Brussels police on Monday arrested a taxi driver who confessed to taking part in several incidents of intimidation against drivers using the Uber ride-sharing app, in the latest controversy over the U.S. tech company in Europe.
Public prosecutors in the Belgian capital said the 35-year-old licensed cabbie, identified only as N.C., admitted to being among several colleagues who had ordered rides on the Uber app on Sunday evening and then intimidated drivers who arrived at the rendezvous. Police said four such cases have been reported, some involving the throwing of eggs or flour. An Uber driver’s smartphone was stolen in one case.
No one was hurt in the four incidents. But with tensions mounting between licensed taxi firms and users of the services of California-based Uber, Brussels police called a crisis meeting with cabbies’ representatives on Tuesday.
Honestly, I was surprised when I found out that this happened in Brussels and not some American city. Then I remembered that municipalities here have been in cahoots with the cab drivers they bleed to death for licensing to shut down Uber. Thankfully, they have been failing thus far.
Perhaps cab companies might want take their eyes off of legal action and compete by cleaning up the cabs and providing better service.
I swear I’m sober.
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