To me it sounds clear that uber has benefits there in that case, unlike the grandparent is claiming. Most consumers favour constant prices without surprises, and dislike negotiation processes.
If there is no guarantee of a fare back, this kind of pricing is not sustainable long-term.
It was still dirt-cheap compared to a equivalent trip in the US.
... and all of a sudden, you are back to taxi pricing.
Uber was an enormous improvement in SF and in Beijing (where there just aren't enough cabs). In Taiwan it's a sizable step backwards.