- Woman experienced inappropriate conduct from Uber rickshaw driver during short ride
- Driver spoke fluent English and became personal and invasive after trip ended
- She recorded the driver and reported the incident to Uber immediately
A routine Uber journey for a woman escalated into a 'terrifying' ordeal after the driver reportedly engaged in inappropriate conduct, prompting her to share the incident in a now-viral Reddit post. The woman, who had requested a short Uber rickshaw ride to a relative's house, detailed how the conversation with the driver quickly turned uncomfortable.
"Yesterday, around 8 pm, I booked an Uber rickshaw to go to a relative's place about 1-2 km from my house. The driver couldn't find the exact location at first, so he called me. I guided him, got in, and we started the ride," the woman wrote in the r/india subreddit.
"What caught me off guard was that he was speaking fluent English - not very common for rickshaw drivers here. I thought maybe he was a hustler doing this part-time, so I just responded politely throughout the ride."
Feeling uneasy, the woman said she started recording the driver, even sending a clip to one of her friends. As she attempted to get away from the driver after reaching the destination, he called her back, asking if she had two minutes to spare.
"I said I was in a hurry but stopped for a moment, thinking maybe he needed directions or something work-related. But instead, he started getting very personal," the woman said, adding that the driver claimed he was 25 and 'needed guidance'.
He even told her to save his contact under a girl's name so that the family would not know. According to her, the driver began complimenting her appearance and hairstyle, calling her "his age" and showing his phone contacts, claiming he didn't have many friends.
The woman said she was 'terrified' at this point, as it was getting late and the place was empty. She said she froze and somehow tried to get away. After reaching the relative's place, she immediately reported the incident to Uber.
"Honestly, it doesn't look like there has been any strict action taken against him. That part makes me even more uneasy because if he could do this once, he could easily repeat it with someone else," she wrote.
"I'm still shaken up thinking about how easily he crossed boundaries from being “polite” to invasive and creepy."
See the viral post here:
Rickshaw driver crossed major boundaries last night, left me shaken up
byu/Due-Tart6973 inindia
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'He tried to manipulate you'
As the post gained traction online, social media users sympathised with the woman whilst asking her to take action against the driver.
"Report it to authorities, drag the Uber too. Then they will take action. Hoping for peace in your life," said one user, while another added: "He tried his best to manipulate you into something.You should inform your family and take legal action."
A third commented: "That sounds like a mental freak on the loose. It's a pity that companies like Uber give two hoots about serious complaints like this."
A fourth said: "That sounds like a terrifying and deeply unsettling experience. It is completely understandable that you are still shaken up."
