Not a bad thing. Sends out the signal that it's not ok to put profiteering ahead of societal considerations.
Yes, it is indeed good and bad. Some people will have some advantage from Uber and some people will experience the disadvantages. But whether it's legal or illegal it can't be stopped anymore. There will always be drivers that try to earn an extra buck via Uber, Lyft or another taxi app.
I am a frequent uber user, and I had mostly good experiences. But I guess there will always be apps like uber out there