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Originally Posted by Dagger
Really interesting post, and I appreciated you spelling out some of the more hidden nuances. I have a question for you though:
What's your take on what their long-term game is? In the medium-run, won't taxi companies have to reduce their fares in order to compete with Uber's prices? In turn, with how unprofitable Uber has been thus far, they'll presumably raise their own prices, to both become more economically healthy, and reflect additional costs they'll incur to meet regulations should they choose to compete. Won't that be better for consumers in the long run? Is this not competition at work?
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Right now, it's illegal competition. There's a million companies that could attempt something similar in any number of industries and get shut down with a shrug of "Of course they got shut down, why did they think they could do that?" from citizens.
The difference here is A) Citizens are so upset with the status quo, and B) They've developed a cult like following by drivers who feel that they're a part of a really caring company that gives them extra spending cash, when in reality the company only works because these drivers aren't driving legally but have been convinced they
kind of are, and "Uber has promised us they have our back".
There'd be a lot less back and forth if supporters of Uber spoke with clarity like 4X4. He came along and said something to the affect of "Our taxi situation sucks horrendous balls, it sucks so bad that Calgarians are willing to use an illegal service, and I would use them even if they were more expensive out of spite for the stupid taxi industry".
See that is a great post about Uber, it illustrates EXACTLY what's happening here and why Uber is revered, it's simple honesty. All the other mud about city officials taking bribes to awkwardly defending the fact that they're blatantly ignoring Canadian legal regulations that would have most companies shut down to the World Financial Group style reviews of a damn ride home are all just silly.
And I say that as someone who knows and supports the fact that the taxi industry has operated like **** for too many years and is now getting what it deserves. But that's everyone's opinion, so call a spade a spade, no need to hold up a horrible, ethically poor company as a cult like hero company, just say you're happy with better, cheaper service and be done with it.