<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/detroit">Detroit</a>-based rap performer Dank Demoss is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lawsuit">suing</a> Lyft over a driver refusing her service because of her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/obesity">weight</a>.
A video of an interaction between the woman, whose real name is Dajua Blanding, went viral on social media. Blanding and the Lyft driver are heard arguing as he explains that he won’t be able to accommodate her in his vehicle.
&#8220;I can fit in this car,&#8221; Blanding can be heard saying, to which the driver responded, &#8220;Believe me, you can&#8217;t.&#8221;
The Lyft driver apologized and assured Blanding she would not be charged for the service. He also said she could try ordering a larger sized vehicle such as an Uber XL.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
He denied her uber request because she was too big <a href="https://t.co/S7qhm7mU0N">pic.twitter.com/S7qhm7mU0N</a>
&mdash; Zaza Man (@Zazamyodor) <a href="https://twitter.com/Zazamyodor/status/1883268194510754003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I&#8217;ve been in cars smaller than that,&#8221; the rapper <a href="https://www.fox2detroit.com/news/detroit-rapper-sues-after-lyft-driver-says-she-wont-fit-his-car">told</a> the local Detroit affiliate FOX 2. &#8220;I just want them to know that it hurt my feelings.&#8221;
Since then, Blanding took to Instagram to announce that she was suing Lyft for discrimination. &#8220;If I [don’t] stand for something, I&#8217;ll fall for anything,” she wrote in the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DFWFWqbSpru/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1">post</a>. “Thank you to my lawyers, Marco and Zach Runyan! Fighting for my community my people and making a change in the world, not just for me, but for everyone. Thank you to my team and all the support I’m getting.”
Since the video went viral, Lyft has also released a statement on the interaction.
&#8220;Lyft unequivocally condemns all forms of discrimination—we believe in a community where everyone is treated with equal respect and mutual kindness. Our community guidelines and terms of service explicitly prohibit harassment or discrimination,” the rideshare company said, per Fox 2.
Social media reactions were mixed, with many users siding with the Lyft driver and saying he had the right to refuse service if it was for a valid safety concern. Some users also noted that Blanding would likely be required to purchase more than one seat on an airplane, which they used as a comparable situation.
“The Uber driver has the right to deny service if he or she feels there is a valid concern for their safety or the safety of the rider(s). I think the driver made the correct decision here,” one person <a href="https://x.com/MauriceCooley/status/1883884873007693989">wrote</a> in response to the video.
A second commenter <a href="https://x.com/Pennywise_7/status/1883675108981809595">said</a>, “I actually had 3 overweight men bottom out and ruin my shocks and break the frame of my car when I was an uber driver way back. This is reasonable.”
“I understand both sides. That’s his personal vehicle and if anything was to happen, Lyft isn’t buying him a new car. Also, denying her service is embarrassing and unprofessional, but unfortunately I do understand why,” a third person <a href="https://x.com/fentyDOM/status/1883686124910264712">said</a>.
The Instagram comments showed a similar response. One popular reaction to Blanding’s announcement that she was suing Lyft said, “So friend you mad because someone wasn’t comfortable with you getting in their car? I’m big too and I know some cars I have no business in. That car was already low to the floor.&#8221;
The commenter continued, “He also was very respectful and didn’t try to humiliate you! All you had to do was let him cancel and send you another one… We have bigger issues in our community like high blood pressure and diabetes.”

Lyft Car

Morbidly Obese Rapper Sues Lyft After Being Denied Service Due To Her Size

Courts

Detroit

Discrimination

Lawsuit

Lyft

Obesity

U.S.

Uber

Stripe and Lyft became the latest <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">technology</a> companies on Thursday to dismiss large portions of their <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">workforce</a>, while Amazon announced that they would freeze hiring.
Although <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">macroeconomic</a> headwinds have impacted most industries, the technology sector has witnessed the most pronounced <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/stock-market" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stock market</a> selloffs. Companies such as Meta recently issued dismal <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meta-shares-fall-to-lowest-level-since-2016-as-company-burns-billions-on-metaverse-inflates-payrolls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third-quarter earnings</a> reports, leading some executives and investors to pursue layoffs in order to reduce costs through the choppy economic waters.
Stripe CEO Patrick Collison sent a <a href="https://stripe.com/newsroom/news/ceo-patrick-collisons-email-to-stripe-employees" target="_blank" rel="noopener">note</a> to employees at the payment processing platform announcing that executives would be reducing headcount by roughly 14% due to “sparser startup funding” and other trends stemming from the poor economy. “Our business is fundamentally well-positioned to weather harsh circumstances. We provide an important foundation to our customers and Stripe is not a discretionary service that customers turn off if budget is squeezed,” Collison wrote. “However, we do need to match the pace of our investments with the realities around us.”
The move will reduce headcount to roughly 7,000, marking the same number of workers Stripe employed at the beginning of the year. Collison added that the company was “much too optimistic” about the internet economy’s growth and “grew operating costs too quickly.”
Meanwhile, Lyft CEO Logan Green and Lyft President John Zimmer said in an <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/03/lyft-cuts-13percent-of-its-workforce.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">email</a> obtained by CNBC that the ridesharing company would dismiss 13% of workers based upon “deprioritized initiatives, an effort to reduce management layers, broader savings goals, and, in some cases, performance trajectory.” The company currently has approximately 5,000 employees.
“There are several challenges playing out across the economy. We’re facing a probable recession sometime in the next year and rideshare insurance costs are going up,” the executives wrote. “We worked hard to bring down costs this summer: we slowed, then froze hiring; cut spending; and paused less-critical initiatives. Still, Lyft has to become leaner, which requires us to part with incredible team members.”
Also on Thursday, Amazon Senior Vice President of People Experience and Technology Beth Galetti <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/workplace/a-note-about-hiring-from-beth-galetti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">informed</a> employees that the e-commerce giant would institute a freeze on incremental hires in the corporate workforce. “We anticipate keeping this pause in place for the next few months, and will continue to monitor what we’re seeing in the economy and the business to adjust as we think makes sense,” she said.
Several technology companies, including Microsoft, Tesla, and Coinbase, already announced <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/recession-fears-lead-big-tech-companies-to-pause-hiring-cut-jobs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hiring pauses or layoffs</a> earlier this year. Elon Musk, who recently took control of social media platform Twitter, plans to dismiss 3,700 of the company’s 7,500 employees as soon as Friday, according to a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-purge-begins-musk-is-terminating-massive-number-of-twitter-employees-on-friday-report-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from Bloomberg News.
In a recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meta-shares-fall-to-lowest-level-since-2016-as-company-burns-billions-on-metaverse-inflates-payrolls" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a>, Altimeter Capital Management CEO Brad Gerstner told Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg that his company, which has more than tripled its workforce from 25,000 people to 85,000 people over the past four years, could reduce costs by cutting bloated payrolls.
“It is a poorly kept secret in Silicon Valley that companies ranging from Google to Meta to Twitter to Uber could achieve similar levels of revenue with far fewer people,” the investor remarked. “I would take it a step further and argue that these incredible companies would run even better and more efficiently without the layers and lethargy that comes with this extreme rate of employee expansion.”

Close-up Of Unemployed Businessperson Carrying Cardboard Box

Two More Tech Companies Fire Large Portions Of Their Staff

Stripe, Lyft Latest Companies To Lay Off Workers, Amazon Freezes Hiring

Amazon

Big Tech

Business

Economy

Jobs

Recession

Stock Market

Technology

Sidney Wolf, a former senior policy adviser for Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/andrew-cuomo">Andrew Cuomo</a> (D-NY), was struck and killed by a car Sunday after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lyft">Lyft</a> driver forced him to exit the vehicle, according to police.
The 43-year-old father of two was riding with a group of five friends on Coastal Highway in Delaware in the early hours of Sunday morning, Fox 5 <a href="https://www.fox5dc.com/news/maryland-man-killed-after-lyft-driver-ends-ride-on-dewey-beach-highway-sidney-wolf-former-cuomo-advisor">reported</a>. Wolf and his friends were told to get out of the Lyft vehicle in the middle of the highway before he was fatally struck by another car.
“This is an extremely difficult time for our family,” the Wolf family wrote in a statement to Fox 5. “The level of shock and pain we feel right now cannot be measured as we continue to grieve. We truly appreciate the outpouring of love and support we’ve received and kindly request that the family’s privacy is respected as we move through this process.”
According to police, a disagreement arose between the Lyft driver and the passengers. The driver then stopped in the left lane and forced the passengers to exit the vehicle, according to a police report. Wolf was hit when a Toyota Corolla switched lanes to avoid hitting the Lyft vehicle but did not see Wolf standing in the road. Wolf died on the scene, and the other passengers were unharmed.
The driver of the Toyota pulled over, but according to detectives, the Lyft driver fled the scene in what is believed to be a white Honda Pilot and has yet to be identified by authorities.
A Lyft spokesperson told Fox 5 that the company was “heartbroken” by Wolf’s tragic death. “Our hearts are with the victim&#8217;s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time, and we’ve reached out to the ride requester to offer our support. We are in contact with law enforcement and will assist them however we can,” Lyft said in a statement.
A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/sid-wolf-and-his-family?qid=15ef02d14636a8417d3f72e612bcd0dc">GoFundMe</a> set up Monday for Wolf’s family described the former governor&#8217;s adviser as a great husband, father, friend, and neighbor. The fundraiser quickly reached over $50,000.

Former Senior Staffer For Andrew Cuomo Struck Dead By Car After Lyft Driver Forced Him Out On Highway, Police Say

Andrew Cuomo

Cars

Delaware

New York

Three <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/uber">Uber</a> and <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/lyft">Lyft</a> drivers filed a class action lawsuit in <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/california">California</a> on Tuesday over alleged <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/antitrust">anticompetitive</a> practices that impact gig <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/economy">economy</a> workers.
The two firms “label their drivers independent contractors, yet deprive those drivers of economic independence by fixing the prices that drivers must charge to customers for rides,” according to the <a href="https://towardsjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Uber-Lyft-Complaint.6.20.2022-3.pdf">suit</a> filed by legal nonprofit Towards Justice, which argued that the drivers would have increased earnings under a regime with more pricing freedom.
“Uber and Lyft have insisted that they do not employ their drivers,” David Seligman, executive director of Towards Justice, said in a <a href="https://towardsjustice.org/2022/06/21/press-release-drivers-sue-to-block-uber-lyfts-illegal-price-fixing/">press release</a>. “But if Uber and Lyft are not employers responsible to their employees under labor standards laws, then they are powerful corporations that fix prices, abuse their power, and deceive the workers who drive their profits.”
Beyond the purported price fixing, the plaintiffs argue that Uber and Lyft have been taking greater portions of the sums that riders pay for the service.
Two years ago, a California court <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/uber-lyft-avoid-state-wide-shutdown-amidst-legal-battle-with-california">ruled in favor</a> of Uber and Lyft in a lawsuit that would have pressed the firms to classify independent contractors as employees. The most recent lawsuit against the firms also comes one year after Democratic lawmakers introduced the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-democrats-pro-act-three-things-you-need-to-know">narrow the definition</a> of an independent contractor under the guise of granting them more protections.
“Big Labor incrementally attacks any form of gig work, or contracting, and they come for ride sharing companies first,” Gabriella Hoffman, a freelance media strategist and Townhall columnist who has written extensively about the gig economy, told The Daily Wire. “If you poll rideshare drivers, however, they voluntarily go into this line of work and enjoy the flexibility that comes with the job.”
Indeed, Uber released a poll in 2020 showing that drivers preferred to remain as independent contractors when offered a handful of benefits by the company, according to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2020/08/25/uber-independent-contractors-employees-poll">Axios</a>. Another poll from Lyft likewise showed that most drivers preferred their contractor arrangements.
<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/12/08/the-state-of-gig-work-in-2021/">Pew Research</a> found in 2021 that 16% of Americans — including 30% of Hispanics, 20% of African Americans, and 12% of whites — have participated in gig economy work, such as shopping for and delivering groceries, cleaning homes, or delivering packages. Young Americans and those with low incomes are most likely to earn money through a gig platform.
“Independent contracting liberates workers from the constraints of traditional work — including unionized jobs,” Hoffman argued. “Workers want more flexibility and freedom to be more fulfilled in their careers. &#8230; Freelancing, as a whole, is a pro-family, pro-free enterprise, pro-free market policy that empowers individuals. And it&#8217;s a great option for women who juggle career and family.”
Although unemployment is presently 3.6% and wages are nominally rising, real average hourly wages <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/realer.nr0.htm">dropped</a> 3% between May 2021 and May 2022 amid rising inflation — meaning that Americans must tighten their budgets or work more than last year to enjoy the same standard of living. Accordingly, a poll taken earlier this year by <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220413006071/en/Rising-Inflation-Leads-More-Workers-to-the-Gig-Economy-Citing-Increased-Expenses-and-Fuel-Costs">Branch and Marqeta</a> showed that 85% of respondents “increased or planned to increase their gig work,” with 58% “citing inflation as the primary reason.”

Close up of young woman using mobile app device on smartphone to arrange taxi ride in downtown city street, with illuminated busy city traffic scene during rush hour with traffic congestion in the evening

New Legal Battle Begins Over Gig Economy Work At Uber And Lyft

Uber And Lyft Drivers Sue Companies For Antitrust Violation

Antitrust

California

As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/recession">recession</a> fears loom over America’s C-suites, several leading <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/big-tech">Big Tech</a> companies are tapping the brakes on hiring new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/unemployment">employees</a>.
The United States economy contracted at a 1.5% annualized rate during the first quarter of 2022, according to the <a href="https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/gdp1q22_2nd.pdf">Bureau of Economic Analysis</a>, which associates recessions with <a href="https://www.bea.gov/help/glossary?title_1=All&amp;title=&amp;page=6#:~:text=The%20NBER%20recession%20is%20a,well%20as%20quarterly%20GDP%20growth.">two consecutive quarters</a> of negative growth. The Nasdaq — a technology-heavy stock index — has endured losses for most of the year, at one point enduring its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tech-stocks-see-worst-losing-streak-since-dot-com-bubble">worst selloff</a> since the dot-com bubble in 2001.
Microsoft is the latest firm to slow hiring throughout the company. According to a Monday report from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-hiring-slowdown-downturn-recession-open-roles-2022-6">Business Insider</a>, Microsoft is slowing the growth of a cybersecurity venture spearheaded by former Amazon executive Charlie Bell from their projected growth of 4,000 to just adding 200 jobs. The company is also seeking to increase pay and prevent employee attrition to competing firms.
Meanwhile, cryptocurrency firm Coinbase announced that it would respond to “current market conditions and ongoing business prioritization efforts” by extending its hiring pause “for both new and backfill roles for the foreseeable future,&#8221; as well as rescinding “a number of accepted offers,” according to a <a href="https://blog.coinbase.com/update-on-hiring-plans-bcedfa634989">blog post</a> from Coinbase Chief People Officer LJ Brock.
“We always knew crypto would be volatile, but that volatility alongside larger economic factors may test the company, and us personally, in new ways,” the post said.
Ridesharing company Lyft will slow hiring and bolster stock options in response to its sliding share price. “It’s clear from our discussions with other business leaders that every company is taking a hard look at how they respond to concerns about an economic slowdown and the dramatic change in investor sentiment,” Lyft President John Zimmer wrote in an internal memo seen by <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/lyft-to-pause-hiring-and-reduce-budgets-to-reduce-costs-as-shares-plunge-amid-investor-concerns-11653426208">The Wall Street Journal</a>. “Given the slower than expected recovery and need to accelerate leverage in the business, we’ve made the difficult but important decision to significantly slow hiring in the US.”
Last week, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/exclusive-musk-says-tesla-needs-cut-staff-by-10-pauses-all-hiring-2022-06-03/">Reuters</a> revealed that Tesla CEO Elon Musk told executives he wanted to cut 10% of the firm’s 99,000 jobs due to his “super bad feeling” about the economy. He instructed company leaders to “pause all hiring worldwide.” The message came two days after Musk <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/musk-remote-work-is-no-longer-acceptable-at-tesla">said in another email</a> that “remote work is no longer” acceptable at Tesla.
“If there are particularly exceptional contributors for whom this is impossible, I will review and approve those exceptions directly,” he directed, adding that the workplace “must be a main Tesla office, not a remote branch office unrelated to the job duties, for example being responsible for Fremont factory human relations, but having your office in another state.”
Before the most recent news on economic activity, the United States had been <a href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2022/gross-domestic-product-fourth-quarter-and-year-2021-advance-estimate">recovering</a> from COVID-19 and the lockdown-induced recession — growing at a strong 5.7% in 2021 after contracting 3.4% in 2020. The economy, however, has also been troubled by numerous phenomena — including <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/consumers-disliked-2021s-economy-more-than-2020s">persistent inflation</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-slammed-for-remarks-on-enormously-high-gas-prices-theyre-saying-the-quiet-part-out-loud-now">high gas prices</a>, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/economist-warns-that-world-is-in-early-stages-of-very-significant-recession">Russian invasion of Ukraine</a>.
Consumer sentiment is collapsing amid the negative trends. According to a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/poll-finds-more-americans-are-pessimistic-about-their-standard-of-living">poll</a> conducted by The Wall Street Journal and the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center (NORC), 83% of respondents described the state of the economy “as poor or not so good.” Meanwhile, 35% said they are not “satisfied at all with their financial situation” — the highest level since the poll began in 1972.

Day 1 – Mobile World Congress 2022

Recession Fears Lead Big Tech Companies To Pause Hiring, Cut Jobs

Several Major Tech Companies Slow Hiring As Recession Fears Loom

Microsoft

Tesla

Ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft ended their mask mandates for riders and drivers on Tuesday.
The move follows U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-federal-judge-in-florida-voids-bidens-national-mask-mandate-at-airports-planes-public-transit">ruling</a> on Monday that the federal travel mask mandate was unlawful because it “exceeded the CDC’s statutory authority, improperly invoked the good cause exception to notice and comment rulemaking, and failed to adequately explain its decisions.” 
“As of April 19, 2022, riders and drivers are not required to wear masks when using Uber,” the firm said on its <a href="https://www.uber.com/us/en/safety/">website</a>. “However, the CDC still recommends wearing a mask if you have certain personal risk factors and/or high transmission levels in your area.”
“Remember: many people still feel safer wearing a mask because of personal or family health situations, so please be respectful of their preferences,” Uber’s website continued. “And if you ever feel uncomfortable, you can always cancel the trip.”
Uber also announced that its previous “no-front-seat” policy has been removed.
Lyft released a similar <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/19/uber-drops-mask-requirements-passengers.html">statement</a>, adding that “everyone has different comfort levels, and anyone who wants to continue wearing a mask is encouraged to do so.”
After the ruling from Mizelle, major <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-u-s-airlines-each-reveal-if-they-will-continue-to-enforce-bidens-mask-mandate">airlines</a> revoked their mask mandates. Amtrak likewise <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/amtrak-removes-mask-mandate-for-passengers-employees">ended</a> its mandate, encouraging passengers to wear masks as an “optional preventative measure.”
A Monday statement from the Biden administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-responds-to-florida-federal-judge-voiding-national-mask-mandate-on-airplanes">announced</a> that officials will be considering “potential next steps,” while admitting that the CDC’s masking order is no longer in effect.
“The agencies are reviewing the decision and assessing potential next steps,” an administration official <a href="https://twitter.com/PhilipWegmann/status/1516174890839298053">said</a>. “In the meantime, today’s court decision means CDC’s public transportation masking order is not in effect at this time. Therefore, TSA will not enforce its Security Directives and Emergency Amendment requiring mask use on public transportation and transportation hubs at this time. CDC recommends that people continue to wear masks in indoor public transportation settings.”
When pressed on the administration’s approach to masking policies by Fox News reporter Peter Doocy on Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/psaki-snaps-im-not-a-doctor-when-pressed-on-white-house-masking-policy">snapped</a> that she is “not a doctor.”
“You said about this mask ruling out of a federal court in Florida that it’s a ‘disappointing decision,’ and you say you continue to recommend that people wear masks,” Doocy said. “Why is it that we can sit here in the White House briefing room with no masks, but people can’t sit in an airplane cabin with no masks?”
“Well, Peter, I’m not a doctor,” Psaki replied. “You’re not a doctor — that I’m aware of.  If you’re a doctor, I wasn’t aware of that today — until today.”
“Can confirm,” Doocy replied. 
“Okay, not a doctor,” Psaki said. “Just making sure. I don’t know.”
“Some people can still wear a mask if they want to — many people do — or wear them in meetings or wear them at certain times where you’re going to be around or sitting close to people, or maybe you have an immunocompromised parent or — or friend,” Psaki added. “And so people make that decision. And there’s — this is based on health considerations and data that the CDC looks at about transmissibility as — as we’ve seen an increase in cases on — on airplanes.”

Uber, Lyft Drop Mask Mandates For Drivers And Passengers

COVID

Face Masks

Mask Mandate

Travel Restrictions

On Wednesday, Uber riders across America began paying a maximum 55 cent fuel charge. That same day, competing ride-share company Lyft announced it will impose a similar fee that will be added to rides starting next week. Both companies said in statements the move is to help off-set high gas prices for drivers who have to pay for their gasoline at the pump.
The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/03/16/fuel-surcharge-taxi-uber-lyft/">reported</a> that Uber said that &#8220;the surcharges are based on average trip distances and the increase in gas prices in each state.&#8221;
&#8220;It said the fee will remain in place for 60 days and will go to &#8216;help reduce the burden&#8217; on drivers who are feeling the sting of record gas prices,&#8221; the Post added.
Likewise, Lyft said in a blog post that as gas prices fluctuate, the company will &#8220;continue monitoring gas prices, listening to how drivers are being impacted, and finding ways to support them as things evolve.&#8221;
Taxis in some areas are adding a $1 surcharge as well. In Washington, D.C., district regulators announced the new fee, the Post reported:
<blockquote>“The surcharge will help offset the effects of the U.S. ban on Russian oil and high prices at the gas pump,” the District’s Department of For-Hire Vehicles said in a statement. The agency said the surcharge will remain in effect for 120 days.</blockquote>
Many taxi drivers and managers welcomed the move, according to the Post:
<blockquote>
Roy Spooner, general manager of D.C. Yellow Cab, said the additional dollar can help drivers as gas prices are “getting worse every day” and demand for fares hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
“When you think about how regular gas has pretty much doubled, every little bit helps,” Spooner said. “That extra dollar of gas will probably get you three or four miles and the average trip in the city is five miles, so you got some help with it.”
</blockquote>
The Daily Wire recently reported that other folks are taking to a different approach to beating pain at the pump — stealing gasoline.
Thieves in North Carolina stole nearly 400 gallons of gasoline from one gas station in the Tar Heel State on Tuesday:
<blockquote>
According to local TV station <a href="https://myfox8.com/news/north-carolina/high-point/400-gallons-of-gas-stolen-from-high-point-gas-station/">WGHP</a>, the thieves attacked the Bizzy Bee Grocery and BP gas station in High Point, North Carolina, and stole almost 400 gallons of gasoline directly from its pumps late Tuesday evening, after the station had closed for the night. Gas station owner Hardik Patel told WGHP that about 15 cars in total showed up to the pumps, stealing about $1,600 in gas. “I lost a lot of money last night,” Patel said. “It’s a lot of money to be lost. It’s really bad.”
</blockquote>
The Daily Wire added this newest heist was tied to surging fuel prices:
<blockquote>The gas expert said the theft was not common, but he tied it to the record spike in gas prices. The Daily Wire reported last week that gas surged to a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-u-s-national-average-price-of-gasoline-hits-new-all-time-record-high-report-says">record high</a> of $4.104 per gallon, breaking the previous record set all the way back in 2008. Gas prices have continued to surge since then and currently sit at about $4.30 per gallon on average nationwide, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">AAA,</a> though some <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/experts-predict-some-gas-price-relief-after-oil-prices-slide-under-100-a-barrel">relief</a> is expected as oil prices slide downward.</blockquote>

Gas Pump

Uber, Lyft, And Taxis Add Fuel Fees To Offset High Gas Prices

Oil and Gas

Uber and Lyft introduced a new partnership on Thursday, announcing that the two competing ride-share service companies will be working in conjunction with a third party in order to share information with each other about drivers who have been ousted from their services over accusations of sexual assault and other crimes. The move is reportedly an attempt to prevent banned drivers from switching to another company once they have been deactivated from one.
The two companies will work together to create a database that will begin by listing information about drivers who have been kicked out of the services in the United States. However, the platform will also reportedly be available to other companies that utilize workers in similar ways, like services that hire people to deliver groceries or food from take-out places.
The &#8220;sharing safety program&#8221; will be supervised by <a href="https://www.hireright.com/">HireRight</a>, which is a background checking service. The companies are incorporating a third party group in order to avoid legal issues over competing companies being able to see private data.
&#8220;Deactivation data sharing is not a new concept — we do this already in certain jurisdictions like Chicago where there&#8217;s a regulatory framework that allows us to share this information,&#8221; <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/11/tech/uber-lyft-sharing-safety-program/index.html">said</a> Tony West, Uber’s chief legal officer.
He added that &#8220;one of the difficult hurdles we had to work through was how do we share this information in a way that respects the various privacy laws that exist in many different states; that address the various antitrust laws that exist in various states; how do you do this in a way that is legally compliant and that is appropriate.&#8221;
In 2018, there were over 3,000 sexual assaults <a href="https://apnews.com/article/28bd098985281ad1739ef98523f09e60">reported</a> on Uber&#8217;s service. When the company divulged this information, it promised to provide safety reports every two years. In its report, Uber <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/11/tech/uber-lyft-sharing-safety-program/index.html">said</a> it was &#8220;committed to finding a way to share the names of drivers who have been banned from our platform for the most serious safety incidents with our ridesharing peers.&#8221;
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi <a href="https://twitter.com/dkhos/status/1202734265835741184?s=11">tweeted</a> about the report at the time, saying, “I suspect many people will be surprised at how rare these incidents are; others will understandably think they’re still too common. Some people will appreciate how much we’ve done on safety; others will say we have more work to do. They will all be right.”
The company has faced criticism from those who thought they had not done enough to promote safety for the people using the service. Thursday&#8217;s announcement brought praise from some who had been critical in the past, including the victims&#8217; rights group, Rape, Abuse, &amp; Incest National Network. The network&#8217;s president, Scott Berkowitz said, “Sexual violence thrives in secrecy &#8230; Thanks to this initiative, perpetrators will no longer be able to hide or escape accountability by simply switching ridesharing platforms.”
It is not clear whether or not the allegations and accusations made against drivers must be established in court in order for the drivers to be blacklisted on the database. While drivers undergo yearly background checks, as well as ongoing monitoring, it seems as if the database will be able to serve as an added level of checks for crimes that are not reported to law enforcement.
Jennifer Brandenburger, Lyft&#8217;s head of policy development, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/11/tech/uber-lyft-sharing-safety-program/index.html">discussed</a> sexual assault offenses, saying, &#8220;Even when these crimes are reported, they are much less likely than others to result in an arrest and charges and very unlikely to result in a conviction &#8230; As a result, these types of crimes are just less likely to show up on the screenings both companies already do.&#8221;
Brandenburger added, &#8220;That said, when survivors report these types of incidents, what we hear often is that while they may not feel comfortable going to the police, they do want to make sure what happened to them doesn&#8217;t happen to anyone else. That&#8217;s where we believe we can play a role.&#8221;
The companies plan to protect the information of users and victims for now, consistent with Uber&#8217;s actions in the past when it refused to provide California&#8217;s Public Utilities Commission with contact information of victims after its 2019 report was released. When Uber refused to hand over the information, the group fined Uber $59 million and the issue is now in the appeals stage, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/uber-lyft-team-up-database-expose-abusive-drivers-b94fa318dd2d59bd1f32063a574b7905">Associated Press</a>.
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uber-lyft-team-up-database-expose-abusive-drivers-b94fa318dd2d59bd1f32063a574b7905">AP</a> reports that &#8220;no passenger information will be shared in the database.&#8221; The different circumstances that caused a driver to be dismissed will include six general categories, such as &#8220;attempted non-consensual sexual penetration; non-consensual touching of a sexual body part; non-consensual kissing of a sexual body part; non-consensual kissing of a non-sexual body part; non-consensual sexual penetration; and fatal physical assaults.&#8221;
The database currently only includes drivers who have been deactivated, not riders. However, West said, &#8220;I can see why adopting this for riders would also be desirable. I would say, this is a first step.&#8221;
West told the Associated Press, “Lyft and Uber are competitors in a whole lot of ways, but on this issue of safety, we completely agree that folks should be safe no matter what platform they choose.&#8221;

B6C82934-008A-4AD7-A1CD-9BC458803FA5_4_5005_c

Uber, Lyft Introduce Program To Share Information About Drivers Accused Of Abusive Behavior

Harassment

A Portland City Commissioner who pushed to cut funds to the police department and claimed most 911 calls are unnecessary called 911 when a Lyft driver tried to cancel her ride and drop her off at a gas station.
According to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/portland-city-commissioner-defund-police-called-911-lyft-driver">Fox News</a>, Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty allegedly demanded that Lyft driver Richmond Frost roll the windows up because she said she was cold. Lyft&#8217;s instructions for its drivers on how to deal with the coronavirus <a href="https://www.lyft.com/safety/coronavirus">state clearly</a>: “Roll down the windows during trips and / or use the car’s vents to bring in fresh outside air. Avoid using the recirculated air option for the car’s ventilation.”
“Hardesty, who heads up Portland&#8217;s 911 system, had been picked up from ilani Casino in Washington when the series of disagreements began,” <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8936655/Portland-commissioner-wants-18m-cut-police-department-called-911-Lyft-driver.html">the Daily Mail</a> reported.
<a href="https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/487428-392372-commissioner-hardesty-safety-concern-prompted-lyft-ride-911-call">The Portland Tribune</a> notes that “Hardesty has pushed to cut the police budget noting that many 911 calls are unnecessary, and police response often not needed.&#8221;
Hardesty called 911, followed by Frost doing the same. In Hardesty’s call the exchange went like this:
<blockquote>HARDESTY: Well, I&#8217;ve got a Lyft driver that decided he would just drop me off at a filling station. Well, I&#8217;m not getting out of the car, in the dark, at a filling station, not happening. All because I asked him to put the window up. But I&#8217;m not leaving. He says I have to get out of his car or he’s calling the police. So I decided to call for him.
911 OPERATOR: Okay. I mean, technically, it’s his property and you have a civil agreement. There’s no crimes involved.
HARDESTY: Well, he said he was calling the cops.
911 OPERATOR: It’s not a crime to call the cops.</blockquote>
Hardesty started to speak, prompting the 911 operator to ask, “What was that?”
<blockquote>HARDESTY: I said, I am not going to allow him to leave me on the side of the road. I paid for a ride and he says he canceled it, so I&#8217;m just going to sit here until he sends me another ride.
FROST: I can’t send you a ride.
911 OPERATOR: Only you can order another ride.
HARDESTY: This is not a police issue? Then I won’t hang up, but I’m not getting out of this car in the dark.
911 OPERATOR: Do you understand that only you can order another ride?
HARDESTY: Well, I didn’t cancel the ride; he canceled the ride.
911 OPERATOR: Which is his obligation as a human being on the basis he has a right to cancel a contract like that. It’s not a crime; part of your user license agreement when you accept taking rides with strangers. So I can have an officer come out but they’re not going to be able to make him stay there.
HARDESTY: I mean, he can’t go anywhere cause I’m not moving until another car comes.
911 OPERATOR: So I can have officers come out. Where are you?
HARDESTY: I don’t know where I am. Apparently I’m at the Chevron.
911 OPERATOR: In what city?
HARDESTY, prompted by Lyft:  In Richfield.
911 OPERATOR: What’s your name?
HARDESTY: My name is Jo Anne Hardesty.
911 OPERATOR: All right. We’ll have officers come out.</blockquote>
Frost’s call started with him alerting the 911 operator where he was and who he was. Then this exchange followed:
<blockquote>FROST: I got a customer where I canceled the ride. I’m a ride-share driver and I canceled the ride. And I’m taking her off the freeway to the filling station so she can order another ride. I canceled the ride so that he could no longer involve or engage with me; she’s refusing to get out of my car. I’ve attempted to tell her she’s not going to get another ride; she can perfectly do that, get another driver but she’s refusing to do that.
911 OPERATOR: And she’s in your car now? Are you in there with her?
FROST: Yes. I’m sitting in the front seat; she’s in the back seat. I can step out of the vehicle if you’d like me to do that.
911 OPERATOR: Oh, no, no, no. That’s okay. And she’s already called us. Is that right?
FROST: Yes. She called.
911 OPERATOR: Okay. We do have a call entered in Richfield A police officer is dispatching a call as of right now unless they get diverted for another emergency or what-not they should be coming to you. Has she any weapons or anything like that on there?
FROST: I doubt it.
911 OPERATOR: Okay.</blockquote>
After asking for identification again, the 911 operator asked, “She hasn’t been violent or anything like that, right?”
<blockquote>FROST: No. She’s just refusing to get out of the car.</blockquote>
Hardesty told the Portland Tribune, “I don&#8217;t call 911 lightly, but I certainly am not going to do anything that would put my personal safety at risk. I knew that having him call the police would put me in danger. And that&#8217;s why I proactively called 911. It&#8217;s a lot harder when you are black or brown in America to make that decision &#8230; But I ultimately had very limited options.”
Frost said, “I spent 40 years in the service business. There&#8217;s always a few people, you cannot please them no matter what you do,” adding that the 911 call from Hardesty “was so unnecessary … To argue and belittle and to treat me the way I felt she treated me was completely unnecessary.”
Hardesty claimed that the Chevron station was about to close, stating, “I didn&#8217;t know how long I would have to wait. There was no way I was going to get out on the side of the road, in the dark, because some driver has an attitude, and decided I should just get out and just whatever happens happens.”
Hardesty stated in her complaint to Lyft, according to the Daily Mail: “&#8217;I requested a ride, the driver came to the wrong pick up location, He then blamed me. I asked him to roll the window up on my side and he started to yell, ‘I can&#8217;t because the regulations require each window to be cracked.’ He then pulls over in the dark on the side of a gas station and told me he was cancelling the ride. I had no interest in being left on the side of the road by an angry driver. He threatened to call the police. I called the police &amp; another car. Both arrived at the same time. It is totally inappropriate to expect a woman to get out of a vehicle in the dead of night because any angry person demands it. This is a safety issue for your customer. Your driver was in no danger.”
Lyft replied: “The feedback alleged that you refused to exit the driver&#8217;s vehicle after they requested you do so. As a reminder, drivers are free to end a ride for any reason as long as the drop off is in a safe location. Safety is our top priority. We take these matters very seriously. We encourage everyone using Lyft to be respectful of others. This helps maintain a safe and inclusive community. Please know that future reports of this nature may lead to additional action being taken on your account.”

Jo Ann Hardesty

Portland Official Who Said Most 911 Calls Are Unnecessary Calls 911 When Lyft Driver Cancels Her Ride

Portland

Uber and Lyft have narrowly avoided a state-wide shutdown in California after an appeals court granted them an emergency stay in California Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s labor lawsuit against the ride-sharing companies.
According to the <a href="http://latimes.com/business/technology/story/2020-08-20/uber-and-lyft-granted-emergency-stay-will-not-shut-down-tonight">Los Angeles Times</a>, the court’s decision allows the two companies to maintain their current business model, which relies on classifying drivers as independent contractors, instead of forcibly adapting to a new requirement that mandates drivers be classified as employees.
&#8220;We are glad that the court of appeals recognized the important questions raised in this case, and that access to these critical services won’t be cut off while we continue to advocate for drivers’ ability to work with the freedom they want,” said Uber in a statement, reports the news agency. 
“While we won’t have to suspend operations tonight, we do need to continue fighting for independence plus benefits for drivers,” said a spokesperson for Lyft, reports <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/20/lyft-will-suspend-service-in-california-after-ordered-to-classify-drivers-as-employees.html">CNBC News</a>. “That’s the solution on the ballot in November, and it’s the solution drivers want because it preserves their ability to earn and to use the platform as they do now — whenever they want — while also getting historic new benefits. Without it, 80-90% of Californians who earn on app-based platforms will lose that opportunity.”
In a blog post on Thursday, Lyft warned of an imminent business suspension that would go into effect at midnight and blamed “Sacramento politicians” for pressuring them toward making the monumental decision.
“For multiple years, we’ve been advocating for a path to offer benefits to drivers who use the Lyft platform — including a minimum earnings guarantee and a healthcare subsidy — while maintaining the flexibility and control that independent contractors enjoy. This is something drivers have told us over and over again that they want,” said Lyft.
“Instead, what Sacramento politicians are pushing is an employment model that 4 out of 5 drivers don’t support. This change would also necessitate an overhaul of the entire business model — it’s not a switch that can be flipped overnight,” said the company.
Assemblywoman Lorena Sanchez (D), the architect of the labor law AB5 – which <a href="https://edd.ca.gov/Payroll_Taxes/ab-5.htm">prohibits businesses</a> from classifying workers as freelancers if they don’t work “outside the usual course of the hiring entity’s business” – blasted the companies after the court’s decision and said they were using “scare tactics.”
“Uber &amp; Lyft can quit crying now &amp; work on reclassifying their drivers as employees. They have been on notice for 2 years, but now they have another month to figure it out without hurting their workers. Shame on them with their scare tactics,” she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Uber &amp; Lyft can quit crying now &amp; work on reclassifying their drivers as employees. They have been on notice for 2 years, but now they have another month to figure it out without hurting their workers. Shame on them with their scare tactics!<a href="https://t.co/1ccZyPwunc">https://t.co/1ccZyPwunc</a>
— Lorena (@LorenaSGonzalez) <a href="https://twitter.com/LorenaSGonzalez/status/1296538562733600768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2020</a></blockquote>
Several months ago, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed a lawsuit against Lyft and Uber for not complying with the labor law.
“Californians who drive for Uber and Lyft lack basic worker protections — from paid sick leave to the right to overtime pay,” said Becerra. “Sometimes it takes a pandemic to shake us into realizing what that really means and who suffers the consequences.”
Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who serves as the minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, blasted California Democratic politicians for pushing policies that hurt jobs in the state, reports <a href="https://www.bakersfield.com/news/mccarthy-democrats-who-pushed-for-ab5-have-crushed-california-s-gig-economy/article_00f1f1ca-e287-11ea-b1fb-8f6719901ff9.html">The Bakersfield Californian</a>.
&#8220;California is the leader when it comes to tech jobs, gig jobs, and others — and here Democrats control the state, and what are they doing? They&#8217;re crushing them,” McCarthy told a radio program on Wednesday, reports the news agency. “That&#8217;s why you&#8217;ve seen job after job after job leaving California.”

Drivers Claim Victory As NYC Becomes First US To Cap For-Hire Vehicles

Uber, Lyft Avoid State-Wide Shutdown Amidst Legal Battle With California

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed a lawsuit against the ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft on Tuesday for claiming that drivers are freelance contractors and not company employees, who would be subject to more stringent labor laws and workplace benefits.  
While the feud over employee classification has been ongoing, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-passes-bold-new-ride-sharing-law-could-eric-quintanar">battle escalated</a> last year after California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez proposed a ride-sharing law that would classify drivers as employees in order to disrupt the “status quo” and “reshape the future of workers as we know it.”
Three cities &#8212; San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego &#8212; have also joined the state in the <a href="https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/2020-05-05%20-%20Filed%20Complaint.pdf">lawsuit</a>. As for its timing, Becerra suggests that the coronavirus pandemic has prompted a realization that drivers should actually want employee standing. 
&#8220;Californians who drive for Uber and Lyft lack basic worker protections — from paid sick leave to the right to overtime pay,” said Becerra in a <a href="https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-and-city-attorneys-los-angeles-san-diego-and-san">statement</a>. &#8220;Sometimes it takes a pandemic to shake us into realizing what that really means and who suffers the consequences. Uber and Lyft drivers who contract the coronavirus or lose their job quickly realize what they&#8217;re missing.”
In a statement obtained by <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/uber-lyft-face-landmark-lawsuit-over-gig-worker-classification-n1200526">NBC News</a>, Uber blasted the state for its poorly timed lawsuit and announcement. 
“At a time when California’s economy is in crisis with four million people out of work, we need to make it easier, not harder, for people to quickly start earning. We will contest this action in court, while at the same time pushing to raise the standard of independent work for drivers in California, including with guaranteed minimum earnings and new benefits,” said Uber. 
According to <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2020-05-05/california-sues-uber-lyft-alleging-ab5-worker-misclassification">The Los Angeles Times</a>, Lyft said that it was “looking forward to working with the Attorney General and mayors across the state to bring all the benefits of California’s innovation economy to as many workers as possible, especially during this time when the creation of good jobs with access to affordable healthcare and other benefits is more important than ever.”
Ride-sharing apps have argued that classifying drivers as employees removes one of the incentives of driving for those companies, including having the opportunity to set your own hours, and threatens the business model as a whole. 
“Speak with drivers, and they will tell you they are attracted to the work because of the flexibility it affords,” Lyft and Uber executives said in a joint op-ed published in the <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/Open-Forum-Uber-Lyft-ready-to-do-our-part-for-13969843.php?psid=nAHHo">San Francisco Chronicle</a> last June, during a push against the law. “Very few jobs allow you to start or stop working whenever, wherever, as often as you want.”
In an <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/Open-Forum-AB5-Is-Not-the-Answer-for-All-Workers-14379743.php">op-ed</a> around the same time, former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), who has served as an advisor to Lyft, also advocated against the law, saying that many drivers rely on the freedom aspect of the gigs to make a living. 
<blockquote>I met a dad who stays at home with his children while his wife works during the day. He drives when she’s at home. Sometimes that’s at 6 p.m., sometimes at 1 a.m., or sometimes not at all.
I met a loving daughter who takes care of her aging, fragile mom. She drives when “Mom is having a good day.” She never knows in advance when that day or that hour will be.</blockquote>
According to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/17/technology/uber-lift-coronavirus.html">The New York Times</a>, both Uber and Lyft have been leaning heavily into the food delivery business amidst the economic downturn, but the news agency notes that Uber’s food delivery service has historically not turned a profit. Lyft, which did not have a food delivery service prior to this year, created a temporary one in March. 
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">member</a>.

In this photo illustration the Uber Technologies logo seen

California Officials File Lawsuit Against Ride-Sharing Apps. Uber Blasts Them For Timing.

As the Trump administration encourages Americans to avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people, the ride-sharing apps Uber and Lyft have decided to suspend the features that allow users to travel with strangers going in the same direction. 
<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-uber-suspends-shared-rides-to-fight-spread-of-illness-2020-3">Business Insider</a> reports that the decision to suspend the carpooling options, respectively known as UberPool and Lyft Line, was made to promote social-distancing amid the coronavirus outbreak. The carpooling feature previously allowed groups of strangers to travel in the same direction for cheap. 
&#8220;The health and safety of the Lyft community is our top priority, and we&#8217;re dedicated to doing what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19,&#8221; a representative told Business Insider. &#8220;We will continue to monitor the situation closely and base our actions on official guidance.&#8221;
In a statement reported by <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/17/21183276/uber-uberpool-suspension-coronavirus-us-canada-carpool-pandemic">The Verge</a>, an Uber executive explained in a statement that the decision is intended to help “flatten the curve,” a phenomenon that epidemiologists say can help reduce mortality rates during epidemics. 
“Our goal is to help flatten the curve of community spread in the cities we serve. With that in mind, we are suspending the Uber Pool service in the United States and Canada,” Andrew Macdonald, senior VP of Uber Rides and Platform, said in a statement. “We remain in close contact with local leaders and will continue to work with them to discourage non-essential travel.”
According to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/italian-doctors-suggest-age-limit-for-healthcare-guidelines-invoke-wartime-measures">Vox</a>, flattening the curve involves enacting isolation strategies, including self-quarantines and social distancing, to delay the peak of the epidemic and prevent the virus from spreading as quickly. 
By stunting the transmission rate of the virus, society at-large can prevent doctors and hospitals from being inundated with patients all at once, increasing the chances of patients receiving treatment and the odds of lowering the mortality rate, reports the news agency. 
In a Twitter post Sunday morning, Adam Kucharski, an epidemiologist and author of “The Rules Of Contagion,” elaborated on how the math of preventing community spread works out in a simulation. 
As Kucharski explains in the simulation, when one sick patient infects an average of 1.25 persons every five days instead of 2.5 persons every five days, the total number of new cases over a single month decreases from roughly 244 new cases to 4 new cases.  
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Early in outbreak, each COVID-19 case infects ~2.5 others on average. There&#8217;s ~5 days between one infection and next, so we&#8217;d expect one case to lead to 2.5^6 = 244 more cases in a month. If we can halve transmission, so each infects 1.25 others instead, we&#8217;d expect 4 more cases.
— Adam Kucharski (@AdamJKucharski) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamJKucharski/status/1239146318301483009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2020</a></blockquote>
According to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html">The New York Times</a>, the United States has diagnosed a total of 5,587 case as of Tuesday evening, and approximately 900 of those cases were diagnosed on Monday. 
The Center for Disease Control has said that senior citizens and people with serious chronic medical conditions have a higher risk of becoming “very sick” from the coronavirus. Furthermore, the CDC recommends that everyone follow these precautions: 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Clean your hands often</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">To the extent possible, avoid touching high-touch surfaces in public places – elevator buttons, door handles, handrails, handshaking with people, etc. Use a tissue or your sleeve to cover your hand or finger if you must touch something.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Wash your hands after touching surfaces in public places.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, etc.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Clean and disinfect your home to remove germs: practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces (for example: tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks &amp; cell phones)</li>
</ul>

Ride-Sharing Apps Suspend Carpool Option To ‘Flatten The Curve’

Menu