> Uber/Lyft were far cheaper than other options when they launched until they put everything else out of business, then jacked up the price

Source? Particularly inflation adjusted? Uber, specifically, started out as black cars only.

That's been my attitude as well. I'm not convinced they'll stay cheaper for long, and when I say "cheaper" its marginal. Cost of the ride is the similar, but it seems there is no tip built into the price yet.

Its funny because when ride sharing first came out -- everyone had a great experience for the most part (early adopters/risk takers). Then the long tail (and VC growth money disappeared) came around and the pay got worse, job was a grind and the quality tanked.

I don't doubt that we will have the same thing with all these new options. Maybe the social baggage won't be there but there will be weird new things that pop up...

> How it makes us less human

Fewer horses, too!

There is nothing natural about driving a car. Nothing democratic about a driver in front ferrying one or two in the back, both knowing each will rate the other, one knowing they are working for a tip, all while managing a fleet of apps whose owners run datacenters to rip them off.

Human-driven cars were a deadly necessity. But like lead pipes and child labour, we’re better off past it.

Yeah our humanity relies on worrying about if your uber driver might be a reckless driver or harass you. Driving is a means to an end, self driving cars will one day be cheaper better and safer which is a boon to all consumers at the expense of the comparatively few drivers

Do you miss asking the switchboard operator to connect your call?

People are trying to get from one place to another, not have a social experience. If they could teleport themselves they would.

It's really complicated. Because even though there might be a bit of friction between you and that rideshare driver, ride-sharing keeps a lot of people off the streets.

If this technology really takes off in the next 5 to 10 years, we're going to see a lot of people without the employer of last resort. Eventually gig work might disappear completely. In a lot of cities you'll see people on electric bikes or scooters delivering food. If that's completely automated, sure it'll be a lot quicker and faster, but what's going to happen to people who depend on these jobs.

I don't think our economic system is ready for this. And I'm not talking about any particular country either, it's going to be a worldwide issue.

Humans are quite bad at a lot of primarily human tasks... I'm grateful every time I don't have to deal with a secretary behind the phone, bank teller, travel agent, etc thanks to all these functionalities having become automated. One exception was ordering food in Japan at some restaurants which was done on iPads and food was being delivered by robots, because I actually really enjoyed interacting with the delightful and polite people over there. I cannot say the same about people in where I live.

How does it make us less human?

The reason it's illegal to build a small grocery store near where people live (so they don't have to spent so much time and money acquiring groceries) has the complete opposite to do with capitalism.