Forgive me if I am being slow but what is the actual difference between "ride sharing" and "unlicensed minicab"? I mean that seems to be the crux of all Uber's regulatory woes - that they are either unwilling or unable to articulate it.
The difference is ride sharing is when the driver was going to do the ride anyway, and the passengers are just sharing the ride, hence the name. It's historically been mildly popular, for instance, on weekends and other breaks with trips originating at and returning to college campuses.
Of course, none of the big “ride sharing companies” have anything to do with actual ride sharing.
On the face of it there is no difference. Uber's reasoning seems to be that even if the driver is the same as a minicab that's nothing to do with Uber. All they claim to do is connect drivers with passengers in a convenient app. They say they're no more liable for the legality of the ride as the phone company is if you call a cab company that isn't compliant with the law.
