To the Editor:

Taking your lead (July 1, “Edgartown seeks to rein in an elusive Uber”) that you feel that Uber requires all kinds of regulations to protect our citizens, I hopped into a regular cab after arriving in Vineyard Haven on the Steamship Authority. I told the driver of my destination in Edgartown.

The inside of the car was pretty dirty, which matched the unshaven appearance of the cab driver, with a pair of jeans with a hole at the knee level. He replied that he had taken on six other people off the ferry, and that he had to first go to Vineyard Haven’s Lambert’s Cove, then to the downtown area of Oak Bluffs, and then he planned to finally stop by Edgartown for my destination. He estimated that he would finally reach my destination in Edgartown in about 90 minutes.

I said, Whoa! I do not want to ride around with you and your cab for 90 minutes while you deliver your cargo of six passengers. To which he replied, “What do you want — an Uber ride?”

Everyone has good remarks about Uber. Their cars are clean, and the drivers are shaven and neatly dressed. Uber has a scoring system, and the drivers know that their demeanor is scored by their passengers on a daily basis. Just an average score, and they are no longer hired by Uber. They are polite, courteous, and their rates are one-third cheaper than a local taxi. The drivers are mostly local retired residents who have lived in the area for decades, and know the area very well.

The arrangement between an Uber driver and one of us is a private agreement, and there is no need for their regulation. Uber is an $18 billion worldwide organization, and will bring suit to avoid these regulations. For whom did the selectmen propose the regulations, as there have been no complaints from the population? Uber will fight these worthless regulations, and then the local population can pay for the town lawyers and costs of court battle. Pray tell, selectmen, how does that benefit the people of Edgartown, other than to rack up higher defense costs and taxes?

For what? The local taxi industry does not give us the service that we want, and their cabs are dirty, and much more expensive. Selectmen, where are your interests?

Michael Kelley Jr.

Edgartown