doing the backpedal

Uber's first take on the hostage situation? Surge pricing.

Uber Realizes Charging Surge Prices During Sydney Hostage Situation Isn’t A Great Idea, Offers Free Rides

As of Monday morning, there is a hostage situation in Sydney, Australia, where a suspect has been in a standoff with police since Sunday morning, holding a reported 13 or so people hostage inside a cafe in the city’s central business district. And while others in the area tried to flee from the scene as quickly as possible yesterday, Uber customers were finding $100 minimum charges and up to 4x surge prices to get a ride somewhere safer. [More]