It's funny -- except for the seats with holes, I count all of the things that you mention as downsides of traditional taxis among the things I love about traveling by taxi and other public transport through Asia, Africa, and yes, New York and DC.

Then, by all means, continue to use the taxi system.

I find it shameful that there is a defacto-forced monopoly. Another comment hand a link to DC's taxi system about illegal taxis. It seems strange to me that we have regulations on something that... isn't a limited resource.

I can understand enabling regulations for limited resources like electrics or water, but transportation? I'm... boggled to think what benefit comes from a regulated taxi system beyond customer safety? Sure, we should have a registered driver and some customer protection laws, but... a monopoly?

I like the idea of competition to deliver a diversity of goods to a diverse set of markets. I'm glad for Uber because it's changing the game and stirring the status-quo. Sure, it's more expensive, but's it raising the industry which will cut into the regular taxi's margins. I'm optimistic that taxi's average quality will improve to steal away some of Uber's customers.

Yes, who wouldn't count aspergillosis as an upside of taxis? If I don't have enough fever and lung bleeding, I'm just not happy.