Uber and Lyft wouldn't exist if the Taxi system wasn't horrible beyond belief. Fix the medallion/license issues and they both go out of business. Otherwise, even if both ride sharing companies go out of business, people will still create some type of app to get around the shitty monopoly that is currently in place.

As far as trained professionals with background checks, yeah, a day's worth of training is amazing (sarcasm). Also, most taxi drivers go through a minimal (if any) amount of background checking. For instance, here in Austin, Tx, it was reported that fifty-three drivers who failed background checks to become Uber drivers had been issued chauffeur’s licenses by the City of Austin.

He compares 13 minutes to 6 hours as some sort of huge difference in training. They are almost exactly identical in substance and meaning at those numbers.

Cheaper, more convenient, better coverage in our city, cleaner vehicles, more friendly drives, the list goes on and on. If the taxi cab companies could offer something similar then I might think of using them again. But they got beat to the punch and now they are going to lose their shirts. Too little, too late.

...completely ignoring the sweatshopping tactics Uber employs. It's all puppies and ice cream now since the cars are still new. Wait until that Uber driver is tired of paying to get his brakes done and squeals through the red light and kills someone you care about.

Cheaper isn't better, it's just cheaper.

Another issue... Uber is a taxi dispatching service for unregulated "gypsy" taxi drivers. It is NOT a "ride sharing" service.

Why?

A ride sharing service would be the Uber driver broadcasting out "I'm downtown, and I'm heading to the airport, anyone need a ride?" and if no one takes him up on it, and he GOES THERE ANYWAY BECAUSE HE HAD TO, he's ride sharing.

If he's just sitting around, waiting for a passenger to broadcast "I'm downtown and need to get to the airport, come get me." then he's a taxi.

Uber doesn't need to be regulated, but they SHOULD only deal with properly licensed, insured, and legal transportation providers. Even if that's just a one-man, one-car business.

*comedy too

Adding video to channels (Comedy) - requested by ant.

That would be great "if" you could get those licenses, get insured as a transport driver, without being held to a monopoly by the people giving out those certifications. The problem is, you can't in most places.

THAT is what needs to change. Uber isn't the answer, it's just another problem.

I agree that it isn't the final answer, but it may be the temporary one that will force the market to change. Because if you do away with ride-sharing services before the market changes, you do away with any incentive for them to change.

"groul"?

Gruel - "Gruel is a type of food consisting of some type of cereal—oat, wheat or rye flour, or rice—boiled in water or milk. It is a thinner version of porridge that may be more often drunk than eaten and may not need to be cooked."

Thanks, that's pretty much what I said in one word. For the research and production values in this video it's hard to see how they ended up spelling it "groul".

Grouls are humanoid creatures the Guardian Council once used to guard their most valuable treasures, including the Mother Stone. -Amulet.wiki.com