- A Bengaluru commuter reported cab drivers watching videos while driving, causing safety concerns
- Drivers often claim phone use is for navigation when confronted by passengers
- Social media users demand stricter rules as fines are deemed insufficient deterrents
A Bengaluru commuter has ranted about the increasingly common occurrences of cab drivers in the city using their mobile phones to scroll Instagram reels and watch YouTube videos while driving the vehicle. In a now-viral post titled, "New Threat in Bangalore", the user said they felt 'unsafe' during one of the rides as the driver focused on the phone.
"Recently, I had many experiences where Uber/Ola cab or auto drivers use their phone while driving, watching reels and YouTube," the user wrote in the r/bangalore subreddit.
When confronted about the incident, the drivers usually claimed that they were using the mobile phone for navigation purposes.
"I tried to stop some of them, they then open up maps and show that they are using it for directions Literally, it feels very unsafe," the user added,
Check The Viral Post Here:
New Threat in Bangalore
byu/HisenBerg7 inbangalore
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'Fines Are Not Good Enough'
As the post gained significant traction, social media users demanded stricter policies about drivers indulging in such behaviour that jeopardises everyone's safety.
"Once travelling in an auto. The driver was rash driving, literally fighting with his wife via audio call throughout the journey. Just because she didn't do non-veg kheema," said one user, while another added: "Two weeks back my driver was watching Youtube while riding bike. And was hitting sudden brakes, scolding other bikers for coming into his path."
A third commented: "We desperately need a points system for drivers licenses wherein licences are terminated after a set number of offences based on their seriousness. Fines are not good enough anymore."
A fourth said: "They all do this. Constantly talking on phone. Don't know who has all the time in the world to talk with them. I have seen this in other cities too."
This is not the first instance when a user has shared a similar experience. In July, a Redditor said they felt 'completely helpless' after an auto driver started scrolling Instagram during the journey -- even slowing the vehicle to stalk an actress' profile.
