Rideshare safety

Everyone knows that this world is a battleground between good and evil. Crimes are everywhere wearing different masks of horror. Trust is really an issue to everyone especially to strangers. Even in traveling, you can’t trust anybody. The driver, your co-passenger, the dispatcher, everyone involves on your travel, you can’t trust them wholeheartedly especially in public transport. These is also the reason why some people are skeptic about rideshare. Some feels unsafe to travel alone with a stranger. Even big ridesharing companies cannot deny the fact that their customers as well as their drivers are facing a real challenge when it comes to safety. They received complaints concerning of safety. However, there is a little evidence that ridesharing services are more dangerous than public transport such as taxis and buses. As a matter of fact, their business model offers huge safety advantages for all people involved on the service. However, people nowadays are more cautious. There are some who are making checklist before using a rideshare service. The checklist includes the before you ride scenario, during the trip and after using the service. Here are some of them.

• Verification of the person. In social media such as Facebook, do you just simply add or accept friends without checking their profile? In buying items online, do you just simply click on checkout without looking for reviews and credibility of the owner? Same goes with ridesharing, always look for verification and of course reviews or feedback of the company or the driver.
• Conversation. In a relationship, you just don’t simply say “I do” or “yes” without knowing the person. It always starts in a simple conversation for you to know each other. In rideshare, starting a chat is actually a make or break to your decision if you will book a ride or not.
• Early planning. Everything happens for a reason. Yes. But it is safer if you plan ahead for your trip. Especially when you are traveling to a place you haven’t visit before. Talk to your driver and make sure that you and he are both aware where you are really headed. It would be better if you print your location and don’t forget to inform your family of where you are, the date that you traveled, time you left your house, expected time you will arrive to your destination and the name of the driver.
• Place to meet. Don’t meet in a place that there are few people. Public place is safer.
• Have fun! Indeed, driving is an adventure. Discover new things, new people. Especially if it is a long trip. But don’t always go with the flow, if you feel a little awkward and unsafe then stop.
• Make a pit stop. It isn’t wrong to have a pee.
• Lastly, give feedback and compliment to the driver if you feel that you are satisfied with the service. 

As for the drivers, don’t forget to check the car insurance and driver’s license expiration. Be friendly always especially to your passengers so you will have good feedback at the end. If you feel you won’t make it to the appointment, inform the passenger early.  Passengers always want a clean and well maintained car. As for the location, it is better to be ready always with a map. 

If after all of these and you still feel skeptical in ridesharing, then don’t obligate yourself getting into a car that you are uncomfortable. Or if in case that you are already inside the car and feel a threat to your safety, grab your phone and contact law enforcement.