How Uber Rescued Me During the Hong Kong Riots

As CEO of a tech business (tanga.com) I can appreciate the innovative way Uber uses technology to disrupt an entire industry as large as taxi transportation. I travel a lot for work and appreciate Uber’s simple payment process and ease of finding transportation. Needless to say I was a fan before this…but my appreciation is at a new level now.

Caught in the middle of the Hong Kong Riots

While on family vacation, my family awoke on October 1 in middle of night to the sounds of a massive demonstration on the streets below our hotel in the middle of Hong Kong’s Central District.

The entire freeway below us was blocked by police cars, buses and SWAT vans. Police poured out of cars and subway stations in full riot gear, attempting to stop the crowds from advancing down the street.

Tear gas started exploding in front and in back of the police barrier as tens of thousands of people were running around the streets below us. The chaos went on for hours. We began to worry for the hotel might be looted or attacked.

No Taxis Anywhere

The next morning, we decided it best for our safety to get out of town.

All of Hong Kong was under lock-down, shops were vacated, and the streets were empty. The Concierge had no idea how to get us out, as there was only one open road and no taxis to be found.

I then had an idea: UBER! I opened my app and saw that there was an Uber XL available ten minutes away. I pressed the “Pick me up” button and, to my surprise, it was accepted. Within ten minutes a van appeared at the side of my hotel on the only open street and picked up myself, my wife and our three children.

Safe and Sound

I could not believe that we got so lucky to be able to get out of town so easily and it’s only because of Uber that we were able to get to a hotel near the airport for our final night.