The Global Solo Traveler’s Guide to Rideshare Safety

Solo travel can be the ultimate form of self-discovery.

Whatever it is that you go for, whether it be hiking in the highlands of Scotland, visiting the hustlers in Tokyo, or digital nomading in Mexico City, movement makes you truly feel free. To the modern traveler, venturing out there by yourself is brave and exciting, but safe travel is the practical groundwork that enables such journeys.

In the vast majority of cities, rideshare platforms such as Uber, Lyft, Free Now, or Grab have replaced the street taxi where you whistle at a passing cab.

They provide the conveniences of predefined pricing and GPS tracking, but they do pose some serious risks. From petty scams to the awful truths of rideshare sexual assault claims, the world of safety is much more than just something to book and go.

Let’s have a gander at seven practical safety lessons for any solo traveler or expat relocating.

The “Check Before You Step” Protocol

The second your ride is there in front of you is the time that you’re most vulnerable. This mostly has to do with your mind being preoccupied with too many things going on at the same time.

Think about it – there’s a car in front of you, then you have to check whether it’s the make and color as it says in the app, then you have to check the driver, the driver is asking you questions, you have to decide where to sit, what to do, where your bags are, where’s your phone, your wallet, you also might’ve been in the middle of something at the time or arrival – it’s chaos.

So, just to be safe, before you open the door, do these three quick checks:

• Does the license plate on the car match the one in the app exactly?
• Does the driver’s face match the profile photo? Keep in mind that there might be facial hair that’s obfuscating the picture.
• Don’t ask, “Are you [Driver Name]?” because they can just say “Yes,” which is getting you nowhere. What you should instead ask is “Who are you picking up?” or “What’s your name?”
• Steer away from yes/no questions because the driver won’t ACTUALLY give you any useful information that way.

A legitimate driver will have your name on his or her screen. If any of these three things don’t match, cancel the ride.

The tiny cancellation fee to pay is an insignificant cost on your part.

Grasp the Corporate Liability Gap

One of the less-obvious details about rideshare safety is how rideshare companies feel about their drivers.

Something not many people know is how these companies may use a simple disclaimer (you’ve agreed to by accepting the terms and conditions before ordering the service), where they try to dodge liability by claiming they’re tech companies instead of what they actually are – transportation companies.

But since there’ve been plenty of cases with these types of companies, courts are holding these companies more accountable than ever. Whether it is a lack of good vetting for drivers through background checks or failure to respond to previous complaints about a particular driver, the rule of law is changing.

As a traveler, knowing you’re entitled to hold the corporation to account, and not just an individual driver who was driving off, is an important piece of legal protection.

Religiously Access your “Share Trip Status” Feature

Every great rideshare app has an option where you can share your live location with a trusted contact. If you travel in a foreign country, your trusted contact back home might be asleep.

Pro tip: Implement a travel buddy system with someone near to yourself ( someone at your hostel or B&B, even) in terms of time zone and use a special safety app that warns a contact if you miss the opportunity to check in at your destination.

A digital breadcrumb trail is often enough to discourage a driver with questionable motives.

The Backseat Safety Scan

Once in the vehicle, your safety checks should not stop.

• Child Locks: One of the scariest facts of life is that some drivers are using child safety locks so the passenger is unable to get out of the interior. Enter, then double-check you can open the door handle to get out again.
• Windows: Make sure you can roll down the window. This is a way of communicating with the world outside, and also a secondary exit if the door is jammed.
• Sit Behind the Passenger: If you can, sit in the rear on the passenger side. This provides you with good visibility of the driver and their maneuvers, and it puts the biggest gap between you and them.

Coping with Traveler’s Vulnerability

Drivers are frequently able to detect you as a tourist.

You may have a suitcase, or look intensely at a map. This makes you a candidate for long-hauling – that is, jumping along a longer route to bump up your fare – or, more seriously, being brought to a remote, isolated destination.

A pro safety tip is to always have your GPS on and turn on the sound. So if there are any detours or swerving off course, you’ll get instantly notified. Ask the driver why.

If you want to go an extra step, also share your location with your friend via a messaging app (e.g., WhatsApp), and if you don’t feel safe, let the driver know your location is constantly shared, so even if they DID think something, they’ll think twice.

Keeping your finger on the pulse of what’s happening is an excellent deterrent for crime.

Know the Legal Framework in Your Destination

If anything happens (heaven forbid), anything from a car accident to harassment or assault, what you’ll do in the first 24 hours is pretty important:

• Report on the App: This forms a permanent digital record of the incident for the company.
• Call Local Law Enforcement: Country is irrelevant, because a police report is necessary in all future legal suits.
• Get Specialized advice: Safety concerns connected to rideshare services can be handled by dedicated lawyers who are experts in the Terms of Service and have general rideshare-related experience. This is super important because the company you might be suing won’t just roll over and accept it; sometimes, they’ll fight your case.

Trust Your Gut Instinct

The most powerful tool in your entire travel kit isn’t your smartphone; it’s your intuition.

If something feels off as a car pulls up and the driver is overly personal, dirty, smells weird, or you just have a sinking feeling, trust that gut feeling.

You aren’t required to get in a car. You can just say that you left something in your hotel, or you need to make a phone call, and then just don’t come back.

Wrapping Up

The world’s a beautiful place. And thanks to rideshare companies, the world has become even smaller, making it more accessible for the average Joe.

And yes, that’s a good thing.

With that being said, it doesn’t come without its own set of flaws. The convenience of having rideshare available anywhere you go also demands a heightened kind of personal vigilance.

By knowing what the risks are, using the safety tools at your disposal, and knowing what your legal rights are if things go wrong, you can continue to snap happy memories all around this world while staying completely secure.

Featured image by Kenjiro Yagi on Unsplash