A woman recently shared a terrifying experience on LinkedIn, raising serious concerns about passenger safety with Ola Cabs. The incident occurred on December 20 at around 1:30 pm during a ride to Gurgaon and highlights potential safety issues for women using ride-hailing services in India.
The ordeal for the woman began after the cab she had boarded passed the toll plaza and the driver unexpectedly slowed down. On enquiring why he had slowed down the cab, the driver gave no response. Soon, two men ahead of the car signalled for the driver to pull over. To the passenger’s shock, he complied and stopped by the side of the road. He then mentioned that his instalment was due, suggesting financial dealings with the men.
Despite her repeated questions, the driver remained silent. The situation worsened when two more men on bikes joined, making it five men in total. The incident took place near the National Media Centre, a quiet and isolated area.
The passenger, terrified, urged the driver to not stop the car , but her requests were ignored. As the men approached the car, she decided to escape, quickly opening the right door and running to safety.
In addition to the distressing situation, the woman found that the SOS button on the Ola app failed to work. This incident has sparked a broader conversation about the safety of ride-hailing services in India, especially for solo female passengers.
The passenger has called on Ola and its CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal, to take stronger measures to improve safety. She stressed that passenger safety should be a priority, not just an added feature. While Ola did reach out to her, the investigation and any further actions are still pending.