday saw Parisian taxi drivers take to the streets on a rampage, attacking Uber taxi’s that had passengers in. Uber confirmed the incident in a statement on its website saying : 'That taxis chose to use violence today is unacceptable, that they chose to strike is their business'. 'However, Parisians also have a choice when it comes to moving around in their city, and today's incident certainly discourages Parisians from choosing a taxi for their next ride.'