>Why would Uber even bother with some Machiavellian scheme to get a hundred or two extra rides? Getting that first install is critical, because once someone in

>Why would Uber even bother with some Machiavellian scheme to get a hundred or two extra rides? Getting that first install is critical, because once someone installs the Uber app they are unlikely to go back to taxi cabs. 200 extra riders might not be a big group, but they tell their friends and family and it spreads. This is especially true if the rides are discounted since everyone loves to talk about how much money they saved by taking an Uber instead of a taxi. Think of the ride sharing market in NYC, more than half the cars on the roads are taxis. tl;dr Uber has employed viral marketing like this for years and it works.