Uber's rates are already unsustainably low. Competition is one thing but unhealthy, unsustainable competition is another thing entirely.

It's probably for the best that rates go up a bit.

Best for who? It's better for riders if rates stay unsustainably low and they can get discounted rides at the expense of VCs.

"better for riders if rates stay unsustainably low"

Rates that are unsustainably low cannot be sustained, by definition.

Not without outside pressure, which in this case exists. I've been using Uber for 5 years.

Exceptionally low rates means the cars that are picking people up are not the quality of cars people want to be riding in, nor the quality of drivers they want to be riding with.

You're conflating two things - the low rate paid by the riders and the rate paid to the drivers.

As long as the drivers are getting paid well, whether it be from fares paid by riders or by VC subsidies, it will attract "quality" cars and drivers.

A separate issue is the sustainability of subsidizing driver wages from VCs by keeping rider fares artificially low.

Best for people who want these new services to continue.

It doesn't really matter whether they continue as long as something else takes their place afterwards.

Uber is still the big dog in town, I doubt they'll disappear completely.

Also, if you listen to the Lyft founder talk about the company, he sounds like he actually wants to help the world. Not to say that they can't become a shitty corporation, but it seems less likely.

Lyft's valuation is still 1/10th of Uber's. I don't think we need to worry too much about Uber going under anytime in the near future. Uber still has another 10B in the bank. As a consumer, I am supporting Lyft so that they might live another day to keep the competition going

> Uber still has another 10B in the bank.

Seeing as how leaked financials have reported Uber losing billions each year, I don't think they have nearly that much money left.

https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/21/uber-losses-expected-to-hi...