It seems pretty common for public policy (in your example, minicab provision and regulation) to first fail and then for the rise of Uber to be promoted by the faithful as an alternative solution.

In reality, Uber’s existence, no matter what the company or its supporters might say, is simply a different way of highlighting the very same failure in public policy.

The poor have no bread? Let them eat cake. The citizens need an out of hours ride home from the pub? Page a Prius.