One of my favorite things to have come around recently was Uber and Lyft rides. It’s so convenient when traveling to bigger cities, countries, and even just to the bars to avoid the dangerous drinking and driving.
There’s always the fear though of getting into a car with a stranger. The fear of being kidnapped, it’s not actually your Uber driver, but the car matched the description, or in some recent cases the fear of being sex-trafficked. Riders should always be cautious when taking these services and so should the drivers. Drivers are also at a high risk for violence during their shifts picking up strangers.
There are some Uber and Lyft drivers that have started carrying some sort of weapon to help them if they are ever attacked during a ride. We may be scared to get into cars with strangers who we hope will take us to our destination safely, but they’re also scared to have strangers get in their own car. You never know what kind of person is going to show up in your backseat. It could be some drunk friends needing a ride home from the bar, it could be someone needing a ride to the airport, or it could even be someone who’s going to try and rob you. You just never know.
Sexual assault is the most commonly reported for Uber. Anywhere from physical aggression to unwanted kissing and touching was reported to have happened to 42% of Uber drivers and not the passengers. There have been grand-theft auto cases, robbery cases, and even a murder case of a driver who got caught in a gang-related crossfire.
Uber and Lyft companies have started installing an “emergency button” on the app for drivers that are worried. This app can track license plates, location, and car model and sends it to a 911 dispatcher. At least Uber and Lyft are trying to take precautions to protect both their users and drivers.
Some drivers have said to install security camera or a window divider to help stop crime, but some people will push past those barriers to commit a crime. Uber and Lyft rides are known to be safer and cheaper than taxi rides, but it never hurts to be a little prepared for the worst to happen when picking up strangers to take them to their destinations.
I hope the best for all my past and future Uber and Lyft drivers. They’ve taken me to the airport, picked me up so I didn’t have to walk miles to my destination, and allowed me to have fun with my friends without worrying who was going to be driving home. It also saves on finding and paying for parking, so that’s a plus! They just want to get you safely from point A to B. They just want to feel safe. Anyways, be nice to your Uber and Lyft drivers.
Alana's Blog 
It’s interesting to interpret a service such as Uber or Lyf and here’s why. Just five years ago, we wouldn’t have fathomed strangers hitching rides from other strangers because that’s called hitchhiking. But when you put a brand, a name and price tags at the end of it, it suddenly becomes a service like taxis. We have so much to learn with this new invention, although much research from the taxi service could become beneficial since they are very similar. Nevertheless, there will always be the odd circumstance of the off chance of a kidnapping but, the odds are more in your favor of getting into the Uber/Lyf and arriving at our location safely.
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