A lawyer based in Delhi recently recounted a troubling incident she encountered during a cab ride, disclosing how the trip escalated into a nightmare when the driver sent inappropriate messages shortly after the ride was arranged. On LinkedIn, she shared the occurrence, emphasizing the difficulties individuals confront even in the 21st century, where harassment can happen in broad daylight in one of the city’s upscale neighborhoods.
She posted screenshots of the disturbing messages she received from the driver, which stated, “Jaldi ao babu yrr. Man ho rha hai,” within five minutes of securing the ride. In her post, she voiced her dissatisfaction with Uber’s grievance redressal system, commenting, “I cancelled the booking and filed a complaint against this person, and the grievance redressal process for Uber India seems to involve sending a sympathetic message to the complainant and forgetting about it. . . is that the way it operates? ”
Uber replied by indicating that it would require 24-48 hours to address the complaint. The lawyer, worried about the delay, questioned their approach to ensuring safety: “What if this same situation were to occur to other women during these so-called 48 hours of your policy? Are you prepared to take accountability for my safety and the safety of those women out there? ”
After the post attracted attention, Uber acted quickly, suspending the driver from the platform and offering help in case the lawyer opted to file a police report. Uber communicated, “We’ve contacted your driver in question and based on the feedback received, we have restricted their access to the Uber platform. Should you choose to file a police report, or if you have already done so, Uber can assist by providing necessary information to the authorities, in line with our privacy and confidentiality policies. “
The post, which garnered nearly 2,000 responses, ignited a discussion regarding passenger safety. Numerous users recounted their own unsettling experiences with cab services. One user remarked, “Sorry to even witness this. Uber has never taken any significant action in such cases, at least in my experience. And this has occurred nearly 10 times. ” Another user shared, “About a month ago, I had a dreadful encounter with Ola, prompting me to switch to Uber after receiving several positive recommendations. However, your incident has profoundly unsettled me. It’s concerning how these ride-hailing services appear to overlook women’s safety, leading me to question their dedication to integrity and accountability. ”
Have you ever faced a similar scenario with a cab service?