There is an illusion of safety with app-based transportation. However, recent evidence is much to the contrary. Uber and Ola are facing backlash from riders over the issue of safety.
The latest incident involves Aparna Balachander in Bengaluru. She hailed an Uber cab late Saturday and was threatened by the driver, abandoned on a road in the middle of the night and received a poor response from Uber when she sent an emergency alert.
Here's what happened:
Aparna booked an Uber on Aug. 3 after dinner with her colleagues. The cab driver, who was initially on a call, turned to her and "advised" her that women shouldn't leave late from work and also shouldn't drink. Appalled and scared, Aparna denied that she was drunk and pressed the safety icon on the app, to alert Uber about her situation. Instead of calling her, however, customer care called the driver. The driver told them that she was "extremely drunk".
"At this point, I had no choice but to start screaming asking the customer care to listen to me. The woman on the call spoke to me and I cried begging her to help me. She told me to get out of the cab and that she will book me another one immediately," said Aparna in a Twitter post.
"Meanwhile, this cab driver started threatening me with things like 'I will tear your clothes if you don't leave the cab now.' As I got down at 11.15 in the night at a not so busy road, I was waiting for a call from the customer care and also for my backup cab. I was terrified that the cab driver would come back to hit me," she said. Aparna then called up friends for help after waiting 15 minutes for support from Uber, who refunded her money instead of sending help.
"I am raising this issue not only because I am terrified by my experience but also because the 'safety' system of Uber is extremely messed up," said Aparna in the tweet. She also tagged Bengaluru Police in the tweet.
Hi guys, I need you all to take a minute and read my traumatic experience with the cab driver while taking a @Uber cab tonight! Help me spread more caution and awareness among women so that they don't go through what I did! @UberINSupport pic.twitter.com/DNm5o1sa7S
— Aparna Balachander (@baparna_93) August 3, 2019
Aparna shared images of her chat with Uber support in another tweet saying, "The entire day I haven't received a single call despite following up with you about my traumatic experience. Why do I have to keep following up for something so serious? #UnsafeUber #NotSoUber #Uber."
Uber support replied that they 'tried' contacting her. But Aparna claims that she did not receive any calls.
@UberINSupport @Uber the entire day I haven't received a single call despite of following up with you about my traumatic experience. Why do I have to keep following up for something so serious ? #UnsafeUber #NotSoUber #Uber @PrParameswaran @travisk @dkhos pic.twitter.com/jUbTuLsk7b
— Aparna Balachander (@baparna_93) August 4, 2019
We see that a member of our safety team has gotten in touch with you and sent an update. Kindly check the help section of your app for the same.
— Uber India (@Uber_India) August 5, 2019
Aparna's experience not unique
Multiple issues with rider safety have surfaced in the past couple of days.
This is so scary. Had a similar experience with @Olacabs in Bangalore thankfully I wasn’t alone and it was broad daylight. But even @Olacabs was equally indifferent (if not worse) in their response. https://t.co/EwzCQ3mwS7
— Prachi Singh (@prachi_singh1) August 5, 2019
@Uber_Support @Uber_India @nitin_gadkari uber trip with cabKA42A6447 with Sagar,highly dangerous.Wanted to take us to police for asking to switch on Ac.ride at 6:01pmAug 5.when told we'll complain he said" kar lo ab to bilkul ac on nahiin hoga" . Thq Uber. my ph:9398235145
— ritu srivastava (@ritu_ritu1971) August 5, 2019
@Uber_India
I booked UBER last night at around 2:38 am .The Uber driver didn't turned up and even was abusive without reason .He neither picked the call to refuse nor was cancelling himself. I messaged to come so he started abusing .Was he drunk ?What if a girl is travelling? pic.twitter.com/IccR6O0UX7— Rohan Khanna 🇮🇳 (@rohan31khanna) August 3, 2019
So dis happened with my fiancee @PsychoSePsych .. She is traumatised..Strictly condemn behaviour like this @Uber @Uber_India @Uber_Support@UberDanger@dtptraffic @DCPSouthDelhi @DCPWestDelhi @DcpNorthDelhi @DCPCentralDelhi @DCPSEastDelhi @DelhiPolice Can something be done? pic.twitter.com/edp8e6dUuy
— Abhiman Biswas (@abhimanbiswas) August 1, 2019
@Uber_India
Horrific experience with Uber today! On ride from office to home, driver took an opposite route. Even when navigation was showing the right route & I also told him the same. When I threatened him of police, he dropped me somewhere on wrong route. #KidnappingTrauma— Aditi Gupta (@aditi1411) July 30, 2019
Sir,
yesterday is 6/8/2019. 11:26 AM Uber Bike whose vehicle number is 481476412 CENTRO. I booked this for my colleague. Its driver also got me an online transaction. And when he went to leave the house, the driver abused him and took the money.@Uber_Support @Uber @Uber_India— U S E R D I E D💀 (@ComVivaan) August 7, 2019
@Uber_India @Uber_Support please teach your drivers not to smoke inside cab when there r no rides as when we open the gate and sit in the cab it smells so bad full of segret smoke and then they switch on the ac to circulate that filth in our lungs#stopsmoking
— Parth Rana (@parth_rana2021) August 7, 2019
@Uber_India driver cancelled the ride after knowing the location. We already loaded our stuff in car. When we objected he misbehaved. Kindly look into matter asap pic.twitter.com/gDoIgePBZL
— Peenaz Tyagi (@Peenaz_NN) August 4, 2019
Concerns over Ola cab rider safety have also increased.
@ola_cab @olasupport @chennaicitypolice I had a terrible experience on 6th August with Ola.driver was abusive.i checked for route as he was taking long route,he used abusive words as mother fucker, randy,call ur mom to sleep.Raised complaint with ola. No use. Guide pls. pic.twitter.com/eoIUIDddv7
— Meens (@Meens36138683) August 6, 2019
@OlaAlfares @Olacabs @aajtak@BDUTT @ravishndtv @dhruv_rathee @ReallySwara @prakashraaj @womensafety1st @CabSafety@SophieRunning
Threatening ride of my female friend in OLA.
Driver name - Namdeo Gondil
Passenger Name - Nagma AnsariPlace - Hinjawadi phase 3
See attached pic.twitter.com/BnYyf9f9Tv
— mansoor ansari (@MANSOOR_JEC) August 6, 2019
@Olacabs @Ola_Delhi driver stopped the trip midway, he was drunken and driving very rashly and when we asked to behave himself he stopped the trip midway. Ola support is of no use. Why should pay for this trip when i was harrased. pic.twitter.com/lE7xKq5oPY
— ash (@ash6891) August 6, 2019
@Olacabs @Ola_Bangalore Unhappy with drop location & cashless trip, Ola driver threatened me to cancel the booking.
He said, he wudn’t cancel, started abusing & disconnected the call.
Hey @bhash - Hiring rowdy drivers at cheap rates. Is this your revenue model? pic.twitter.com/1lOVFaDyWt— Rahul Agarwal (@ZakHack858) August 6, 2019
The apps' illusion of safety relies on tracking systems, safety buttons and instant support mechanisms. In practice, however, are riders really safe? The support and aid from customer care also appears to insufficient and incredibly delayed.
DH reached out to Aparna but she has not yet responded to our request for comments.
