Katie Ward
Staff Writer
Earlier this week, a San Francisco UberX driver was arrested for assaulting a passenger with a hammer after being accused of taking a longer route to rack up charges. District attorneys in San Francisco have threatened Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar with potential legal action, claiming that the supposed background checks provided by the services are not valid or held up to city public transportation standards.
Have you ever felt unsafe in a ride-sharing experience? Do these recent events make you question the security of ride-sharing? Will you continue to use these services? Why or why not?
Andrea Uribe
sophomore nursing major
“I would say that I have [used] Uber and Lyft, ever since I came to USF and I’ve found it really useful in getting across the city. All my experiences have been fine with all the drivers. However, there was this one time when I was with my friends, and we were going out. The [Lyft] driver almost ran a red light, and it was this really scary incident where we felt unsafe. Besides that, that’s been my only situation, and yeah I haven’t used Lyft since then, but I still continue to use Uber and Sidecar, and different types. I would say overall the drivers are really qualified and I am thankful for them.”
Connor Bullock
sophomore computer science major
“I have never had an unsafe driving experience with a service like Uber or Lyft. Hearing these stories about unsafe happenings occurring in San Francisco does not scare me because in my mind crazy people are everywhere and every job will have some crazies in it, but I’m not scared for my own safety.”
Kimberlee Parton
junior international studies major
“Just this Monday, my Uber driver told me I had to sit in the back seat because I am a woman, and women are not allowed to sit in the front seat. If I was not running late for my class, I would not have gotten in the car. I was speechless. I do believe this is an isolated incident and it will not stop me from using Uber in the future. I put in a complaint to the company.”
