[xigency]

I think the VC money and lack of regulations is a huge issue.

What people don't realize is that once the taxi companies are dead, the ride sharing apps will be able to raise prices and lower quality. Not to mention the issues already seen with Uber and Lyft, whether at a corporate level or on a driver/passenger level.

[weberc2]

> What people don't realize is that once the taxi companies are dead, the ride sharing apps will be able to raise prices and lower quality.

The rideshare companies are still in competition with each other. The market will stabilize at a price necessarily lower than taxi price, which was artificially inflated by local governments. This doesn't seem like a valid concern.

> whether at a corporate level

Sounds like you're imply that Uber's corporate problems are fundamental to rideshare. Care to elaborate on that?

> or on a driver/passenger level.

Why should I be more afraid of scary driver/passenger stuff with rideshare than with taxis? Do you have some information to suggest that rideshare is actually more dangerous? This seems like fear mongering...

[xigency]

At some point the VC money will run out, so yes the subsidies will collapse. And Uber is the McDonald's or Wal-Mart of ride sharing. When you see employees complain about Wal-Mart being fundamentally unethical, you will see not a damn thing change. That's one reason to care. Not necessarily a problem fundamental to ride sharing, but the ride sharing ecosystem may be toxic, and I don't see where repercussions would be.

Having $B of investment for an idea that is only a few degrees from "yo" (exaggeration) creates a hated company like Uber. What has Travis done to deserve money like that that a college student making a location aware app with a backend and insurance/financial pool couldn't do? It looks like a black mark on the tech investment engine to me. Only difference might be he's an ahole and they've been selling some moonshot idea.

I can tell you how bad the excessive funding situation is - my bank, Chase, has sent me offers through my credit card for free rides. A gigantic financial institution is providing millions of people with free rides. That is not an advantage that either a homebrew developer or a traditional taxi company have.

In terms of fear mongering, there have obviously been complaints from drivers and passengers alike. You need to consider those as well as true stories and urban legends of cab experiences. If you haven't heard anything bad ever, then you should be skeptical.

In Chicagoland, the number one complaint I have ever heard about cab rides is the price, and that is not an equal comparison to ride sharing apps (because of incredible subsidies, no licenses, taxes, regulations or fees).

When one company or field of companies eliminates another due to fair competition that can be healthy for the market, but when eliminations happen from unfair competition, that is harmful to the market. I never said taxis were great. I just think their extinction would be bad.

qed.

[weberc2]

1. When the VC money runs out, timeshare will still beat taxis on price until something changes with the regulatory landscape, because a good chunk of each ride goes into meeting bad government regulations. 2. Its not meant to be an even playing field; that timeshare can outcompeted Taxis without any adverse social effect demonstrates the inefficiencies imposed on the industry by way of useless regulation.

3. I don't doubt there are bad rideshare stories. This doesn't mean ride share is somehow less safe than taxis, hence fear mongering.

5. Drivers seem to love ride share as far as I can tell, so the McDonalds/Walmart comparisons aren't apt, even if I was certain that Walmart and McDonalds are unethical companies.

[xigency]

Oh, people love Wal-Mart and McDonalds too, but they have huge negative externalities that are bad for their workers and the global food supply.

[incongruity]

And cities are free to regulate the ride sharing operators or reduce taxi medallion and tax costs to let them come back. The government fees/licensing restrictions are the only significant barrier to entry in the industry. Fix those and Uber/Lyft have competition in days.

[xigency]

Funny you should say that. Austin attempted to do this but the Uber and Lyft lobbyists were able to prop up legislation at the state level. Hard to see that happening with a local taxi co.

[bitJericho]

They do regulate. Uber/Lyft flout the regulations...

[incongruity]

Minimally in comparison to taxis - and some regulations are obeyed. A good example is the airport agreements in Chicago.

[xigency]

Well, Chicago is the city that works. But Uber is a bigger gang than the mob. Should that scare us?

Really, things seem less corrupt now than they did with Daley so maybe there aren't big payoffs by taxis, just laziness from them and the police.