3 ms·

> These regulations would substantially more than destroy that margin. Why is that bad, though? The customers (or at least some of them) would go back to taxi

> These regulations would substantially more than destroy that margin. Why is that bad, though? The customers (or at least some of them) would go back to taxis, and then either taxi drivers/companies or customers would capture the $.19 that Uber was previously taking. It isn't immediately obvious why that would be worse.

darawk 10y ago
Well, because every single person on earth would be slightly worse off. The size of the ride-hailing market would contract to pre-Uber levels, for one. This means fewer jobs for drivers and fewer dollars paid out overall. The liquidity of the ride-hailing market would go back to taxi-levels. You'd have to carry cash, and the rides would be slightly more expensive. These might seem like relatively inconsequential details, but the sum of them over an entire economy adds up to billions of dollars of deadweight loss. And in an era of slowing growth, we really shouldn't be throwing these things away because it makes some people uncomfortable.
- wfo 10y ago
  And yet you are dodging the argument again -- the argument is that allowing Uber to dodge all regulations is bad for Uber employees (while it is of course better for customers). And Uber is not the only company capable of writing a simple mobile app for taxi services. Taxi services certainly can do it (it is not hard) and will. If it were the case that allowing certain companies to use slave labor were good for the economy (it is) then should we allow that as well? It would make every single person on earth better off. Well, so long as I don't include the slaves that's the case, but as you've chosen not to include the Uber drivers in your characterization I think that's fair.
  - darawk 10y ago
    > And yet you are dodging the argument again -- the argument is that allowing Uber to dodge all regulations is bad for Uber employees (while it is of course better for customers). And Uber is not the only company capable of writing a simple mobile app for taxi services. Taxi services certainly can do it (it is not hard) and will. I disagree that it is bad for Uber employees. Yes, if you regulate Uber, the employees that remain will be better off. However, there will undoubtedly be fewer of them, and they will have a much less flexible relationship with their employer. Those are real costs that you can't simply ignore. > If it were the case that allowing certain companies to use slave labor were good for the economy (it is) then should we allow that as well? It would make every single person on earth better off. Well, so long as I don't include the slaves that's the case, but as you've chosen not to include the Uber drivers in your characterization I think that's fair. It is, at best, arguable whether slavery is good for the economy [1]. However, that doesn't really matter, because slavery violates basic human rights. Two consenting, informed adults entering into a voluntary, temporary agreement to exchange a ride for a fee violates nobody's rights. [1] http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/09/economic-history-2 http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/09/economic...

darawk 10y ago

Well, because every single person on earth would be slightly worse off. The size of the ride-hailing market would contract to pre-Uber levels, for one. This means fewer jobs for drivers and fewer dollars paid out overall. The liquidity of the ride-hailing market would go back to taxi-levels. You'd have to carry cash, and the rides would be slightly more expensive. These might seem like relatively inconsequential details, but the sum of them over an entire economy adds up to billions of dollars of deadweight loss. And in an era of slowing growth, we really shouldn't be throwing these things away because it makes some people uncomfortable.

wfo 10y ago
And yet you are dodging the argument again -- the argument is that allowing Uber to dodge all regulations is bad for Uber employees (while it is of course better for customers). And Uber is not the only company capable of writing a simple mobile app for taxi services. Taxi services certainly can do it (it is not hard) and will. If it were the case that allowing certain companies to use slave labor were good for the economy (it is) then should we allow that as well? It would make every single person on earth better off. Well, so long as I don't include the slaves that's the case, but as you've chosen not to include the Uber drivers in your characterization I think that's fair.
- darawk 10y ago
  > And yet you are dodging the argument again -- the argument is that allowing Uber to dodge all regulations is bad for Uber employees (while it is of course better for customers). And Uber is not the only company capable of writing a simple mobile app for taxi services. Taxi services certainly can do it (it is not hard) and will. I disagree that it is bad for Uber employees. Yes, if you regulate Uber, the employees that remain will be better off. However, there will undoubtedly be fewer of them, and they will have a much less flexible relationship with their employer. Those are real costs that you can't simply ignore. > If it were the case that allowing certain companies to use slave labor were good for the economy (it is) then should we allow that as well? It would make every single person on earth better off. Well, so long as I don't include the slaves that's the case, but as you've chosen not to include the Uber drivers in your characterization I think that's fair. It is, at best, arguable whether slavery is good for the economy [1]. However, that doesn't really matter, because slavery violates basic human rights. Two consenting, informed adults entering into a voluntary, temporary agreement to exchange a ride for a fee violates nobody's rights. [1] http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/09/economic-history-2 http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2013/09/economic...