Dewey Beach Police officers are bullying UBER drivers.
I am an UBER driver and live in Lewes. Last Friday night when I had just picked up some passengers, a young Dewey policeman rapped hard on my window with a solid object, scaring the riders. I rolled down my window, and he asked if I had a permit to operate in Dewey Beach.
I said no, and he said leave and never come back again! He then said that if I did not leave immediately, he would give me a ticket. As I was about to roll up my window and leave he said, “Remember, if you are seen picking up passengers in Dewey, you will get a ticket, be arrested and thrown in jail, plus your car will be impounded.”
First of all, I was outraged by this bullying, aggressive behavior, as well as my passengers. I belong to the largest men’s organization in the world, The ManKind Project. I recently stepped down from their international board of directors. The ManKind Project teaches men to act with authenticity, integrity and transparency. Dewey Beach actions are lacking in all these areas.
It would appear that something underhanded is going on here. There are hundreds of companies and individuals that do business in Dewey Beach that do not have permits. So, why is Dewey Beach picking on UBER? There are many taxis that do business in the area and are based in the area.
The final statement by the policeman to never come back, along with the threats, clearly indicates that it is not about permits, but about wanting UBER to not do business in Dewey Beach. It would appear from the facts here that someone or some group is influencing the local politicos in an underhanded way to cause this action.
Second of all, the governor has approved UBER operating in Delaware. In addition, DelDOT and the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles announced this past June an agreement with UBER to operate in the state under new regulations. This takes the form of background checks requirements, minimum insurance requirements and prohibits drivers from taking fares outside of train stations and airports.
Lastly, one of the reasons UBER exists is to help drivers avoid DUIs by providing a safe, cost-effective alternative. Dewey Beach is a major drinking area at our beach area. By their actions, the Dewey Beach Police, a supposed safety organization, is more interested in a few lobbyists than the safety of people in their community.
I recently received an email from MADD (Mothers against Drunk Driving) thanking me for driving for UBER at the beach areas. Shame on you, Dewey Beach!
Oh, by the way, a lawyer from one of the law firms that represents UBER in the Mid-Atlantic area has a place in Dewey Beach. When I picked up her and her friends, she said to me how excited she is that UBER is now in Dewey Beach because it used to take forever to get a taxi around here!
Question - is Dewey Beach ready to fund multiple lawsuits by UBER or will they eliminate their aggressive bullying policy as Annapolis, Md. did several months ago and allow UBER to operate in Dewey Beach under the already passed Delaware legislation?
Harris S. Marx
Lewes
-
A letter to the editor expresses a reader's opinion and, as such, is not reflective of the editorial opinions of this newspaper.
To submit a letter to the editor for publishing, send an email to viewpoints@capegazette.com. All letters are considered at the discretion of the newsroom and published as space allows. Due to the large volume of submissions, we cannot acknowledge receipt of each submission. Letters must include a phone number and address for verification. Keep letters to 400 words or fewer. We reserve the right to edit for content or length. Letters should be responsive to issues addressed in the Cape Gazette rather than content from other publications or media. Letters should focus on local issues, not national topics or personalities. Only one letter per author will be published every 30 days regarding a particular topic. Authors may submit a second letter within that time period if it pertains to a different issue. Letters may not be critical of personalities or specific businesses. Criticism of public figures is permissible. Endorsement letters for political candidates are no longer accepted. Letters must be the author’s original work, and may not be generated by artificial intelligence tools. Templates, form letters and letters containing language similar to other submissions will not be published.
