A routine commute to work for a woman in Delhi turned into a frightening one after she claimed a Rapido driver took her from a stranger to an isolated place and refused to stop even as she pleaded with him to stop. Fearing that her safety was at risk, she finally jumped off the moving scooter, she said. She broke her leg in the fall and took to social media after she couldn’t get a response to Rapido customer care.
Srivastav's Instagram account said she booked a Rapido two-wheeler ride when she was going to her work. She said the driver took her from the route she was familiar with and put her on a deserted part. The driver had told her that the route was a “direct way” to Vishwavidyalaya, but the situation made her feel uncomfortable.
As the scooter continued along the unfamiliar road, Srivastav said she became concerned about where the scooter was going. She asked the driver to either follow another route or stop the vehicle so that she could get off. But the driver said she didn’t, and continued to ride, she said.
The woman was also to say she offered to pay the driver extra money if he stopped the scooter. When that did not work, she said she tried hitting the driver to make him stop. But the scooter continued moving, she said.
Not having any other option that she thought would guarantee her immediate safety, Srivastav said she jumped from the moving scooter. Her hands, legs and head were injured, she said, and got medical attention, a fall she could not escape.
In fact, Srivastav was particularly troubled when Rapido’s customer care team did not take action after the incident and she had tried to contact the company after the incident, she said. She posted about the experience on social media in detail about the driver and demanding him to be punished.
Srivastav questioned what steps the company was taking to ensure the safety of women using its services. She stressed that thousands of women rely on app-based two-wheeler and cab services for daily travel and called for accountability in the case.
The issue gained attention online and Rapido quickly answered her complaint. On the bottom line, Rapido said it took the safety issue very seriously and customer safety and respect were at the heart of everything. Rapido also said it will not condone misconduct from its captains.
The company said in a subsequent update that the driver had been permanently suspended from its platform. Rapido said the driver’s details were emailed to Srivastav for legal action. The company also offered assistance, including legal and medical support to her and said it would still be available to her.
The situation has revived a long-standing concern about women’s safety with app-based mobility services. People that posted in response to that woman’s message encouraged her to report the issue to police and pursue the case. Users also voiced concerns about ride-hailing services and said they had similar problems with ride-hailing services too.
One commenter suggested Srivastav stay strong and take legal action, while one said the driver should be punished. Some people also questioned the response of app-based transport companies in response to safety incidents when customers say they have been warned of safety issues.
A similar incident had happened to them months before and they were not given a satisfactory response. Such comments indicate a bigger issue that is not just the driver: How well do ride-hailing platforms respond to passengers who report potential safety concerns.
With passengers, particularly women traveling alone, unexpected route changes can be extremely disturbing. On rides, navigation errors can sometimes occur or routes can be diverted, but a passenger’s request to stop or to communicate a safety concern can be especially important if the location is new or isolated.
The Delhi incident raises questions about the safety mechanisms available to passengers, the responsiveness of customer support systems and drivers who are using app-based platforms to manage passengers. Rapido’s decision to permanently suspend the driver from its platform is the approach taken in this instance and any further legal action would be decided by the relevant authorities.
But for Srivastav the issue extends beyond suspension. Her public appeal was about accountability and women’s safety, especially those who rely on app-based transportation for everyday commuting. And online discussions about whether ride-hailing companies need to improve emergency support, complaint handling and passenger protection have also been going on.
Where we still have app-based two-wheeler services as common commuting options in cities, such incidents can affect the passengers' sense of security. This case is once again the message that it is a case of responsive customer support, transparent complaint resolution and effective safety mechanisms.
