Insensitive path

Cabs are becoming an increasingly popular transportation option among Bengalureans and untoward incidents happening with woman have also been heard. The question of safety pops up each time something happens. In light of a cab driver misbehaving with a woman in the city recently, Bengalureans talk about the safety measures that should be added to these services apart from the measures that one must take while boarding them.

Many complain about cab drivers being brash and there are instances when they have been very rude on just being asked to slow down. Sireesha Manohar, an interior designer, says that she complained against a driver who dropped her far from the spot she wanted to get off on Residency Road. “It was 11 pm and I wanted to reach the road closest to my house, but the driver refused to budge. He was continually on the phone and also kept using fowl language when he heard my drop location. He drove very fast on certain roads and when I asked him to slow down, he asked me to get off the cab. I stayed quiet as I had waited to get a cab for almost an hour,” she narrates.

Sireesha says that she warns all her friends about using cabs since that day. “A strict background check of drivers and regular trainings at intervals is a must. There should also be a way to monitor these drivers as they get off the hook easily, unless its a serious crime,” she says.

 Ranjani Srinivasan, a manager (learning and development), uses cab services 8 to 10 times a week and says that she prefers taking them as they are considered to be ‘convenience at one’s doorstep’. “But peak hour traffic is leading to high charges, which leads to one either waiting for cabs endlessly or opting for the ‘share a cab’ option, which has started recently. This option is not safe after 6 pm as one doesn’t know who they will be travelling with. In instances of a shared ride, there should be an option for women to select female co-passengers,” says Ranjani.

She also points out that most cab services are provided with a GPRS route to navigate on, which they strictly follow.

“However, sometimes, I am not comfortable with the routes they take — the cab services should be flexible and be ready to go by the route that the customer is comfortable with. I use cabs from J R Nagar to Kumara Park and Kumara Park to H B R Layout, and sometimes I’m not aware of roads that are taken — not all drivers can appreciate this. These cab drivers need to be trained to be extra sensitive with female passengers,” she says.

Though most cab services talk about live-tracking, Sahana J A, a homemaker from Hebbala, says that an SOS button in the case of an emergency should be made a must. “Many BMTC buses have CCTV cameras in them; these cameras need to be made a requisite in cabs too. The option for destination mapping should also be allowed to customers,” she says. Sahana adds that apart from license renewals, frequent check on the cab drivers from the RTO and courtesy training from the cab service should be made mandatory.

While others point out the need to add security measures to the services, Padma Rakesh, a homemaker from Yelahanka, says that one has to be confident and alert at all times. “Do not let anyone take advantage of you by appearing weak. I have had my own share of misbehaviour from cab drivers where they either refuse to drop one at a particular drop point or get irritated when told to get off the mobile phone.

At such instances, one has to put their foot down and ask the driver to drive straight to the police station,” says Padma. She adds that the drivers need to be more courteous. “One can see how professional the cab drivers are abroad. From the way they greet the moment one enters the cab to how they try to make the passenger comfortable, it is far from what we see here. The music or radio station the cab driver wants to hear is thrust upon us. They should be taught to be more customer-friendly.”