A woman has spoken out against women’s safety on bike taxis after sharing an uncomfortable Rapido ride in Bengaluru. She said it was one of the most uncomfortable 30 minutes she has ever had and questioned the rider’s conduct and asked the company to take customer safety complaints seriously.
On October 31 she was trying to book an auto in Bengaluru but couldn’t find one so booked a Rapido bike ride to Whitefield. The incident happened on October 31 when she tried to book an auto in Bengaluru but couldn’t find any. She then booked a Rapido bike ride from Whitefield.
However, what was expected to be a normal commute turned unpleasant.
She said the rider asked her to move forward while sitting on bike three times. “Thoda aage hoke baitho” (move forward three times), she alleged.
She figured the rider might be worried about balance. But repeated requests were uncomfortable (she was already on a bike with high back seat and no room to change position).
She questioned the repeated instructions: Where exactly was she supposed to sit when there wasn’t much extra room left?
Things got worse when she noticed the rider driving fast. “Speed and safety of journey”, she said holding on to the back of the seat for support, “I asked him slow down”.
Instead of slowing down as she asked, the rider is said to have told her “Bag ka strap pakad lo usse better hai”. (bag strap put on it will be better)
The response surprised her and she wondered what the rider’s attitude was towards her safety concerns.
In her account she also said Rapido has made daily commuting easier and liked some of the features it had introduced (Bike Rated by Women initiative).
But she didn’t think that meant such initiatives were translating into a safe and comfortable experience for women on board.
She also said her experience may not be unique. Several women have been in uncomfortable situations on rides but “we just ignore them and move on”. She didn’t want to complain formally.
Her story has raised an important issue about app-based bike taxi services: passenger safety and ridership responsibility — to behave professionally on the journey.
For women who rely on bike taxis for everyday travel, comfort and security are as important as convenience, affordability and availability.
The incident also raises questions about how ride-hailing platforms handle complaints of inappropriate behaviour and unsafe driving.
She has asked Rapido to take her feedback seriously and ensure female passengers don’t have to give up on feeling safe when they use its services.
Her account is about one passenger but it reminds us that safety should always be a priority on every ride not just a feature promoted by the company.
Comments