Having lived in SF before Uber, I firmly believe their success was accelerated by just how bad taxis in SF were. Sometimes I would call dispatch and hear interminable muzak (really, tens of minutes with nobody picking up). But that was at least better than getting through but then never actually having a cab arrive. Never experienced a worse taxi system. The sus black cars that randomly solicited rides were almost appealing in that environment.

I still don't think Uber was a good outcome, even if it was better in many ways.