the real question is why are you advocating for some tech company (companies) backed by millions of dollars of VC money be able to pick and choose which laws to break?
How about Uber for drug dealers? Or Uber for prostitution? Why stop at illegal taxis/ride sharing?
While you are enjoying the rides and Uber the real profits: have you ever stopped to think about drivers who are being fined $1,000's/ even arrested for nothing more than being an Uber driver? Or the fact that Uber turns around and fires these drivers for not effectively evading the law?
That's right you car isn't actually just an under leveraged asset that can double as a ride for hire/taxi...it's actually under leveraged nuclear waste disposal business.
And your kids underleveraged child labor to be exploited in the sharing economy...hey you're just a tech company nothing to see here.
Drivers are adults. They can stop driving for Uber any moment that wish. Or do you think that adults don't know whats good for themselves and government needs to tell them what to do?
I think Uber entices people to break the law when drivers would have not otherwise have engaged or even considered engaging in that activity.
And no I don't think drivers are always aware and no i don't expect them to do legal research on a city, county and national level to determine whether being an Uber driver is unlawful. As a mater of fact I don't expect any employee/contractor to have the burden of performing legal research if their job duties are lawful because it is unlawful for any employer(Uber) to enter into contracts with employees/contractors (drivers) to perform illegal acts. So in short no I don't drivers know what's best for themselves when they break the law to work for Uber for a few bucks per legal violation, much less the real cost of getting a criminal record and losing their Uber job.
And yes I think governments are needed to pass laws that carry penalties, generally I think that's called civilized society, how long do you think you would last in a world without laws.
Even adults are not omniscient, nor without pressures that come from having to feed and house themselves and their families. All of those constraints are exploited by various businesses in a systemic way. Employment is very often not a fully voluntary trade.
How about Uber for drug dealers? Or Uber for prostitution? Why stop at illegal taxis/ride sharing?
While you are enjoying the rides and Uber the real profits: have you ever stopped to think about drivers who are being fined $1,000's/ even arrested for nothing more than being an Uber driver? Or the fact that Uber turns around and fires these drivers for not effectively evading the law?