A Delhi-based journalist has shared a “traumatising” account of her recent ride with Rapido, the popular bike taxi service. Tanima Banerjee recounted a late-night ride from Connaught Place (CP) to Kalkaji with a “sick and disgusting” driver that left her shaken and disappointed with Rapido’s handling of the situation.
In a lengthy LinkedIn post, the journalist highlighted several red flags during the ride. The cab arrived late and reeked of foul odour. “The cab was stinking,” she wrote.
The driver displayed unsettling behaviour, including constant “fidgeting and making grunting noises.” Despite her initial discomfort, she tried to overlook these issues by talking with her mother over the phone.
At the Barakhamba crossing, the driver rudely interrupted her call, complaining about her “loud” conversation. He demanded she either stop talking or lower her voice so he could enjoy his music. “He said he wants to listen to his songs but is unable to because of my loud voice,” Ms Banerjee wrote.
She refused to comply, saying her conversation wasn’t affecting his driving. This led to a heated argument, during which the driver allegedly argued, threatened to drop her mid-ride, and began behaving erratically. “He is making me feel unsafe like I am at his mercy while in his car, do what he pleases,” she said.
“He kept driving and kept mumbling something. He seemed to be either on drugs, or drunk. He also made dirty expressions at me,” Ms Banerjee wrote. Fearing for her safety, she demanded the ride be stopped near the Mandi House police station. “He stopped in the middle of the road, but did not cancel the ride,” she said. “It was only after half an hour that the app showed the ride was over.”
Immediately after the incident, the journalist raised a complaint with Rapido’s customer service team. While the company acknowledged the unacceptable behaviour and issued a verbal warning to the driver, no action was taken to ensure such incidents did not recur. “In terms of taking action, all they did was give him a warning, a rap on the knuckles, at least that’s what I was told by the agent,” revealed Ms Banerjee.
“This man should ideally not be allowed to take any passengers, let alone women,” she argued. “Is women’s safety a joke? Are they waiting for something worse to happen before taking any action at all?”
Her detailed post included the driver’s name, photo, and chat transcripts with Rapido. “Please do not accept a ride with this sick, disgusting man,” she requested.
She also said she was “thoroughly disappointed as well as traumatised” from the incident and Rapido’s “hollow response.” “Will think twice before booking my next ride,” she said.
Hours after the post, the ride-hailing platform responded, issuing a public apology. “The captain’s behaviour is entirely unacceptable, and the distress caused to you, Tanima, is inexcusable. Your safety and satisfaction are our highest priorities, and it is clear this situation failed to meet those standards. This incident has been fully investigated, and decisive action is being taken,” they wrote.
The company confirmed that the driver’s account had been suspended, describing his behaviour as “unprofessional” and “completely unacceptable.”
