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Uber now has to wait 15 minutes before picking you up in France

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Re: Uber now has to wait 15 minutes before picking you up in France

#21

Post by RBerenguel »

thenmar wrote: post #14
mehphp wrote: post #10

"Back in October, the French government mentioned this piece of legislation as these new services would hurt traditional cab drivers." So? That's how the market and progress works. If a service can't stand up on it's own, it doesn't need to exist.

What a meaningless platitude. The world isn't quite as simple as that.

Every time I see an Uber post related to Europe I wonder if in the US taxis don't need to pay the outrageous license fees (in addition to a whole lot of other things, like freelance income taxes.) It seems very beautiful on the outside, but in the end it seems like the service offered is a way for people to earn money without passing through the same hoops as others do. Seen from afar it seems innovation, but think again. It's unskilled people being paid for (what is usually) highly skilled work. Yes, I mean driving someone to a place.

Re: Uber now has to wait 15 minutes before picking you up in France

#23

Post by southpawgirl »

spindritf wrote: post #3

Presumably, the taxi industry is "heavily regulated" for the benefit of the customer, then shouldn't customers flock to this excellent, regulated service on their own? Why are those artificial and arbitrary limits necessary?

In some Italian cities the situation is no different: taxi licenses are issued only on a fixed, limited number and are sometimes inherited from father to child, often sold for mind-boggling amounts (comparable to the price of a house). The service as a result is quite crap: long waits, high prices per km and all the most contrived surcharges you can think of (5 additional Euros for the airport and some tourist destinations, etc). Each time a deregulation is proposed (and it does happen) there are immense backlashes from a small category that would be not only stripped of a privilege, but actually, properly ruined: some cabbies have to take 10 yrs mortgages to buy a license. It's a legacy state of affairs that carries on only because it's difficult to remove, not because it's of actual advantage to anyone.

Re: Uber now has to wait 15 minutes before picking you up in France

#25

Post by icelancer »

southpawgirl wrote: post #19

Last October, France passed a bill against heavy discounting on books. They have this thing, to protect the existing market order against the disruption caused by new channels. My first reaction is always to think that it's ridiculous; but then again maybe all those measures are only meant to minimize the casualties of progress, more than just being an obstacle to progress.

>but then again maybe all those measures are only meant to minimize the casualties of progress, more than just being an obstacle to progress.

They are one in the same.

Re: Uber now has to wait 15 minutes before picking you up in France

#26

Post by ak217 »

thenmar wrote: post #14
mehphp wrote: post #10

"Back in October, the French government mentioned this piece of legislation as these new services would hurt traditional cab drivers." So? That's how the market and progress works. If a service can't stand up on it's own, it doesn't need to exist.

What a meaningless platitude. The world isn't quite as simple as that.

The real world is quite as simple as that. Whatever roadblocks the government has put in the way are better implemented elsewhere (through social safety nets, retraining, etc.)

You might have a point when different industries with different built-in subsidies compete (taxis vs. buses or trains vs. planes). That's not the case here.

Re: Uber now has to wait 15 minutes before picking you up in France

#27

Post by southpawgirl »

icelancer wrote: post #25
southpawgirl wrote: post #19

Last October, France passed a bill against heavy discounting on books. They have this thing, to protect the existing market order against the disruption caused by new channels. My first reaction is always to think that it's ridiculous; but then again maybe all those measures are only meant to minimize the casualties of progress, more than just being an obstacle to progress.

>but then again maybe all those measures are only meant to minimize the casualties of progress, more than just being an obstacle to progress. They are one in the same.

True, and as I said, it does seem ridiculous to me. At the same time, I understand that progress has often broader implications that might appear as a price too high to pay for the society. So, I just abstain from casting stones in that case; even if on the whole I am quite happy I am not in France anymore.

Re: Uber now has to wait 15 minutes before picking you up in France

#30

Post by onebaddude »

spindritf wrote: post #3

Presumably, the taxi industry is "heavily regulated" for the benefit of the customer, then shouldn't customers flock to this excellent, regulated service on their own? Why are those artificial and arbitrary limits necessary?

>the taxi industry is "heavily regulated" for the benefit of the customer

I get your point, but people decry the regulation that Uber is fighting against...until Uber implements free market "surge pricing". Then people are more than happy to leap back into the yellow cabs, which have their price regulated. Just read through some of the fallout.

In other words, all the free market vs regulation talk is lip service. People want what's best for themselves.

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