> Before Uber, how many of those "independent contractors" were in the market? A fair number were. I lived in Harlem from 2008-2011, and we often had to hail o

> Before Uber, how many of those "independent contractors" were in the market? A fair number were. I lived in Harlem from 2008-2011, and we often had to hail off-duty black car service vehicles due to the dearth of medallion cabs outside of central Manhattan. These were commonly known as "gypsy cabs," and the drivers were picking people up to make money on the side. I believe it was technically illegal but very, very common.