The sharing economy has become so entrenched in our vocabulary
and culture, it's hard to remember when exactly the romance
began. For Uber, the story started on a "snowy Paris
evening in 2008" when two tech dudes had trouble
convincing a chauffeur de taxi to rescue them from the
elements. And thusly the biggest of the ride-sharing giants was
born in 2009. Way back when, it wasn't 50 Shades of late-model
Nissan Sentra—it was all black Lincoln Town Cars, all day
long.
But as with any real-life romance, eventually the fanciness
fades and the five-star dinners and flowers fade to Endless
Apps" and Netflix. With Uber and Lyft, there were growing
pains, competing desires, and unexpected twists—passionate
arguments for and against the companies, from cities, cab unions,
and people who were just sick of getting stuck in the snow.
