1) Ridesharing has been around for decades. There were high-tech phone-based ridesharing programs in the 90s. I don't think anyone claims the idea of sharing rides itself is new.
2) There are many ridesharing services including us (http://www.ridejoy.com), Zimride, and Carpooling.com, where drivers give passengers a ride to someplace the driver is already going.
Lyft (a new offshoot of Zimride) and Sidecar have appropriated/redefined "rideshare" because it sounds friendlier and less commercial than "car service". Uber doesn't use the word rideshare.
3) Having used both Lyft and Sidecar extensively, the fact that it's a commercial transaction doesn't change the fact that the experience with either one is generally as good as, sometimes much better than, actual taxicabs in SF. It's also a bit cheaper and you're more likely to actually get one. Hopefully the state just requires adequate protections instead of killing these very useful services.
1) Ridesharing has been around for decades. There were high-tech phone-based ridesharing programs in the 90s. I don't think anyone claims the idea of sharing rides itself is new.
2) There are many ridesharing services including us (http://www.ridejoy.com), Zimride, and Carpooling.com, where drivers give passengers a ride to someplace the driver is already going.
Lyft (a new offshoot of Zimride) and Sidecar have appropriated/redefined "rideshare" because it sounds friendlier and less commercial than "car service". Uber doesn't use the word rideshare.
3) Having used both Lyft and Sidecar extensively, the fact that it's a commercial transaction doesn't change the fact that the experience with either one is generally as good as, sometimes much better than, actual taxicabs in SF. It's also a bit cheaper and you're more likely to actually get one. Hopefully the state just requires adequate protections instead of killing these very useful services.