A woman from Patna, Ritika Suryavanshi, recently shared a distressing experience of booking an AC cab in Bengaluru that turned threatening. She took to Instagram to recount how an argument over the air conditioning escalated, with the driver refusing to stop the vehicle despite her repeated requests and threats to call the police.
Incident Details
Ritika had booked an AC cab through Rapido to reach Bengaluru airport for a flight to Patna. Upon entering, she noticed the windows were slightly tinted, which she considered a red flag as tinted windows are not permitted in India. She politely asked the driver to switch on the AC, but he questioned whether she had booked an AC cab. After she showed him the booking details confirming an AC cab, he initially refused, claiming the AC was not working. She told him that was his problem to deal with, not hers, and asked him to cancel the ride if the AC wasn't functional.
Escalation and Threat
When she asked the driver to stop the cab, he refused, saying, "The cab isn't going to stop" and "Kisi ko bhi call karlo, cab nahi rukegi." Feeling unsafe, she called a friend, shared her live location, and threatened to call the police. Only then did the driver stop the cab in the middle of the road. She quickly stepped out and contacted customer support to cancel the ride.
Ritika noted that the incident occurred at noon in Bengaluru, but if it had happened at night, the situation could have been far worse. She advised women to stay mentally and physically strong, maintain a serious expression even if scared, and use their wits in such situations.
Social Media Reactions
The post sparked many comments from women sharing similar experiences with cab and auto drivers in Bengaluru. One user described drivers who constantly stare via the rearview mirror and try to scam outsiders. Another recounted asking her Rapido driver to follow Google Maps, only for him to stop at a random place, forcing her to exit and file a complaint. A third woman was threatened after requesting AC, with the driver saying, "Jo karna hai karo, abhi aapki ride baki or aapke sath kuch bhi ho sakta hai toh chup chap baithe raho." Many expressed that drivers act with audacity because they believe no action will be taken against them.
