back to article Uber driver 'pulls handgun' on passenger

A Florida Uber driver stands accused of threatening a passenger with a semi-automatic handgun after his fare suggested he might blow chow, according to cops. Patrick McDonald, 67, picked up Shane Fabry and chums from downtown Bradenton shortly after 8pm last Friday. En route to Fabry's home, the 27-year-old advised McDonald to …

  1. bex

    should have shot him

    In the crazy world of opposite land (Red America) if he had shot him the stand your ground law would have meant no foul no charge.

    1. Known Hero

      Re: should have shot him

      Yeah but he had nothing to fear, its not like he was going to shoot him in the $75,000 vehicle. Getting out on the other hand .....

    2. Buzzword

      Re: should have shot him

      Blood is hard to clean out of the seats.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: should have shot him

        Blood is hard to clean out of the seats.

        The case for red leather is looking better. But better use a softpoint round, because you don't want to put a hole in the upholstery as you deal justice to your passengers.

    3. Fungus Bob

      Re: should have shot him

      "In the crazy world of opposite land (Red America) if he had shot him the stand your ground law would have meant no foul no charge."

      Not quite how it works here. As Mister Slyman said in 'Things Are Tough All Over': "This is America. You cannot kill every person just because you get mad at them. You have to have permission first. That is democracy"

      1. Chris G

        Re: should have shot him

        ""This is America. You cannot kill every person just because you get mad at them. You have to have permission first, or be a cop. That is democracy""

        FTFY

        1. Fungus Bob

          Re: should have shot him

          Mister Slyman is still correct - cops automatically have permission, it's in their job description (sadly).

    4. Chez

      Re: should have shot him

      That's not even remotely how it works. "Stand your ground" simply removes the duty to retreat before defending yourself.

      Now, Castle Doctrine would have applied in certain countries, but I don't think it carries over to vehicles in the US.

  2. x 7

    $75000 taxi?

    what sort of street cab costs that much?

    and anyway it was an Uber driver - none of them have enough money to buy a cab of that value. Of course it could have been stolen...........

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Maybe he financed it through Uber. So even though it's a $25,000 car he'll end up paying that amount for it in the end.

    2. Jeffrey Nonken

      Obviously resorted to Uber to help pay for the car when he realized he was in over his head.

    3. Kumar2012

      Its Uber, people use their own cars.

    4. Shades

      "$75000 taxi?

      what sort of street cab costs that much?"

      Some of the ordinary dial-a-cab firms round these parts (not an affluent part of the UK either) have Audi A6's, BMW 7 Series, Jaguars and Mercs, so an Uber taxi, which from my experience generally seem to be a little more upmarket than ordinary dial-a-cabs, costing $75k is not really surprising.

      Working on the periphery of the F1 in Mexico last year I was amazed by some of the Uber taxis; Generally all were upmarket SUVs and every one was immaculate, some hybrids, electric everything and some even had TV's in the back of the front seat head-rests. Drivers always got out to put our bags in the boot, offered bottles of water and even sweets.

  3. Yugguy

    Only in America

    Would you think that threatening to shoot someone would put them off hurling.

    The triumvirate of American criteria. Can I shoot it, fuck it or eat it? Or can I do all three?

    1. x 7

      Re: Only in America

      "Can I shoot it, fuck it or eat it? Or can I do all three?"

      which explains why turkeys are so popular in the USA

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Only in America

        Logically, the shooting and the f***ing could be in either order, but both would have to be before the eating ....

        Eww. Just ewwwww.

        1. x 7

          Re: Only in America

          "Logically, the shooting and the f***ing could be in either order, but both would have to be before the eating ...."

          do Americans stuff their turkeys?

    2. Jeffrey Nonken

      Re: Only in America

      RTFA. The threat was used to force the passenger to stay out of the vehicle and abandon him on the roadside, not to suppress the vomiting.

      Some of us violent, simplistic, gun-toting Americans are nonetheless capable of paying attention to details.

      1. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

        Re: Only in America

        "Some of us violent, simplistic, gun-toting Americans are nonetheless capable of paying attention to details."

        Details like calibre, cartridge size and such? I merely ask for information.

  4. codejunky Silver badge

    Interesting

    While the comments on the gun amusingly miss the point the potential victim claims to have reached for his gun in fear for his life. Whodathunkit when picking up people you dont know that the fare may be one of the many people in the world you would not want to be spending much time with due to feelings of personal safety and of course having a pistol available isnt as dumb an idea (as maybe not having one).

    Obviously when both parties claim to be the victim it comes down to an impartial investigation. More concerning is the number of comments that seem to be discussing shooting someone. The situation apparently ending with nobody shot nor actual injury. Depending on who was the victim this could very easily be due to the presence of a gun in the victims possession.

    1. Charlie Clark Silver badge

      Re: Interesting

      Redneck logic – you've got to love it. Or run from it!

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Interesting

      Depending on who was the victim this could very easily be due to the presence of a gun in the victims possession.

      Ah, the old "if everyone was armed there would be fewer shootings" argument.

      Comedy gold.

      1. 404

        Re: Interesting

        Would make for a more polite society though if you had to back up your bullshit with facts, not feelings.

        1. Uffish

          Re: " back up your bullshit with facts"

          I'd settle for simple clarity of thought.

    3. Mike Moyle

      Re: Interesting

      Both passenger and driver were out of the car. Seems to me that the driver only felt himself in danger because he didn't choose to close and lock the back door then get back in and drive away.

    4. Belasarius

      Uber is not a career for the faint hearted

      If I was going to take on that job, and Uber is now advertising on the radio for drivers, I would invest in a camera system for my $75,000 car so when I got myself in this situation others could reasonably judge whether or not I was in fear of my life.

      That being said, I don't think your contract with Uber allows you to be armed. Cab drivers in the USA are the profession that experiences the highest murder rate, twice that of Police Officers. You are taking quite a risk taking that job when your job is to shepard groups of drunk people around. So, this guy doesn't have any video evidence, he is contradicted by the "victim" and his friends, and he has pissed off his employer.

      Smart people who value their skin don't drive for Uber. The system is rigged against you.

  5. Alistair
    Windows

    Having driven cab at one time in my life, (actual licensed cab, not "we're not a cab company, but we'll get you a ride"). Picking up collections of male youth greater than 2 on a drinking binge is *NOT* something that ever makes any driver feel safe, ever. And the yark urge is always present in one or more of these individuals. I *always* had a collection of plastic bags in the car on weekends. And the cash in hand before I rolled.

    1. Chris G

      I did six months of mini cabbing evenings and weekends as well as a daytime job back in the '80s to pay a debt. We wouldn't normally allow a drunk in the car, although if they were willing to put a £45 deposit in our hand we would consider it.

      Cleaning a back seat after a technicolour yawn is bad enough, getting rid of the aroma for the benefit of yourself and future passengers is not easy, it tends to linger no matter what you clean with or spray on it.

      I can kind of sympathise with wanting to shoot someone if they actually have puked in your car.

      I have also stopped halfway and manhandled a couple of queasy passengers out of the car and given them a card for a rival firm.

      That six months was more than enough, I would not want to do it again.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    This message brought to you by

    TPRA

    (Taxi protection racket of America)

  7. Dave 15

    if this was a non-uber taxi?

    Then there would be no story would there.

    1. Throatwarbler Mangrove Silver badge
      Thumb Up

      Re: if this was a non-uber taxi?

      Truth. It's more of Orlowski's bizarre anti-Uber axe-grinding.

  8. allthecoolshortnamesweretaken

    Florida. Uber.

    *shrugs and gets on with his life*

  9. PAW

    red USA

    In Arizona we recently had a road rage incident with two drivers shouting at each other and one of them bent over to reach for something. The other driver fearing he was reaching for a gun, got his own gun from the glove box and shot and killed the guy (who had no weapon). The prosecuting attorney reminded the jury that you do not have the right to shoot someone because they are shouting at you. The jury disagreed and acquitted the shooter of all charges.

    1. ChrisBedford

      Re: red USA

      The jury disagreed and acquitted the shooter of all charges.

      The jury system, gotta love it (if you did it). Clearly this is a miscarriage of justice and the judge should have instructed the jury to find him guilty. You can't shoot in self-defence if you can't see a gun.

      1. fishbone

        Re: red USA

        obviously you can

      2. ShadowDragon8685

        Re: red USA

        Why yes, judges should be able to instruct a jury to find a defendant guilty! After all, a jury is merely the twelve boobs too incompetent to get out of jury duty, right?

    2. x 7

      Re: red USA

      "The jury disagreed and acquitted the shooter of all charges."

      serious question: was there a racial background to this? i.e. dead black man /white jury or similar?

      1. PAW

        Re: red USA

        The shooter was Hispanic and victim east european white. The shooter didn't talk about any racial remarks being exchanged. He just said he was very frightened by the man screaming at him.

        The trial took place in Pima County which is one the few DEM counties in AZ. Pima County is about 40% Hispanic. There was no jury nullification thing going on.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Guns eh?

    The human kind are not civilised enough to have them.

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