New Type of Business?

[masono]

If this is bribing people to become my friend than anytime you give money to a beggar you are bribing people because now they know that you are the kind of person who will do that sometimes.

 

[FlyingRon]

I can change the wording of the advertisement if I must but the fact is I am not holding out a service to the public. The public cannot hold me responsible for a service I did not say I would provide.

You're daft. You can change it all you want but the people are going to see right through your pathetic attempts at subterfuge.
This is not about freedom of speech. You're free to say what you want. It's when you provide transportation based on this thinly veiled attempt to hide what you are doing that will land you in trouble. Your friends do not need you to advertise the service in the newspaper. Weasel your way around it, it won't work. You advertise and if you offer a ride to someone that you don't have an existing personal relationship with you're subjecting yourself to violations of whatever car service/taxi/commercial driving applies in your area.

 

[LdiJ]

You're daft. You can change it all you want but the people are going to see right through your pathetic attempts at subterfuge.
This is not about freedom of speech. You're free to say what you want. It's when you provide transportation based on this thinly veiled attempt to hide what you are doing that will land you in trouble. Your friends do not need you to advertise the service in the newspaper. Weasel your way around it, it won't work. You advertise and if you offer a ride to someone that you don't have an existing personal relationship with you're subjecting yourself to violations of whatever car service/taxi/commercial driving applies in your area.

And opening yourself up to SERIOUS liability issues.

 

[masono]

You're daft. You can change it all you want but the people are going to see right through your pathetic attempts at subterfuge.
This is not about freedom of speech. You're free to say what you want. It's when you provide transportation based on this thinly veiled attempt to hide what you are doing that will land you in trouble. Your friends do not need you to advertise the service in the newspaper. Weasel your way around it, it won't work. You advertise and if you offer a ride to someone that you don't have an existing personal relationship with you're subjecting yourself to violations of whatever car service/taxi/commercial driving applies in your area.

I understand that people are smarter than that, they will see through it. That's not the point. The point is: is this legal? Does the law permit this? Perception of truth holds no grounds in court, in court we go by the law. In court I will have a lawyer and that lawyer will defend me and in court the judge must follow the law even if he or she disagrees just as judges must follow the drug laws even when they disagree. If I am free to say whatever I want then I can advertise this and not expect people to come by asking for a ride since I made no promise that I would. That's my right. I'm glad we agree on that. Like I said, if someone tells everyone that he or she sometimes eats at x restaurant then we cannot EXPECT that person to be eating at that restaurant at any given time. If someone says he or she drives around his or her friends sometimes then we cannot EXPECT that person to drive someone around just because they're friends.. Like I said, it's about freedom of speech. Are we free to tell the truth and not have someone say "You implied this"? I believe we are, I believe in freedom of speech.

I'm not providing transportation BASED on this add. That's what I'm trying to tell you and that's why this idea works. No one can prove that there is any connection. It's like driving down the road when suddenly you see someone on the sidewalk walking. You stop to chat and pretty soon you two are friends. Does that imply anything? I just want to hear it from you: does that imply anything about our intentions?

It doesn't matter that my friends don't need an advertisement in the paper, perception of truth does not matter to the written law. My friends WANT an advertisement in the paper and so since we have the freedom to speak freely I can do this.

Consider this analogy: the person who waits at traffic lights for cars to stop so that he or she can clean the windshield for them. There is no existing relationship and yet that person advertises that he or she will be at a certain traffic light at a certain time. Like I said, factual information. There's no mention of intention, just the fact that at x time that person will be at y location. And yet because of that people will make a point of driving to that traffic light to get their windshields wiped because they THINK (they don't know) that that person will be wiping windshields there. Is that legal?

I don't know what you mean by "existing personal relationship" because that implies that after the free ride we will stop being friends. That is false. The free ride is just one event in many that will occur during our new friendship.

I don't think the law can dictate who I'm allowed to be friends with.

 

[masono]

And opening yourself up to SERIOUS liability issues.

That person cannot complain because I never promised anything. If we agree on a free ride and I break my promise, that's fine. It's not a business proposal, it's not an arrangement. No one can go to the police because of broken promises. There never was a promise, there never was any agreement. That person trusts me at his or her own risk.

 

[TimStudiesLaw]

You've been told, and want to argue. Don't you know any people in real life to debate this hypothetical with?

 

[irsos]

I'd like to hear your thoughts on the legality of this issue if that's too much to ask.

Sorry, but it is a waste of time to carry on a dialogue with someone who is not constrained by the truth or reality.

 

[masono]

You've been told, and want to argue. Don't you know any people in real life to debate this hypothetical with?

Yes and I have. I've talked to a businessman, a politico, an unemployed man, and a foreigner. The businessman thinks it's a good deal for everyone, the politico thinks it works, the unemployed man wants me to talk to a lawyer about it, and the foreigner gave me an example that provides evidence that this idea will work.

 

[masono]

Here I'll even change the wording for you guys.

There is a gathering of people coming to my house at x. Everyone who wants to come is invited. The purpose of this occasion is to socialize and make friends. By the way, I'm the kind of person who is willing to drive my friends around for free.

Does that break any laws?

 

[masono]

Here I'll even change the wording for you guys.

There is a gathering of people coming to my house at x. Everyone who wants to come is invited. The purpose of this occasion is to socialize and make friends. By the way, I'm the kind of person who is willing to drive my friends around for free.

Does that break any laws?

How about this instead?

There is a gathering of people coming to my house at x. Everyone who wants to come is invited. The purpose of this occasion is to meet new people. If you want to know what some of the people who have come to my gatherings have done for each other then call me at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.

 

[masono]

This will work because anytime we are stopped the person can just lie and say he or she has been to one of the driver's parties. After all it was in the paper. Everyone was invited. That's why it was in the paper.

 

[davew128]

This will work because anytime we are stopped the person can just lie and say he or she has been to one of the driver's parties. After all it was in the paper. Everyone was invited. That's why it was in the paper.

and your TAX question is?

 

[masono]

and your TAX question is?

I was asking you to correct me.

 

[TimStudiesLaw]

You aren't going to do it, you said it's hypothetical. Quit wasting everybody's time.

I hear the billy goats cross the river about 3, maybe you should go wait under the bridge for them.

 

[CJane]

How is it a BUSINESS if there is not even any POTENTIAL revenue?

Or is 'driving people around' some kind of clever euphemism? Are you wanting to be an escort or something? "I'll be your friend wink wink"