‘Why accept the ride in the first place?’: Traveller claims Uber driver accepted booking, then refused trip

Booking a cab through a ride hailing app is meant to make travel easier, especially when heading to the airport. For one X user, however, the journey turned into a frustrating ordeal after an Uber driver allegedly accepted the booking, only to refuse the ride moments later.The cab driver allegedly drove away after accepting the ride. (Representative Image)The post was shared X user Ashish Jain, who claimed he and his companions struggled to find a driver because no one was accepting their booking. Hoping to improve their chances, they added a ₹55 tip, after which a driver accepted the request.Traveller says driver cancelled after they got into the cabAccording to Ashish, he messaged the driver to confirm whether he was on his way but received no reply. After locating the car, they loaded their suitcases and got in before sharing the OTP.He wrote, “The driver told me the OTP was wrong. I said it was the one showing in the app. He then said he had come for a Rapido booking, while I had booked Uber. He cancelled the ride in front of me.”Ashish said the disagreement drew the attention of a near police officer, who asked what had happened. After hearing the incident, the officer reportedly instructed the driver to complete the trip.(Also Read: ‘Filled with love’: Woman in Canada receives 20 kg parcel from parents in India)However, according to the traveller, the ride did not last long. “After about 200 metres from the airport, he started creating a scene. We had to get down in the middle of the road. He told us, ‘Jo ukhaadna hai, ukhaad lo.'”Questioning the driver’s actions, Ashish wrote, “I don’t understand. If you do not wish to complete a ride, why accept it in the first place? Even if you believe the fare is not enough, why not cancel right away? Why waste someone’s time and spoil their mood?”Take a look:How did social media react?The post prompted a wide range of reactions from social media users.One person commented, “Professionalism is a big issue. Basic etiquette is missing.”Another wrote, “You have every right to be furious. It is a violation of your time and your safety, and it is fair to call it out as a failure of the platform to protect users.”Some users, however, questioned the decision to continue the journey after the argument. “Why did you travel with the same driver after the altercation at the beginning of the ride? You were lucky he dropped you only 200 metres before the airport.”(Also Read: ‘I prefer the life I am living today’: Indian man says quitting high-paying job for Canada was worth it)Others pointed to the economics of ride hailing services, arguing that low driver earnings often contribute to such disputes, while a few said they had never faced similar problems with Uber or Ola.(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)