App-based cab services are generally considered safer than regular cabs or other forms of public transport. But, the case of a woman being allegedly raped by an Uber cab driver in Delhi, has thrown up a few concerns for women in the city.
While women say their experience with cabs in the city – both app-based and regular services – is generally very good, incidents such as these create some amount of fear.
Lavanya Mohan, a chartered accountant, uses Uber cabs frequently, several times in the night and has always had excellent experiences. “You think you have done the safe thing by taking this cab, especially as Uber is a US-based company and stresses on safety in its public statements. But, I now know that their system is not foolproof, and I may have to think twice before taking a cab in the night,” she said.
Home-based business owner Richa Ganesh, who often uses both Uber and Ola, says the incident has made her a little wary. “I am definitely going to be more cautious while using these services in the future. On booking, we receive a message with the driver’s name, mobile number, photo and cab number and I forward this to my husband so he knows which cab I’m in, but I’m also going to be a little more alert and keep my eyes and ears open from now on,” she said.
Software engineer Indira Porwal however, thinks the incident says more about the safety of women in Delhi than their safety in cabs. “I take Uber cabs a lot, and the cabs are clean and the drivers are very polite. Compared to some bad experiences I have had with autorickshaw drivers, the cabs are good. I have even had women drivers a couple of times – why can’t we have more of them,” she asked.
In Delhi, Ms. Porwal said, she just does not feel safe. “I have a young daughter and I simply don’t feel like going there,” she said.
Ms. Porwal, like several women in the city, also uses a safety app on her phone. It allows her to send a message to five people on her contact list by long-pressing the power button during an emergency. Apps such as these are becoming increasingly popular, if only as some form of a safety net.
But more than safety in the cab, it is safety in public spaces — and public transportation — that women, both on and off Twitter, are concerned about. With buses and autorickshaws not considered very safe in the night, if cabs too are struck off the list, then what is left, Ms. Mohan asked.
