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0 pointsjdmichal10y ago0 comments

Insurance and regulation arbitrage is basically the name of the game for Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb as far as I can tell.

0 comments

9 comments · 3 top-level

pbreit10y ago· 6 in thread

That sounds clever and informed but is mostly obnoxious.

What? It's well known that both Uber and AirBnB long relied on their users to operate unlicensed jitneys and unlicensed, uninspected, uninsured lodging houses.

pbreit10y ago

Uber originally was exclusively licensed town cars. Vacation rentals have been around for centuries.

And both are primarily successful because they have executed at a very high level on a consistent basis.

jdmichalOP10y ago

I didn't mean to offend, but I apparently have. I truly believe what I said, so I would like to know how would you suggest I improve the comment?

phil24810y ago

You could improve your comment by acknowledging that most businesses cajole, skirt, finagle or ignore regulations when it suits their purpose and they think they can get away with it. Uber and AirBnB did not invent this game.

1 more reply

pbreit10y ago

For starters, suggesting that the primary cause of their success is anything other than consistently executing at a high level is insulting.

Secondly, Uber got big using exclusively licensed town cars. And vacation rentals have been around for centuries.

1stop10y ago

Are you describing your own comment?

That's very meta!

BurningFrog10y ago

To me, the game of the "sharing economy" is to use the vastly lowered transaction and communication costs of the internet to make better use of unused capital. Cars and housing in those cases.

That regulation is a decade or two behind the technology is unfortunate, but merely a side story.

tomjen310y ago

I spend two nights with Airbnb hosts. Both had a spare room, one was home writing her thesis the other a single mother. Both could use the additional money more than the few minutes of bathroom/kitchen time that I used.

I also spend a couple nights with family - they don't have any special insurance or taxes for me either. I don't really see any difference, I didn't annoy the neighbours in any case.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

9 comments · 3 top-level

pbreit10y ago· 6 in thread

That sounds clever and informed but is mostly obnoxious.

massysett10y ago

What? It's well known that both Uber and AirBnB long relied on their users to operate unlicensed jitneys and unlicensed, uninspected, uninsured lodging houses.

pbreit10y ago

Uber originally was exclusively licensed town cars. Vacation rentals have been around for centuries.

And both are primarily successful because they have executed at a very high level on a consistent basis.

jdmichalOP10y ago

I didn't mean to offend, but I apparently have. I truly believe what I said, so I would like to know how would you suggest I improve the comment?

phil24810y ago

1 more reply

pbreit10y ago

For starters, suggesting that the primary cause of their success is anything other than consistently executing at a high level is insulting.

Secondly, Uber got big using exclusively licensed town cars. And vacation rentals have been around for centuries.

1stop10y ago

Are you describing your own comment?

That's very meta!

BurningFrog10y ago

To me, the game of the "sharing economy" is to use the vastly lowered transaction and communication costs of the internet to make better use of unused capital. Cars and housing in those cases.

That regulation is a decade or two behind the technology is unfortunate, but merely a side story.

tomjen310y ago

I also spend a couple nights with family - they don't have any special insurance or taxes for me either. I don't really see any difference, I didn't annoy the neighbours in any case.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse