A Bengaluru woman told me about an unsettling experience with an Uber driver that put heavy-handed social media attention on passenger safety on ride-hailing platforms.
In a viral post that went viral on Facebook, the woman said she had booked an Uber ride to return home when she saw the driver looked like he was inebriated. She felt uncomfortable for the entire trip, and the driver’s behavior was very different, she said.
The woman said that when she was driving to her home, the cab driver said: “Can I smoke in your balcony?” She said she had to immediately decline the request and thought the interaction would be over.
She also claimed that the driver repeatedly asked for her phone number even when she refused. Intensely worried about her safety, the woman said she backed out of the car and went home.
After she shared the incident online, her post attracted great attention and many users expressed concern about the accused behavior. The incident raised questions about the effectiveness of ride-hailing companies' safety precautions and whether there are any additional precautions to protect passengers.
Some social media users asked why a driver who appeared to be heavily intoxicated was able to continue to give rides. Uber and similar platforms must strengthen driver monitoring, improve complaint resolution and take action against inappropriate conduct, they said.
The viral post also raised larger issues of women’s safety while using app-based taxi services. Frequent users said they shouldn’t feel pressed to share personal information or tolerate behavior that makes them uncomfortable in that way.
Ride-hailing services have various safety features like live trip sharing, emergency support and in-app reporting of driver behavior. Safety experts recommend using these features when a passenger is scared or uncomfortable during a journey.
Passengers are also advised to verify the driver’s identity before starting the ride, stay in the back as often as possible, avoid sharing personal information and report any misconduct to the platform immediately. Local law enforcement should be notified if there is a threat to the safety of the passenger.
At the time of writing, Uber had not made its official statement on the viral social media posting, and the woman’s claims were not independently verified. It is not clear if any action has been taken against the driver.
Since ride-hailing services are an ubiquitous means of transportation for millions of commuters, it’s said the only way to keep people coming back is to have the service be convenient and safe.
