At the minimum, über has forced taxis to get with the program.
At the minimum, über has forced taxis to get with the program.
This is nothing specific to SF, either. This kind of nonsense is exactly what dysfunctional markets looks like, and it's everywhere, which is why Uber seems such a breath of fresh air to consumers around the globe.
Well, almost everywhere. You know where they don't pull this kind of flimflammery, right? That's right, in Japan, where Uber doesn't even try to replace cab companies, it just provides an easier way to book rides with one:
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2014/08/08/in-japan-uber-...
Given that offering a universal way to book a taxi is the best thing they could have done.
Not to mention by the looks of it taxi cab services there are way ahead of their peers in the US launching their own apps etc.