
Representative Image.
App-based cab booking services have been a great boon to daily commuters who no longer have to worry about being turned down by taxi drivers. However, the system has its own loopholes and sometimes commuters have to be at the receiving end. Mumbai resident Preshit Deorukhkar recently went through an 'agonising experience' with the Uber App. Soon after booking the cab, Deorukhkar found that the driver, who was also on his first trip, began the drive without picking him.
As soon as Deorukhkar realised the blunder made by the driver, he took to Twitter to raise concern with the support team of Uber and also mentioned that the driver's phone was unreachable. But what followed will literally leave you in splits.
@UberINSupport Hi, your 1-trip driver has started the trip without arriving at the location. His phone isn't reachable. What do I do? pic.twitter.com/L6tRT95gmI
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
Deorukhkar continued to track the journey online, curious if the driver would eventually come his pickup spot. But he was rather baffled as the driver continued the 'joy-ride' at his expense.
@UberINSupport Hi, your 1-trip driver has started the trip without arriving at the location. His phone isn't reachable. What do I do? pic.twitter.com/L6tRT95gmI
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
He also brought to Uber's attention that the driver just went by "P" instead of a proper name.
@UberINSupport Also, how is "P" an acceptable driver name by your standards? pic.twitter.com/ku8N3Ts7tT
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
Instead of getting irked, Deorukhkar was rather amused by the driver's antics and he continued to post screenshots of the journey with quirky remarks and witty captions.
Pickup was in Malad West. Driver has now reached the edge of north Mumbai. I'm assuming he has to dump something in the khaadi. pic.twitter.com/pG3QmAo6lg
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
Umm... Did he just take the Gorai jetty to the other side? pic.twitter.com/eeIdoSBVLw
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
Looks like he is going to medicate. Must've been a tiring day so far. 😂 pic.twitter.com/6dO8ziyqd6
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
Minutes later, the customer again wrote that he is wondering whether there was any dead body in the car or not. In a tweet, he said, “Or he is dumping a dead body sealed in the car deep in the mangroves, me thinks.”
Or he is dumping a dead body sealed in the car deep in the mangroves, me thinks. pic.twitter.com/SBokjKaLkK
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
Or he is dumping a dead body sealed in the car deep in the mangroves, me thinks. pic.twitter.com/SBokjKaLkK
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
Job done. He's on his way back to the city. Hopefully. pic.twitter.com/jJuoHByVoT
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
He is taking the longer, less scenic route back the city now. pic.twitter.com/uW1RogD6gL
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
"P" has now stopped at Vailankani church. I hope he's going to confess his sins. pic.twitter.com/sEY546CzB9
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
I guess we are headed back to the mangroves now. pic.twitter.com/ni3QnxBYkA
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
"P" has now stopped at Vailankani church. I hope he's going to confess his sins. pic.twitter.com/sEY546CzB9
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
P has whizzed past this now. pic.twitter.com/SNO3liL0A4
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
The “story” then went on to become murkier and was nothing less than a mystery movie. “There’s got to be some major stash buried here, right? Gold? Drugs? Arms and ammunition?” the rider tweeted.
He's stopped here for some reason. What role are the cops playing in this story 🤔 pic.twitter.com/pgNdG5vXVn
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
He's on the highway now, towards the city. pic.twitter.com/YrnwlZXCet
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
And after all the Mumbai “sightseeing”, the driver ‘cancelled’ the ride, but with a bill of Rs 857.43.
Oh crap! Looks like he's on to me. Trip cancelled. pic.twitter.com/7cEtYyOoEi
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
What was more funny when the App asked Deorukhkar to rate the ride.
Ahahahahahahaha!
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
Rs. 857.43 for this ridiculous @Uber trip. pic.twitter.com/qlzc4hrbKD
Taking cognisance of Deorukhkar’s complaint, Uber promised to refund his money but did not apologise for the driver’s error.
Here’s Uber’s response about the case.
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
Driver goes for a joyride, tries to dupe the rider, wastes rider’s time, and all he gets is a “note” on his profile
All I got was this response from their internal support system. Note the lack of “sorry” or “apologies” in the response
🙄 pic.twitter.com/EcUxOTOgsM
Soon after the incident, netizens took to Twitter, many sharing similar incidents that had happened to them.
@UberINSupport Hi, your 1-trip driver has started the trip without arriving at the location. His phone isn't reachable. What do I do? pic.twitter.com/L6tRT95gmI
— Preshit Deorukhkar (@preshit) July 19, 2018
After this one heck of a story, all we need to do is move forward 😝 #moveforward pic.twitter.com/NC0tDsSr4v
— Yogish (@iamyogishh) July 20, 2018
The exact same thing had happened to me couple of weeks ago!
— RISHITA DAS (@rishitaa) July 22, 2018
My driver’s rating was 1. Apparently this happens a lot in #Bengaluru but now it has started in Mumbai