[LINK] Uber?

[Jim Birch]

OTOH

I haven't used it but Uber is actually *loved* by a lot of people in cities
with a good Uber presence: fast, cheap and a more interesting way of
getting around.   It uses a reputation - like what  has made eBay work so
well - for drivers, so loonies don't get jobs, and IIRC for clients.  The
end of the grumpy right-wing- nut-job taxi driver?  It also has probably
better security that the taxi system since everyone is ID'd.

Let's face it, the taxi system has ended up as a rentseeking scam in most
places.  Why should taxi plates be worth gazillions?  Uber may get a
significant first coloniser advantage but they won't be as bad as the
system they are replacing.  They are open to competition and disruption
themselves.  (I expect them all to be largely wiped out in a couple of
decades by driverless cloud cars.)  As an actual ride share system it has
an environmental benefit though not necessarily as a backdoor taxi system.
  If the taxis had any brains they would introduce their own app that
allowed ride sharing and driver rating right now but I expect they will go
down the path of manipulating government.

Jim


On 13 May 2014 12:16, Glen Turner <gdt at gdt.id.au> wrote:

>
> It's the standard Silicon Valley "disruption" model. Choose a industry
> with high margins, break the law to enter it, then chose up the loophole
> you entered through to keep future disruption out. Apple with music and
> handsets. YouTube with video. Google is trying it with books.
>
> Particularly nice with Uber is the way it portrays the service as "ride
> sharing". I am a little more cynical, thinking that such as description is
> a neat way of side-stepping questions around minimum wages and if it is
> good public policy to make of all drivers (not just taxi owners)
> independent contractors.
>
> For government it's a basic question of the rule of law.
>
> For industry it's a warning that featherbedding leaves you open to a
> disruptive 'play' funded by billions of US venture capital finance looking
> for outlets which aren't in electronics (where margins are low).
>
> -glen
> _______________________________________________
> Link mailing list
> Link at mailman.anu.edu.au
> http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
>