I recently hailed a taxi. When I got in the driver refused to turn on the meter instead quoting me a crazy price and then said his card reader didnt work. I cant say taxi's were much better pre-uber. The simple reason ride share took off is because taxi's have long been horrible.

Ironically it is often the socially concious union types that call Uber or Lyft.

Sure, in some regions there is what basically amounts to a taxi mafia. But aside from that Uber/Lyft offer the definition of a gig economy where people on both end believe to be winning. Depends on the country, but in most countries it isn't the price sensitive choice.

“In some regions”

Guatemala is the only place outside the US where I was not quoted 3-5x Uber prices by very pushy taxi drivers.

Taxi drivers are scam artists and thieves. There’s no reputational damage either, as you will never see them again.

Uber solves the reputation problem: every driver is rated, and poorly rated and badly behaved drivers do not get to work for them.

This stuff happens everywhere. Look at Trader Joes and Whole Foods. TJ has been owned by Aldi, one of the largest grocery corporations since the 1970s. It's non-union and is currently doing the mobbing thing that starbucks did in the 90s to squeeze out independent grocers. They're being bastards.

Still though, I shopped there last night.