> you’re free to find customers via other means

Except you aren't. In many cities it is illegal to just start taking passengers for fees.

Either Uber runs a legal business, in which case I would expect others can start similar businesses, or they don’t, in which case this is like complaining that you can’t start a local mob legally after the one you worked for kicked you out.

Yes, that may be difficult, but Uber has shown it to be possible; ‘just’ find some investor with a few billion to spare, and you can do it, too.

Returning to the original argument: even if Uber drivers were employees, the argument “Uber can’t kick me out because I can’t get a job as an Uber driver elsewhere” doesn’t hold water, and replacing “Uber driver” by “driver” doesn’t change that.

Some argue that it's illegal in many cities to just start taking Uber passengers as well.