- Software engineer took up bike taxi driving to pay off credit card debt after moving to a new apartment
- A passenger's drunk friend assaulted him after demanding ride cancellation, which he refused politely
- He left without arguing and expressed disappointment rather than anger after the violent incident
A software engineer who signed up as a bike taxi driver to pay off credit card debt got a harsh reality check after a disturbing encounter with a passenger. In a Reddit post, he revealed that after moving into a new rented apartment, he accumulated credit card expenses buying essentials. And to manage the financial burden, he decided to utilise his free weekends and love for motorcycling by taking up rides on platforms like Rapido and Uber.
His initial experiences were pleasant, but a recent pickup gave him a reality check. He claimed that a customer arrived with a heavily drunk friend who aggressively demanded the ride be cancelled. When he politely said no, the man struck the driver on his helmet.
"I didn't argue. I didn't shout back. I didn't even wait for the cancellation anymore. I just left. On the ride back, I wasn't angry as much as I was... disappointed," he wrote.
Also read | 'Think Twice Before Moving': Indian Man In Paris Offers Reality Check On Foreign Dreams
The techie said he could easily quit as he already has a job, but raised concerns for the full-time drivers, who often face similar abusive passengers.
"What frustrated me even more was trying to find support. On the captain side of Rapido, there seems to be almost no real help. Calling support didn't lead anywhere. Meanwhile, customers have multiple support options available," he wrote.
"It made me realise how invisible gig workers are until we become one ourselves. We often complain when our cab is five minutes late or when a rider asks us to cancel. But we rarely think about what these people deal with every single day."
Also read | Man Climbs Down Deep Well To Comfort Injured Wife After Cicada Hunt Goes Wrong
See the post here:
I became a Rapido captain on weekends to pay off my credit card bills. Today I understood what gig workers go through.
by u/capt_arun in bangalore
The post gained massive traction with over 3,000 upvotes. "Don't worry mate! Delete such negative moments. No matter what, a few people with sick mindsets do exist. Kudos to your efforts!" one user wrote in the comment section.
"Can't you complain against the customer ? I still have 50+ rupees left to pay on my uber account as I had made a driver wait once and he cancelled it or something and lodged complain against me so my account was fined," asked another.
"Actual gig workers have different mindset and tolerance levels , they are used to these or may be even worse situations," a third user claimed.
