[dylanjermiah]

>All they are is an app with some marketing, and anyone with a bit of money can easily come up with a competing app.

I think I'll let your first statement stand, but in regards to the second. Uber has raised $5.9bn dollars, is doing ~2m rides per day, is in 300+ cities -- sure you can create a competing app, but the chances of meaningfulness are small if non existent.

[kevin_thibedeau]

The difference is that carpooling is legal. What Uber and Lyft are doing is not in most markets.

[dylanjermiah]

What relevance does this have to the parent, or my, comment?

[kevin_thibedeau]

The relevance is that a $5.9b valuation is dubious when it's based on an illegal enterprise. That "value" can disappear in an instant when municipalities start cracking down.

[ma2rten]

in 300+ countries

As far as I know, there are only 196 countries in the world.

[dylanjermiah]

I apologize, I meant cities. Thank you for letting me know.