| > Laws should always be challenged and dismantled whenever possible. The state should be minimized. That taxis were ever regulated is totally insane and their complete lack of customer service prior to Uber's existence is evidence of that. When people tell me they can't believe things were regulated, very often it seems like they're not actually sure what the regulations actually are, and why they're there. A lot of regulation covers basic common sense requirements based on what society has learned as a whole. That's not to say all regulation is, and I'm certainly not one to argue against a need for massive red-tape cutting. So: .. You don't think Taxi drivers should be mandated to have background checks, to ensure they're not sex offenders, thieves etc. It's really hard to tell when you see someone face-to-face. We've seen Uber already repeatedly struggling with this, being a regular problem early on for them, and eventually giving in to peer pressure to do what Taxicab companies already do, what laws already require. Why should we (the consumer) have to go through the same process over and over again with every Tom, Dick and Harry company that decides they want to drive people around for money? Uber is becoming entrenched, prices are rising. Eventually a new company is going to come along and disrupt the market out from underneath them in some way we don't anticipate right now, and yet again we'll go through sexual harassment etc. of passengers that'll continue for years until the company comes under sufficient pressure to fix their shit. .. You don't think Taxi drivers should be mandated to have business insurance so that should the driver crash when you're in the vehicle, you're covered? .. You don't think Taxi drivers should be required to have a vehicle regularly maintained and in good _safe_ working order, so that you're significantly less likely to be involved in an accident, and when it does you're less likely to be seriously injured? Remember that most things that wear out on a vehicle aren't plain to see. It's really easy to keep a car spick and span, while it's about to fall apart underneath. .. You don't think Taxi cab drivers should be restricted to working no more than 12 hour days, so that they're not falling asleep at the wheel and causing accidents? |
Have you ever taken an Uber? Have you ever taken a cab? Every Uber ride I've ever taken (a lot, in many different cities) has been more or less pleasant and friction free. Most cab rides have been quite the opposite.
I 100% feel safer in an Uber than in a taxi. Try paying a taxi with a credit card some day and let us know how that goes. At best you'll have to argue with the driver to accept it. Most likely the machine will be "broken".