[bogota]

I mean “inflict it on the rest of the world” come on. They wouldn’t be selling if you weren’t buying. Uber categorically provides a better service than taxis in almost all places and provides a far safer experience in others. But once again it’s likely some self righteous first world person’s opinion who has no context for how other countries function. Par for the course on HN.

[gatlin]

People weren't necessarily buying in a fair market, hence the secret lobbying operation.

[ambrozk]

Taxi companies operate with the advantage of state monopolies. They have lobbyists too, and they were so well-connected that they allowed exactly zero innovation for decades before they got blown out of the water by Uber.

[jeltz]

Maybe in some countries, but where I live the taxi monopoly was removed long before Uber existed and Uber managed to outcompete with VC backed price dumping plus breaking the law.

[lesstyzing]

People are buying because they used VC money to undercut the competition. Until They owned the market and raised their prices.

[kortilla]

Where do they own the market? I use Lyft everywhere I go in the US just fine.

[lesstyzing]

Lyft still hasn’t even broke out of the US and Canada.

[stormbrew]

In Canada they've barely even broken out of Toronto.