[danaris]

> gradually and inexorably society and laws adjusted to it.

But in many places, the ways that society and laws adjusted to it were to make extra clear in their local ordinances that Uber was required to operate as an actual taxi service, or get out.

It's very disingenuous to imply that the public broadly decided Uber was Right, Actually, when both in its case and in that of many of the other gig economy companies, what really happened is that gradually and inexorably, they had to adjust to society and laws.

[keeda]

I didn't mean to imply Uber was "right" or it unilaterally got laws adjusted in its favor. Both sides had to adapt, but very clearly regulations had to be significantly adjusted as well: https://www.blackcarnews.com/article/the-uber-taxi-partnersh...

I followed this evolution peripherally as it happened, because while I appreciated the convenience of Uber, I disliked that it was unfair towards existing taxi drivers who had very onerous requirements like taxi medallions, which, note, never became a requirement for rideshare drivers.

I remember at one point Uber drivers at the airport would ask me to pretend I'm a friend being picked up to avoid trouble with the cops, and then a couple of years later there was a dedicated, official "Uber pickup lane."

My underlying point was that the whole system -- including Uber, incumbents, society and laws -- adapted to a new economic reality.