ATLANTA — A Lyft driver has been permanently banned from the ridesharing company after an Atlanta woman reported her scary ride to the company.
Instagram user @_kianiiiii said she used the app to book a ride around 2 a.m. Saturday, but immediately something felt off. In a post on the social media site, she described what she called several "red flags" throughout the ride - which she ultimately escaped by rolling out of the front seat of the moving car.
According to Kiani, the driver made her uncomfortable after repeatedly complimenting her looks and making insinuating comments. She also claimed that the driver ignored GPS directions and appeared to deliberately drive slowly to her destination, eventually driving her down an isolated street with no cars. But the final red flag, she described:
"Just before I jumped out, he began to fidget with what appeared to be a nervous tick, he tightly gripped the steering wheel and his breathing was elevated," she wrote. "I asked him to stop the car because I felt sick. HE HIT THE GAS AND CONTINUED DRIVING. I knew what he was (sic) he was attempting to do. I then opened the front door rolled out and was able to get away."
The woman added that her instincts caused her to sweat, have nausea and heart palpitations. She said she listened to her gut, which she said may have saved her from getting hurt. The woman's post has since drawn an overwhelming response on the platform.
11Alive contacted Lyft about the claims, who confirmed the driver - whom 11Alive is not naming because he has not been charged with a crime - is permanently banned from the app.
"Safety is fundamental to Lyft. The behavior described is unacceptable and has no place in our community," a spokesperson for the company said. "We have ... been in touch with the passenger to offer our support. We stand ready to assist law enforcement."
The woman is now offering tips to keep female riders safe.
"I was able to save myself and I want you to be able to do the same," she wrote.
She said whenever she rides, she uses a nickname to stay anonymous, cross-checks the license plate of her driver, sits in the front seat to make sure a driver can't interfere with the child locks, and, most importantly, stays off her phone and pays attention.
"It's so easy to think that it may not happen to you," she wrote. "I am thankful I was able to get away."
"There is no need to live in a spirit of fear, but you cannot be TOO vigilant," she concluded.
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