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> Remember how we used to have to get taxis? I remember that taxi drivers used to make a semblance of an income back in the day, but working in the gig economy
by CodingJeebus 1y ago
> Remember how we used to have to get taxis?
I remember that taxi drivers used to make a semblance of an income back in the day, but working in the gig economy now is essentially modern day digital serfdom. I had a buddy who got into Uber driving before the pandemic, got involved in some of the Uber social media communities in our area, and wound up knowing so many people who committed suicide because they were given auto loans by Uber to buy a car they'd never be able to pay back on Uber rides.
Not everyone benefits from this tech-driven world.
- zeroxfe 1y ago> Not everyone benefits from this tech-driven world. Nobody is claiming that.
- savorypiano 1y agoSo many? Why not just let the car get repo'd? Sounds hyperbolic.
- fragmede 1y agoDo you remember calling dispatch and never having a car show up? Do you remember credit card machines that mysteriously started working? Do you remember the last minute fees just as you were getting out of the car? Do you remember the regulatory capture that led to the taxi cab medallion system in NYC, where the medallions would cost up to $1,000,000? Do you know that it's the existence of taxi laws that make it largely illegal for, after a concert or other large event lets out, it's illegal for Uber to just have a line of cars and for people to line up and just get into the next available car? So instead the parking lot right after is this ridiculous madhouse of everyone waiting around for "their" car. Taxis did themselves in. Somehow, they've still not managed to catch up. Just a month ago I was in Vegas and got ripped off by a taxi. Took Uber/Lyft the rest of my time there.