How Uber Changed A Little Old Lady's Life
My dad finally had to take away my Grandpa Jack's car keys. It just wasn't safe for him to drive anymore. Sadly, by doing that, it also took away his independence, like his ability to go to the hardware store whenever he wanted. That's a bigger deal than some of us might imagine or understand.

Well, something wonderful has happened for old people, and it's transportation through the sharing economy.

European Parliament member Daniel Dalton writes at FEE:

Slowly but surely the sharing economy is helping those parts of the economy that just can't be reached by other means.

The real winners of the sharing economy are those who have been marginalized from society and the economy for far too long.

One example, of an 83-year-old woman from Stafford, shows why the benefits of the sharing economy are especially beneficial - vital, even - for those who are just about managing.

The children of this woman were concerned that she stubbornly continued to drive, even though her eyesight was failing and she had more or less given up driving at night.

However, every time the subject was mentioned, she hit back with the same riposte, which was stunningly effective. Driving might be costly and expensive, but it allowed her to maintain her independence and flexibility.

This all changed when she was gifted a smartphone by her son. The deal? She gave up her car for four weeks and started using Uber instead.

She had to keep a diary of the costs and compare them with one month of car use. After a month she had saved £100 - and reluctantly agreed that the app was not just convenient but had actually increased her independence, as she was now going out at night. Her only complaint was that the photo of the driver was a bit too small.

It was such a success that she is now selling her car and is going to rely fully on Uber, saving a significant amount of money and increasing her independence at the same time.