Uber, Lyft crackdown in Seattle may be followed in other cities
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Re: Uber, Lyft crackdown in Seattle may be followed in other cities
#2Last I read the bill in Georgia didn't clear the House on crossover day which is the last day a bill can be passed on to the Georgia Senate.
With regards to the restrictions, the primary backers of the bill in Georgia were existing limo companies. I would be surprised if similar groups are not the reasons for the problems such companies face in other states.
Re: Uber, Lyft crackdown in Seattle may be followed in other cities
#3Same as AirBNB. If you can't beat them... lobby to ban them.
Re: Uber, Lyft crackdown in Seattle may be followed in other cities
#4What are the arguments in favor of this regulation? I'm sure that anti-competition lobbies from limos, cabs, etc. play a role, but is there something safety-related as well? And if so, why would 150 Lyft drivers be safer than 400 Lyft drivers?
Re: Uber, Lyft crackdown in Seattle may be followed in other cities
#5[deleted]
Re: Uber, Lyft crackdown in Seattle may be followed in other cities
#6I'm genuinely curious: what is it that distinguishes these services from taxis? Why is it okay for one to be regulated but not the other -- or do proponents of these services generally think that taxis shouldn't be regulated either?
Re: Uber, Lyft crackdown in Seattle may be followed in other cities
#7Same as AirBNB. If you can't beat them... lobby to ban them.
I'm fine with abolishing almost all those regulations - they are a huge barrier to entry, and they serve very little public good. However, hotel rooms are highly taxed, while most AirBNB rooms are not - apartment rents are often rented at submarket prices under rent-control schemes, yet the tenants charge full fair to rent out their rooms.
Right now, AirBNB and Uber are basically trying to avoid all regulations by pretending to be just middlemen, but that argument is transparently bullshit.
Re: Uber, Lyft crackdown in Seattle may be followed in other cities
#8I'm genuinely curious: what is it that distinguishes these services from taxis? Why is it okay for one to be regulated but not the other -- or do proponents of these services generally think that taxis shouldn't be regulated either?
Regulations is not a yes or no question. Many proponents of such services are OK with certain regulations (e.g. safety), while being opposed to others (caps on number of vehicles).
Others are simply opposed to all industry-specific regulations, and a few are opposed to the concept of the State as a whole ;)
And yes, as far as I've read, many are opposed to caps on all taxis, not just on Uber/Lyft.
Re: Uber, Lyft crackdown in Seattle may be followed in other cities
#9I'm genuinely curious: what is it that distinguishes these services from taxis? Why is it okay for one to be regulated but not the other -- or do proponents of these services generally think that taxis shouldn't be regulated either?
Taxis can be flagged down on the street. All you have to go on is that it looks like a taxi, and has a medallion. If they aren't part of a regulated system with mandatory fares, medallion numbers, safety regulations, you have no idea what you'd be getting into when you flag one down without some kind of regulation.
These, instead, generally count as livery services. If you are calling a specific business to be picked up, you know who you're dealing with ahead of times, and can check their rates, choose based on their reputation, etc.
At least in Boston, Uber drivers are regulated, but as livery not as taxis, as you "call" them rather than hailing them directly on the street.
Re: Uber, Lyft crackdown in Seattle may be followed in other cities
#10Fuck, I sincerely hope our generation (early-mid 20s) do not react like crusty sheltered curmudgeons in 15-30 years when they occupy these positions of power and are confronted with something they've never seen before. I'm not too hopeful though. One of the few constants in life is that while individually people may change, groups of them rarely do.