My Uber driver recently asked me for my PIN.In my half-asleep state, I stared at him in panic for a few seconds before I realized: He was asking me to share the PIN Uber sent me so I could verify it. my journey.
As it turns out, I turned on all of Uber’s safety features last month while writing about Uber’s new safety customization section, and then completely forgot about them—which, let’s be honest, was easy to do. Uber’s safety tools are hidden under “Settings” in the Uber app, making them less noticeable than all of its services and even its emissions reduction features (yes, that’s a thing).
This is a real shame because as a single female caregiver who rides for Uber regularly and has experienced harassment, I’ve come to appreciate the extra sense of security. According to Uber’s latest safety report, Uber received 9,805 reports of ride-hailing sexual assaults from 2017 to 2020, and I think they could help a lot of people, too.
Some of these tools I already know and you may have heard of them too, like ShareMyTrip, which lets you send instant location and ride details to people you trust. But did you know you can also record your rides? The recording is encrypted so you can’t listen, and neither can your driver, but Uber can and will listen if you file a safety report. What’s even cooler is that you can customize these features based on time and location. For example, you can schedule PIN verification or recording to turn on all rides after 9pm and/or as long as you are within 50 meters of the bar.
These features are not easy to find. But thankfully, Uber makes it easy to turn them all on in just five steps. That’s it:
1/5
- First, in your Uber app, click account The tab is located in the lower right corner of the screen.
- After selection settingsscroll down to Safety part.
- Go to Security preferences arrive Start adding your security tool preferences. (Please note that some people may see this and need to click Start setting up First before doing this, like I did initially.
- You will then see a page with four security features that you can choose to enable: Get more security checks; Use PIN code verification; Record audio; and Share trip status.
- On the same page, scroll down to journey. There, you can set a schedule for all, some, or no rides.If you click on certain rides, Uber will also let you choose late-night rides (9pm-5am), within 50 meters of a bar or restaurant, and/or weekend rides
You can also customize safety tools while riding, click Security Toolkit Blue Shield and select Set security preferences.Even better, Uber offers additional safety features while you’re riding (visible only while you’re riding), such as Text 911, which sends pre-written text to the 911 operator containing information about the trip, vehicle and location.besides Instant helpA feature created by Uber in partnership with safety company ADT, passengers and drivers can chat with safety personnel via text message or phone call during the ride until they feel safe.
To be honest, I wish Uber would provide more safety tools and customization options. Why stop at bars and restaurants?Why not other places, like airports, where there is a place for people did Do you really want to steal my Uber late at night? Or learn from Lyft’s experience and automatically match female/non-binary drivers and passengers more frequently!
I’d also like certain features (like recording) to be turned on automatically by default, while features like PIN verification can be manually turned off after the fact. After all, there have always been security cameras on buses, and I knew they would allow me and my loved ones — male, female, and non-binary Uber drivers and passengers — to report past ride-hailing incidents. harassing behavior. Heck, it might help deter crime from happening in the first place. Who knows — maybe automatic PIN verification could have saved Loletha Hall from being shot to death by an 81-year-old man who thought she was a liar.
But for now, I guess it’s better than nothing. Hopefully Uber will continue to work on making travel safer. Until then, the best we can do is take our security into our own hands and work within the narrow confines of Uber’s existing toolset.
