TN Case Illustrates Stupidity Of Uber's Gun Policy

A lot of people love Uber. I mean, I get it. With a click of a button on your app, a ride can come to you pretty much anywhere. You know how long it’ll be and what to look for when they get there. Then you hop in and ride wherever you need to go. It makes not having a car more tolerable for millions of Americans, but it also is handy for any number of other folks.

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It’s also good for those looking to score a little extra cash. You simply hop in your car, become an Uber driver, and you can make money whenever you feel like it. This gets really handy if you end up out of work and need to earn something as you continue your job search. I’ve known several people who kept from going under after losing a job simply because they drove for Uber of their competitor, Lyft.

The downside of driving for these companies? Well, you’re letting strangers into your car and the company’s policy keeps you from being armed. If you can’t see how that might become a problem, think a little harder. It’s a recipe for disaster.

A Tennessee Uber driver just experienced a prime reason why the policy is idiotic.

A man is wanted after police say he kidnapped an Uber driver at knifepoint who suffered serious injuries when jumping out of a moving car to try and get away from her assailant.

Driver Carolina Vargas reportledy had driven a man named Chris Miller to a motel in Cleveland, Tennessee. Miller requested that Vargas pick him back up later in the week and drive him back to where his tractor-trailer was parked.

She did, and that’s when things allegedly got ugly.

Vargas drove back out to Cleveland to pick Miller up, who claimed he knew of a faster route. When Vargas started questioning Miller about his directions, she said he pulled a knife on her then hit her in the rib cage while holding the knife.

At this point, she decided to bail out of the vehicle while traveling 55 MPH on Cleveland Highway. Police said she sustained multiple life-threatening injuries to her body. Her injuries included knocking several teeth out, cuts and bruises, as well as facial swelling. She received medical treatment and was transported to Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton, Georgia.

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Now, I can’t say definitively if Vargas would have had a gun on her was it not for Uber’s policies. It’s entirely possible she doesn’t even own a gun, much less have an interest in carrying one.

That said, though, what we do know definitively is that had she been carrying a gun, she’d have had to violate Uber’s policies to do so and could have lost her gig driving for the ride-share company if someone happened to notice and reported it. While many gun owners who might be interested in driving for Uber would simply ignore the policy, some aren’t interested in risking their relationship with the company.

Meanwhile, that policy puts people in the position of having to jump from a moving car in an effort to get away from a potential kidnapper. That’s something no company should put their employees or contractors in a position to have to do.

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