‘I feel petrified’: Woman vows to never use Uber again after driver’s X-rated act
- Replies 12
Ride-sharing services like Uber have become a staple for many, offering a seemingly safe and easy way to get from point A to B.
However, as with all technological advancements, there are risks and downsides that can't be ignored.
Adelaide resident Tayla Pimlott, a routine trip home from work turned into a harrowing ordeal that left her vowing never to use the service again.
The incident unfolded on an otherwise unremarkable afternoon as Tayla, exhausted from her workday, sought a 'quick and quiet' journey home.
Opting for an Uber over public transport during rush hour, she expected nothing more than the usual commute. But mere minutes into the ride, Tayla's sense of security was shattered.
From the backseat, something alarming caught her eye, prompting her to glance up from her phone.
To her utter disbelief, Tayla claimed to have witnessed her Uber driver engaging in an X-rated act of self-pleasure while behind the wheel.
The shock of the situation was palpable as she recounted the event, 'Usually when someone takes their pants down, they ruffle down a bit or something. I saw none of that, I just saw this subtle hand gesture,' she said.
'I could see clearly that he [the Uber driver] had his penis out and he was masturbating.'
In those terrifying moments, Tayla's mind raced with options.
She considered calling the police, confronting the driver, or attempting to exit the moving vehicle. A voice inside her head even suggested she might be overreacting, but the reality was starkly different.
She felt 'violated' and knew she had to prioritise her safety above all else.
With quick thinking, Tayla reached out to her mum and boyfriend and managed to capture footage of the driver's actions, knowing that without evidence, it could become a 'he said, she said' situation.
'There was a part of me that thought, “Oh god, I could die, I could be raped, this man could touch me”,' she said.
'My brain was frozen, and my heart was pounding... I was petrified.’
Choosing to feign ignorance of the driver's behaviour, Tayla feared any confrontation could provoke a dangerous reaction.
Upon reaching home, where her mother awaited, she had to request the driver unlock the doors.
‘He fully turned around and looked at me, and in the creepiest voice I've ever heard, he goes, “Thank you so much,”’ she said.
‘I felt if I made a huge fuss about this I think that would put me in more danger... I had to be polite... I felt ashamed.’
The incident, which occurred in October, has had a lasting impact on Tayla. Despite the passage of time, the fear lingers, affecting her ability to leave her house without feeling 'petrified.'
Determined to prevent this from happening to others, Tayla reported the incident to Uber and the police.
Tayla strongly urged Uber to ban him from the platform, but she was informed that for privacy reasons, she wouldn't be informed whether this was implemented or not.
‘Based on the severity of the report, I can confirm that the appropriate actions have been taken,’ a message Taylah received from Uber read at the time, with no further details of their investigation.
The driver was arrested the same night but later bailed, with restrictions placed on his movements regarding Tayla's home and workplace.
‘I thought I was okay. But then I realised like, “Oh, hey, I can't really leave my house without being petrified,”’ she said.
‘I'm never using Uber again.’
An Uber spokesperson said the company condemned the driver’s alleged actions, saying, 'What’s been reported has no place in the Uber community or anywhere else.'
‘As soon as we were notified of this report, we removed the driver partner’s access to the app immediately and permanently.’
‘We continue to work to build cutting-edge technology and features to help improve safety for riders and driver-partners on the app, such as the Safety Toolkit, the emergency assistance button and Share my Trip feature. Trips on the Uber platform are not anonymous, and all trips are GPS tracked in real time,’ they added.
In a similar story, Uber charged a passenger an $80 cleaning fee for a mess they claimed they did not make.
The resident disputed this allegation, asserting the car was as clean when they left as when they entered. You can read more about the story here.
Have you or someone you know had a similar experience? How do you ensure your safety when using ride-sharing services? Share your thoughts and tips in the comments below.
However, as with all technological advancements, there are risks and downsides that can't be ignored.
Adelaide resident Tayla Pimlott, a routine trip home from work turned into a harrowing ordeal that left her vowing never to use the service again.
The incident unfolded on an otherwise unremarkable afternoon as Tayla, exhausted from her workday, sought a 'quick and quiet' journey home.
Opting for an Uber over public transport during rush hour, she expected nothing more than the usual commute. But mere minutes into the ride, Tayla's sense of security was shattered.
Tayla shared her petrifying Uber ride experience. Credit: Shutterstock
From the backseat, something alarming caught her eye, prompting her to glance up from her phone.
To her utter disbelief, Tayla claimed to have witnessed her Uber driver engaging in an X-rated act of self-pleasure while behind the wheel.
The shock of the situation was palpable as she recounted the event, 'Usually when someone takes their pants down, they ruffle down a bit or something. I saw none of that, I just saw this subtle hand gesture,' she said.
'I could see clearly that he [the Uber driver] had his penis out and he was masturbating.'
In those terrifying moments, Tayla's mind raced with options.
She considered calling the police, confronting the driver, or attempting to exit the moving vehicle. A voice inside her head even suggested she might be overreacting, but the reality was starkly different.
She felt 'violated' and knew she had to prioritise her safety above all else.
With quick thinking, Tayla reached out to her mum and boyfriend and managed to capture footage of the driver's actions, knowing that without evidence, it could become a 'he said, she said' situation.
'There was a part of me that thought, “Oh god, I could die, I could be raped, this man could touch me”,' she said.
'My brain was frozen, and my heart was pounding... I was petrified.’
Choosing to feign ignorance of the driver's behaviour, Tayla feared any confrontation could provoke a dangerous reaction.
Upon reaching home, where her mother awaited, she had to request the driver unlock the doors.
‘He fully turned around and looked at me, and in the creepiest voice I've ever heard, he goes, “Thank you so much,”’ she said.
‘I felt if I made a huge fuss about this I think that would put me in more danger... I had to be polite... I felt ashamed.’
The incident, which occurred in October, has had a lasting impact on Tayla. Despite the passage of time, the fear lingers, affecting her ability to leave her house without feeling 'petrified.'
Determined to prevent this from happening to others, Tayla reported the incident to Uber and the police.
Tayla strongly urged Uber to ban him from the platform, but she was informed that for privacy reasons, she wouldn't be informed whether this was implemented or not.
‘Based on the severity of the report, I can confirm that the appropriate actions have been taken,’ a message Taylah received from Uber read at the time, with no further details of their investigation.
The driver was arrested the same night but later bailed, with restrictions placed on his movements regarding Tayla's home and workplace.
‘I thought I was okay. But then I realised like, “Oh, hey, I can't really leave my house without being petrified,”’ she said.
‘I'm never using Uber again.’
An Uber spokesperson said the company condemned the driver’s alleged actions, saying, 'What’s been reported has no place in the Uber community or anywhere else.'
‘As soon as we were notified of this report, we removed the driver partner’s access to the app immediately and permanently.’
‘We continue to work to build cutting-edge technology and features to help improve safety for riders and driver-partners on the app, such as the Safety Toolkit, the emergency assistance button and Share my Trip feature. Trips on the Uber platform are not anonymous, and all trips are GPS tracked in real time,’ they added.
In a similar story, Uber charged a passenger an $80 cleaning fee for a mess they claimed they did not make.
The resident disputed this allegation, asserting the car was as clean when they left as when they entered. You can read more about the story here.
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