In India, the rise of taxi services signifies a dramatic change in urban mobility. The emergence and quick expansion of ride-hailing apps like Ola and Uber has greatly increased the demand for taxi services. Prior to app-based services, autorickshaws and traditional taxis were a major part of urban transportation. However, these cab companies grew quickly, providing a variety of services, including 5- and 8-seater cabs, as well as the ability to book bike taxis and autorickshaws.
Although they are useful and revolutionizing urban transportation, taxi services have a number of drawbacks that affect both drivers and passengers. Safety issues continue to be of greatest concern, as reports of harassment and attacks cause worry. Despite measures like GPS tracking and SOS buttons, we have often heard someone getting harassed in the cab.
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Although passengers are usually the ones who suffer the most, drivers can sometimes fall victim to incidents. A similar kind of incident recently went viral on social media in which a female passenger and an Uber cab driver, whose car broke down mid-way, were involved in a heated exchange. In the video, the woman got virtually blasted at the driver and even verbally abused him multiple times.
A woman verbally abused an Uber driver after his taxi broke down midway
In the opening moments of the video, the woman is seen expressing her anger at the driver and threatening to sue him. She keeps disparaging his cab, calling it “inadequate” (‘Ghatiya, do kodi ki gadi’), even after he begs her to understand. The driver defends himself by saying that he needs the work to support himself every day, but the woman laughs at his status and ignores his requests.
Persistently, she demanded a refund for the deducted fare of Rs. 150, ignoring the driver’s explanation that refunds are handled by Uber. She even goes so far as to call him a “fraud.” When the driver threatens to report her behavior to Uber, the woman’s ego remains unchecked. By threatening physical harm and public humiliation, she intensified the situation. She shouted at him, saying,
“Chappal marungi sidha muh pe.”
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Have a look at the video
Kalesh b/w Lady Passenger and Uber Driver (Full Context in the Clip)
🎥Source: Reddit pic.twitter.com/PlbVAQfxeh
— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) May 22, 2024
People criticized woman’s behavior and ask for some basic human decency
As soon as the video got posted on social media, it went viral and gained thousands of reactions. Viewers’ responses to the video have been mixed, with some calling for the woman’s behavior to be condemned and others highlighting the need for basic human decency.
I had the Same experience that Uber cab stopped due to some issue but instead of fighting, I book another cab and move on 🤔
Why unnecessary fight 😂
— Mansi (@imansiofficial) May 22, 2024
If someone knows her, let me know. Would like to send her 150 rupees in chillad
— Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj (@DeepikaBhardwaj) May 22, 2024
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She is asking him to sell car 😅
I think she is a second hand car dealer 🤣
— Veena Jain (@DrJain21) May 22, 2024
Nw reverse gender, if male has done this kind of misbehve wid female, ab tk shyd Bisrakh police station ki tarah male police walo ne berehmi se peet-2 kr maar daala hota
This is d India we are living in. A woman cn put any allegation & we hv laws tht suport evn fake alligation🙏— TravellerOnBoard (@TravelerOnBoard) May 22, 2024
How did Uber react to the whole incident?
In response to the viral video, Uber officials also released their official statement. Speaking to News18 India, an Uber spokesperson said,
“We believe respect is a two way street and there is no place for threatening, discriminatory and inappropriate behaviour on the Uber platform. Any proven discriminatory behaviour may lead to penalties including removal of user’s access from the Uber app and we will be guided by our community guidelines in all such cases, including this one.”
What do you think about this whole incident? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
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