Hooray, I say.I’m not a fan of any company who’s business plan is based on outright exploitation and fraud, and so I welcome this news.
There is no such thing as “ridesharing” (you’re a taxi/livery service); it doesn’t exist any more than “foodsharing” (that’s a restaurant).
I can’t see how this law will get any additional Uber drivers out on the streets. I can see how it will get fewer out on the streets, so it will mean longer waits instead of higher prices when there would be “surge demand”
I think they should also limit hotel & accommodation prices - it’s criminal what some places get away with charging at peak times. And airline fares to get to Hawaii - it’s scandalous how much the cost of seats vary on the same plane.
Price controls - what could possibly go wrong?
Hooray for waiting!
Yeah, it’s always a win when free market dies.,
It’s okay for the Government to set rules for businesses.
Do you know that the average house price in San Francisco is more than 6 times the average house price in Boise? It’s gouging! How dare those bastards ask for more money just because there’s a higher demand? I look forward to the day when government regulation makes everything I want affordable for me.
Outside of Libertopia, the free market isn’t always perfect. Sometimes it doesn’t work and things improve when the government steps in and regulates business.
I agree. But when both customer and business are happy with the arrangement, there is no need for government to step in and “save” them.
How is Uber’s business plan “based on outright exploitation and fraud”?
If you don’t like the surge pricing, then take a taxi by all means! Isn’t this bad for taxi cab companies? It eliminates the price advantage they have during surges (which is about the only reason I’d take a cab these days, anyway. But I think I’d still rather pay the surge pricing.)
I also don’t understand how it’s “price gouging.” If Uber were a monopoly, or otherwise had no competition (or no meaningful competition), then, sure, I could buy that argument and perhaps support or at least consider regulation in this regard. But it’s not! I mean, that’s as dumb as telling a store they can’t sell milk for $6/gallon when there’s an equally accessible store across the street that sells it for $3/gallon. Just go to the other store.
Uber is acting as a de facto taxi business while avoiding the regulations that apply to taxi business by claiming it’s just a “ride sharing” service.
What about everyone else who’s not directly involved in the transaction but has to deal with some of the consequences?
New York City has always set a limit on the number of taxis that can work in the city. This is to keep traffic from getting too congested. Uber is now functioning as an unregulated taxi service and it’s creating a significant negative effect on traffic. Streets are more crowded and driving times have increased.
Not the best example. NYC has been swarmed with gypsy cabs for years.
Sure there’s such a thing as ‘ridesharing’. It’s when someone goes ‘Hey, I’m going to X, anyone else want a lift, just chip in for fuel/split the taxi fare!’ Yeah, not what Uber does, but I wouldn’t want to discourage the real thing, it reduces car numbers on the road (unlike Uber), and yes there are actual ride sharing websites where you can arrange such things with strangers, where the rules state you can’t charge more than a share of the required fuel.
Obviously some people in this thread aren’t aware of the details of Uber surge pricing. We’re not talking a 50% fee, we’re talking in some cases raising the price by 3x or more. They went to x9.9 on New Years Eve in NYC in 2016 and I’m sure you could find other stories about that sort of thing.
Much like if a “food sharing” business really did start up, which was actually just individuals paying other individuals to make them dinner. No health department inspections, no parking spaces for customers, no mandatory training, no liquor licences, on and on.
Better not go to your buddy’s house and have dinner then. Unless of course his kitchen has been inspected by the health department. And stay away from them cookies at the bake sale too.
The whole point of surge pricing is to entice more drivers to go out and pick up people from a popular area. Without it you would have, as others have pointed out, much longer waits for a pick up. This is silly.