(MENAFN- Live Mint) A woman took to social media this week to share a harrowing experience during a ride with Rapido. She alleged that the driver "seemed to be either on drugs or drunk" and spoke to her "in the rudest manner." She said the driver wanted her to speak softly on the phone as he could not listen to the music.
Here's what the woman recounted.
The woman, Tanima Banerjee, started a threat on X and also posted on LinkedIn on December 24, saying the incident happened when she was travelling back from the bustling CP area in New Delhi to Kalkaji on December 23.
She said she noticed a "few things" after the cab she booked arrived late.
"Last night, I. First of all, the cab came late after enquiring where I was...When it finally came and I got inside, I noticed a few things," the woman said.
She said the cab was stinking. The problem escalated when she started speaking with her mother on her phone.
"The driver was also constantly fidgeting and making grunting noises. I chose to ignore all this, and called my mother for a chat. After 5-6 mins, as we passed by the Barakhamba crossing, the driver turned back and told me I was being too loud on da phone," she added.
Banerjee said she was "a bit taken aback". She claimed, "I was speaking in a very normal volume. When I looked at him questioningly, he said he wants to listen to his songs but unable to because of my loud voice. He said, in the rudest manner, that he had to put headphones on because of my voice."
"He warned me that I should either stop talking on my phone or just be less loud. I said I was talking to my mother, and in no way, am disturbing his driving. He started arguing with me. He said my jibberish (that he couldn't understand as it was my native tongue) is annoying him," Banerjee added.
The woman further alleged that the driver mocked her. "He mockingly said he can't stand my voice for the rest of the ride."
"I took offence at this. When I objected to his remarks, and said I will talk with whomsoever I want, he said then I should cancel the ride and threatened to drop me then and there. This is where I was triggered," the woman said.
"First of all, he offended me. Second, he should not be putting on headphones while driving anyway. Third, it is none of his business what the passenger behind is doing, unless it is affecting his actual drive. Fourth, he has no right to tell what volume I should be speaking at," Banerjee posted on X.
She went on to say that the driver made her "feel unsafe as the idea seemed to him that I am at his mercy, taking a ride in his car, and I must do what he wants me to."
"I disconnected the call and told him to stop the ride. He kept driving and kept mumbling something. He seemed to be either on drugs, or drunk," she said.
Banerjee then "reacted with a rap on his neck so he stops". But " He did not seem shaken by that, and simply turned and said, 'Kya kar rahi ho madam? Main le chalta hu na tumko. Kar lo baat'. While saying this, he made dirty expressions at me."
"I told him he need not bother. I told him to halt near Mandi House police station, in case he tries something funny. He stopped right there in the middle of the road, but did not cancel the ride," Banejee said. She came back on an auto.
The woman also flagged the inaction by the Rapido authorities over the matter. "It was only after half an hour that the ride showed it was over. I immediately raised a complaint with Rapido's customer service, both on the chat service and on a call with their agent. They expressed regret and agreed with me that their captain's behaviour was uncalled for," she said.
"But in terms of taking action, all this ride-hailing company did was give him a warning, a rap on the knuckles, at least that's what I was told by the agent," the woman claimed. She also shared a screenshot of her conversation with the bike taxi aggregator.
She said that such a man "should ideally not be allowed to take any passengers, let alone women, esp after his behaviour has been flagged."
Sharing the screenshot on X, Banerjee wrote, "I am putting his name and face here. Please do not accept a ride with this sick, disgusting man. I am also putting out the chat with @rapidobikeapp so all can see their hollow response. I am still traumatised frm this incident and will think twice before booking my next ride."
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