Sexist cab service opens in New York

[Loren Pechtel]

Bullshit. I see no difference, especially since they actively discriminate against male riders and male drivers.

I don't have a problem with Muslims telling callers that they don't allow alcohol or drunk passengers when someone calls their office to see if they will be of service. I would even applaud them for having an app that handily redirects to a service that will.

I do have a problem with Muslim waiting in a line of cabs showing intent to give rides to people who show up in the line and then refusing.

I would require that the Muslim cab company's ads and taxis say "no alcohol" but otherwise I agree with you. There are plenty of other cab companies, such "discrimination" will do only a tiny amount of harm so long as they are upfront about it.

Discrimination only has a substantial bite if it's either widespread (and Muslim taxi companies are not) or hidden (the taxi driver shows up and won't take the blind guy to the airport because of his dog, and thus he misses his flight because he's far out and there's not enough time to get a replacement taxi.)

 

[Loren Pechtel]

The effects are not nil. The effects are real and may be potent depending on a number of things, such as how nearby a gym allowing men is, etc. The argument that usually wins this debate is that the overall social benefit of an all-female gym outweighs the overall social cost of the discrimination. Derec will say it doesn't. Others here will say it does, and so far they have been winning.

But let's not pretend there is no cost when we discriminate against men.

I suppose so. I've just never seen the situation you've described, but I have not lived everywhere obviously. In a community where no gym allowing men is available, I certainly think allowing a Curves would be bad. The franchise should either not be allowed to enter that market, or forced to be co-ed until such a time as there is a diverse set of gym options available.

Note: I've had the owner of a Curves franchise tell me that they actually can't exclude men, they just pretend. They're discouraged but if one insisted they would have to allow it.

Personally, I disagree with this. I see no harm in a sex-selective gym so long as there are enough other gyms around--in your example of a community with no other gyms I do not think Curves should be allowed to be sex-selective.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I agree with you, if what you say is true. But that isn't what was stated above. They were saying that the company doesn't pick up men, and instead refers the call to another taxi company that does. In that scenario, would you agree it is sexist? Would you oppose it along with Derec?

I think you are mistaken. I went back and re-read the OP and it states that SheRides is an app which would direct women seeking taxi service from female taxi drivers with female taxi drivers. It does not say that men would not be provided with a taxi driver. In fact, as long as a female is in the group, they will be directed to a female livery driver. In the case where the party is exclusively male, they will be directed to another livery service.

Not only will this service provide livery service to women who, for whatever reason--religious or not religious--feel more comfortable with female drivers, but will expand employment opportunities for women whose beliefs make it impossible for them to drive for a traditional livery service which serves males and females.

Huh? You're saying it permits mixed-gender groups. Wouldn't that preclude those who can't associate with strange males?

 

[Loren Pechtel]

When I go for a mammogram, all personnel are female in that area, although there are from time to time, men who require mammograms. Similarly, a number of years ago, my husband needed a prostate biopsy and he told me that all staff in that area were male. In both cases, this is done to help ensure the comfort of the patients.

Yup. My wife much prefers me with her during medical visits (yes, even the gynecologist.) I'm not allowed in the mammogram area despite her asking that I be allowed to accompany her.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

If they weren't allowed to actively discriminate it would not be an exclusively female environment. Maybe I should sue them for membership just for the sake of principle. But I doubt ACLU would take my case. I'd also love to sue all the bars that give free admission or discounted drinks to women only.

With Curves, make enough of a stink and you'll get the membership. I can't exactly recommend the place, though, they're definitely second rate as a gym. (My wife goes there because it's the only nearby gym her insurance will pay for.)

As for the bars--you realize that's actually done to attract *MEN*??

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Ya, cheap drinks for women really has nothing to do with women.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

The problem I have is that when you arrive at a destination, you HAVE to take the next cabbie in line. I thought as consumers we had a choice.

Huh? I'm a fan of The Amazing Race. More than once we have seen teams talk to the first cab in line and then decide on some other cab. In one case the outcome of the race (a $1M prize) most likely was controlled by this very behavior--the winning team rejected the first cab, another team wasn't as careful and took that cab. I forget the city but as this was the final segment it had to have been in the US as the finish line always is.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

The problem I have is that when you arrive at a destination, you HAVE to take the next cabbie in line. I thought as consumers we had a choice.

Huh? I'm a fan of The Amazing Race. More than once we have seen teams talk to the first cab in line and then decide on some other cab. In one case the outcome of the race (a $1M prize) most likely was controlled by this very behavior--the winning team rejected the first cab, another team wasn't as careful and took that cab. I forget the city but as this was the final segment it had to have been in the US as the finish line always is.

Was that really some kind of "strategy", though? If they'd taken the first cab, it would have been in basically the same traffic flow as the one they took and they'd have arrived at about the same time.

 

[Ford]

Huh? I'm a fan of The Amazing Race. More than once we have seen teams talk to the first cab in line and then decide on some other cab. In one case the outcome of the race (a $1M prize) most likely was controlled by this very behavior--the winning team rejected the first cab, another team wasn't as careful and took that cab. I forget the city but as this was the final segment it had to have been in the US as the finish line always is.

Was that really some kind of "strategy", though? If they'd taken the first cab, it would have been in basically the same traffic flow as the one they took and they'd have arrived at about the same time.

Well to be fair the goal of Amazing Race is not necessarily to win the race, but to be on television for as long as possible.

 

[AthenaAwakened]

Okay

I am confused

First, when I read the title I thought it said sexiest so I figured it was about a taxi service with scantily clad drivers

So I just skipped it.

I come back to it tonight and see that it is not sexiest but sexist.

I read the first page and now I am really confused

Is the point of this exercise that orthodox Jewish and Muslim women are sexist feminist lefties who won't let men ride in a cab?

 

[Ford]

Is the point of this exercise that orthodox Jewish and Muslim women are sexist feminist lefties who won't let men ride in a cab?

I'm fairly certain that the point is that women in general are sexist feminist lefties.

That aside, have you for a moment considered how hard it is for a white man to get a cab in NYC? I mean, who is the real victim here?

 

[Toni]

I think you are mistaken. I went back and re-read the OP and it states that SheRides is an app which would direct women seeking taxi service from female taxi drivers with female taxi drivers. It does not say that men would not be provided with a taxi driver. In fact, as long as a female is in the group, they will be directed to a female livery driver. In the case where the party is exclusively male, they will be directed to another livery service.

Not only will this service provide livery service to women who, for whatever reason--religious or not religious--feel more comfortable with female drivers, but will expand employment opportunities for women whose beliefs make it impossible for them to drive for a traditional livery service which serves males and females.

Huh? You're saying it permits mixed-gender groups. Wouldn't that preclude those who can't associate with strange males?

Apparently, as long as there is a woman in the group, this counts as sufficient chaperone.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

Why not just let men use the app to select the gender of their cab driver too? Seems like a simple fix that would satisfy all.

 

[RavenSky]

Okay

I am confused

First, when I read the title I thought it said sexiest so I figured it was about a taxi service with scantily clad drivers

So I just skipped it.

I come back to it tonight and see that it is not sexiest but sexist.

I read the first page and now I am really confused

Is the point of this exercise that orthodox Jewish and Muslim women are sexist feminist lefties who won't let men ride in a cab?

I think the best point of this thread is that you are the third person to have misread the title as "sexiest" instead of "sexist" (so did I )

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Okay

I am confused

First, when I read the title I thought it said sexiest so I figured it was about a taxi service with scantily clad drivers

So I just skipped it.

I come back to it tonight and see that it is not sexiest but sexist.

I read the first page and now I am really confused

Is the point of this exercise that orthodox Jewish and Muslim women are sexist feminist lefties who won't let men ride in a cab?

I think the best point of this thread is that you are the third person to have misread the title as "sexiest" instead of "sexist" (so did I )

This clearly demonstrates there is a market for it. I'll get to work on the business plan. You two work on gathering access to liquidity.

 

[credoconsolans]

The problem I have is that when you arrive at a destination, you HAVE to take the next cabbie in line. I thought as consumers we had a choice.

Huh? I'm a fan of The Amazing Race. More than once we have seen teams talk to the first cab in line and then decide on some other cab. In one case the outcome of the race (a $1M prize) most likely was controlled by this very behavior--the winning team rejected the first cab, another team wasn't as careful and took that cab. I forget the city but as this was the final segment it had to have been in the US as the finish line always is.

When I tried this it resulted in a big fight between cabbies and a lot of bad feelings.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

Why not just let men use the app to select the gender of their cab driver too? Seems like a simple fix that would satisfy all.

But would this really fix the outrage?

 

[Toni]

Why not just let men use the app to select the gender of their cab driver too? Seems like a simple fix that would satisfy all.

Can't they? If not, is there any reason that someone cannot develop such an app, assuming there is a market? Perhaps I've just watched too many James Bond movies but personally, I find it hard to believe that there does not exist in NYC a livery service or chauffeur service which provides beautiful female drivers. For a price. On the other hand, assuming that men would prefer male drivers: that's pretty easy. Most drivers are male. If they would prefer female drivers, do they want to also select the physical attributes of their driver?

 

[bigfield]

Why not just let men use the app to select the gender of their cab driver too? Seems like a simple fix that would satisfy all.

Can't they? If not, is there any reason that someone cannot develop such an app, assuming there is a market? Perhaps I've just watched too many James Bond movies but personally, I find it hard to believe that there does not exist in NYC a livery service or chauffeur service which provides beautiful female drivers.

That service was banned by the city because it was sexiest.

 

[thebeave]

Can't they? If not, is there any reason that someone cannot develop such an app, assuming there is a market? Perhaps I've just watched too many James Bond movies but personally, I find it hard to believe that there does not exist in NYC a livery service or chauffeur service which provides beautiful female drivers.

That service was banned by the city because it was sexiest.

I could see it being banned because it was sexist, but sexiest? That's just wrong.