Bitcoin A Viable Option For Arcade City NYE Responsible Drivers Program

Bitcoin and other digital currencies have the potential to play a major role in the concept of creating a sharing economy. Companies like Uber have set an interesting precedent for creating a new type of worker who can do their job based on an on-demand schedule. With New Year’s Eve almost upon us, on-demand drivers would be of great value to society, considering how many people will get intoxicated over the next 36 hours. But not everyone sees it that way, especially not where Arcade City is concerned.

Also read: Fixing The Public Perception of Bitcoin With The Blockchain Buzzword

Free Ride Home on NYE Might Result In A Fine

One thing that no one can deny about human nature is how so many people enjoy alcoholic beverages. Not that there is anything wrong with consuming alcohol, but when those same people might attempt to drive home themselves, chaos will ensue at some point. Some combinations have been tried and test, and they just don’t work out, regardless of precautions or limited alcohol consumption.

Luckily for all of us, there is a solution. Several people take it upon themselves every year to offer partygoers a free ride home, ensuring they arrive safely and do not cause any accidents while driving under the influence. At its core, solutions like these need to be applauded, as they address a key problem present in our society today.

In this day and age, however, services like Uber have created an interesting paradigm. Anyone with a vehicle can offer rides to people and get paid a small amount to do so, without requiring an official cab license. Such an on-demand hailing service is something consumers all over the world enjoy, yet government officials are scratching their head as to how they should control the growth of these companies.

In Portsmouth, New Hampshire, local officials are not too amused by the concept of offering an on-demand ride service, regardless of whether consumers pay for it or not. Christopher David, a Free State Project activist, living in Portsmouth, NH, wants to offer a tip-only ride service, which will be dubbed “Arcade City”. It is important to note this service will only run throughout New Year’s Eve.

Considering how Mr. David is not explicitly charging customers for this service, he does not need official government permission [in his opinion]. However, local officials think otherwise, because accepting donations will be subject to a US$500 fine. It goes without saying the public safety of residents should the of the utmost priority, rather than whether or not they want to tip their driver.

Bitcoin Could Offer A Way Out

Unlike fiat currency, Bitcoin is not labelled as “money” in the state of New Hampshire. This means all of the drivers participating in Arcade City would – technically speaking – be allowed to accept Bitcoin donations for their trouble without facing any repercussions. Doing so could still result in a fine, however, as there is a public trade of the payment on the blockchain.

At the same time, Bitcoin offers an interesting option for these on-demand services, as the digital currency is not controlled by legislators, government officials, or banks. Plus, transfers between two users take place in mere seconds, which would suit this “business model” just fine. Government officials have known about Bitcoin for over six years now, and legislation is still playing catch-up.

Source: Reason

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