(Left, from second left) Nazreen, Azlan and Insp Mohd Harith addressing e-hailing drivers at the safety workshop in Gombak. — Photos: YAP CHEE HONG and GRACE CHEN/The Star
Workshop boosts familiarisation with useful features on app
A TOTAL of 45 e-hailing drivers were taught how to make use of safety features on their app as well as protect themselves at a safety awareness workshop.
Andrew Tan, who has 10 years’ experience as an e-hailing driver, shared that though most passengers were appreciative of his service, he had also met a few unpleasant ones.
Tan recounted how he was once robbed at knifepoint, while several passengers had refused to compensate him for toll charges.
“One passenger vomited in my car. When I asked him to pay for the clean-up, the passenger, whom I suspect was drunk, punched me and left without paying the fare,” he said.
The driver also said he was molested by a male passenger sitting in the front seat.
“He said I was good looking and started to touch my thighs. I had to stop the car and tell him to get out,” said Tan.
To make matters worse, these passengers lodged complaints against him.
The passenger who had thrown up in his car called him “petty” while the one who allegedly molested him said he had been rude.
“If I complain about my passengers, my ratings will drop and that will affect my business.
“But what about the losses I had to bear for cleaning the car and the distress of having been molested?” he added.
Another e-hailing driver, who only wanted to be known as Kak Ika, said women were especially vulnerable when taking public transport, especially at night.
A participant learning some self-defence moves.
Throughout her two years as a full-time e-hailing driver, she said a few of her female passengers told her they had been groped.
Some had even been left midway to their destination after refusing to entertain the drivers’ unwanted advances.
The mother-of-four said she too had to evict a passenger after he had touched her inappropriately on the shoulder.
“I was also cheated when a ride request took me to a cowshed in a deserted spot overgrown with vegetation, on a dead-end road behind Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
“When I called the passenger, I found out he was 10km away,” said Kak Ika.
Aimed at addressing safety challenges within the e-hailing industry and presenting practical solutions to drivers, the safety workshop in Gombak, Selangor, was organised by ride-share app inDrive.
Also present were Insp Mohd Harith Hamdan of the Gombak district police headquarters, Women’s Aid Organisation acting executive director Nazreen Nizam and inDrive Malaysia driver acquisition specialist Azlan Anwar.
During a panel discussion, Azlan said it was important that drivers and passengers familiarise themselves with safety features in their e-hailing apps.
On choosing safe rides, Azlan said there were several ways drivers could make a safety assessment.
“One of the first warning signs to look for is if a passenger’s face is covered. Don’t accept it,” he advised.
He cited other features such as permanent blocking for vehicles or users in case of serious breaches.
“If a result of a security incident investigation confirms that a user has seriously violated the service’s rules, this will result in the permanent blocking of an account.
“This means the user will be unable to create or access their account using the same mobile device,” said Azlan.
After the workshop, Insp Mohd Harith said being alert and aware of one’s surroundings remained the most important factor in ensuring one’s personal safety.
“It can be said that out of 100 cases, 20% of complaints from e-hailing passengers involve them leaving things behind in the car.
“Sexual harassment involving e-hailing rides account for 5% out of 100 cases,” he said.
Nazreen said it was essential that e-hailing platforms ensure their safety features are user-friendly and accessible.
During the workshop, drivers tried out a series of self-defence moves taught by SheFights co-founder Vladimir Dvorak, a martial arts exponent.
