The Commonwealth of Virginia's department of motor vehicles has reportedly sent cease and desist letters to Uber and Lyft, ordering the smartphone-app-based ridesharing services to stop operating in the Old Dominion. It's an all-too-typical approach by politicians and bureaucrats of demanding that new businesses get a government okay before operating, rather than allowing consumers or individuals to make their own choices about whether to patronize these services.
Uber reportedly just raised another $1.2 billion at a valuation of $18.2 billion, so a lot of investors seem to be betting that ultimately consumer choice will win out over the political obstacles.
