Sure, Uber may have broken the law (or evaded it); however, just because a law exists, doesn't make it correct. We should also question if the law should be there in the first place.
Just because we hate the "taxi cartel" and just because Uber provides an easy-to-use, convenient service, does not justify their actions.
As a community, I think we really need to reexamine the whole "break things" and "ask forgiveness, not permission" culture that YC and the rest of the SV has endorsed as normal, operating procedure.
It's gotten to the point where if you're not willing to bend and break rules, that's seen as some sort of weakness.
Remember, rule of law, is the bedrock of a democratic civil-society. To erode that foundation, is to welcome a whole spate of nastiness that I know none of us want.