People saw it, but if you remember Taxis before Uber it wasn't exactly great either.
No-shows, demanding flat rates double what the meter would charge/refusing service, various forms of harassment, etc.
Turns out when there is very little competition, businesses treat their customers like shit.
Uber definitely does some things better than traditional taxis. Things like work flexibility are great, but workers still need better protections and pay (aka, a union).