Transwoman Shares Account Of Nightmarish Cab Ride From Delhi Airport To Her Home. Women Aren’t Safe Anywhere!
I think we can all agree that there are far too many loopholes in the system of the way things function in our government. Even the lowest-level employee can find a loophole and a way to exploit it. And usually, the people on the receiving end of this are the citizens who don’t know any better and go with whatever they are asked. A similar incident happened to Dr. Aqsa Shaikh who goes by @doctorsaheba who is a transwoman. In a Twitter thread, she details her experience of going from the Delhi airport to her home and her experience of discomforting, to say the least.
I had an absolutely horrendous experience today while returning home from Terminal 1 at Delhi Airport at 6 pm. I decide to take the Black – Yellow Cab. I gave a note of 500 for a fare of 450. The clerk at the counter hands me a 100 note and says I gave 100 instead of 500. pic.twitter.com/2cUkZZPBnn
— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
I thought that I made a mistake. Took 100 note and gave another 500 note. He hands me 50 back. Gives me two copies of receipts. I give the driver copy to the next driver in line and get into the cab. I had a feeling that I may have been duped at counter but I was not sure.
— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
What follows is even worse. After some time the driver asks me how much I paid. I say 450. He says that there is a new scheme of duping customers who hand over 500 note by telling them they gave 100 note.
I sank in the seat. Gosh! This is just what happened. Then this happens…— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
This is exactly what I mean! How are there no measures to ensure that the clerk at the counter cannot dupe the customers? And if you are thinking that she should have said something right there, I have been in that position and doubting yourself in such situations is how many people would react. Moreover, usually, such ticket counters have a lot of line and crowd so most people wouldn’t want to get into a confrontation there for fear of creating a scene.
The Clerk at Counter where you exit the airport and who makes entry sees the receipt and says that destination is not clearly mentioned. He asks me and I mention Jamia Hamdard. We proceed. The driver now asks me to come and sit on front seat. I tell him I'm comfortable at back
— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
He says there are many mosquitoes at back – and it was true. Then he says there is no seat belt at back seat. I agree. He stops car. I get out and get in front. I buckle my seat belt. I notice that the driver is not wearing seatbelt. I ask him to. He says there is no need.
— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
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Firstly, nothing would convince me to sit in the front if I am traveling alone in a cab. Secondly, what logic is this that the driver asked her to sit in the front under the pretext of mosquitos and seat belt while he as the driver isn’t wearing a seat belt at all? For the unversed, the fine for drivers not wearing seatbelts in India is up to ₹ 1,000. Despite there being a hefty fine, this cab driver was chilling and didn’t seem to care for it. So does that mean that the rules are just that negligible?
I tell him there is a huge fine. He says there is no problem. Then he starts to make small talk. Where I stay. From where I am coming. He gives a wierd smile. I get suspicious. The car stops at traffic signal. A Kinnar person comes to the window. Driver says aapki Saheli aa gayi
— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
I realised by now that he is doing what he is doing because I am an obvious transgender woman. He says the kinnar is fake. These are men who are just begging. I tell him there is nothing like that. Then he asks me if I am married. I snap. I tell him that's none of his business
— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
Okay, so weird and disrespectful towards the customers too! Like a person is entitled to whatever opinions they want. There is not much you can do about it. But I believe that when you are catering to a customer, you must remain professional and treat them without bias. Asking them personal questions and making sly remarks at them is so uncalled for and uncomfortable for the passenger too.
He stops talking then. I notice the smell of Alcohol from him. Then he starts using phone while driving. I note the taxi number from the sticker on windshield. Its DL1TA0638. On CNG compliance plate it's DL1T0638. I message the number to a friend. I ensure to keep my calm.
— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
I reach my destination traveling anxiously. He drops me and asks me for more money. I refuse. He is pissed. But fortunately I was home, Safely. Though nothing happened to me – a lot could have gone wrong. And there are many loopholes in system.
Here are questions/ suggestions.— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
So in addition to not wearing his seat belt, this man is driving drunk? And these people came from an airport. Are there no regulations in place to ensure that the drivers and vehicles are safe to travel with? It is just weird to me that in a place with heavy security like the airport, no one cares about the passenger’s safety once they sit in the cabs. Plus he had the audacity to ask for more money from a passenger who had already paid and had been duped. What is this entitlement? And he made her so uncomfortable throughout the trip, does he even deserve a tip? Aqsa noted down suggestions to improve the way things work when we get cabs from the airport.
1. At airport cab booking counter by Delhi Traffic Police, there is no way to pay by UPI. They deal in cash. That's easy way to dupe the customers. There are no cctv to monitor cash counter.
— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
2. The receipt has my name and destination. Scribbled in such a way that no one can read. The Taxi number is not mentioned. What's the use of such a receipt? pic.twitter.com/YnFJj7iHvX
— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
3. There are no safety checks for passengers and drivers at this counter or at exit counter at airport. Not sure if even the number of cab I got into was noted against my name and destination in register. So many glaring loopholes.
— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
4. How can a driver in Delhi have the bravado to drive without a seat belt when fines are being issued for not wearing seat belt at back seat? Also he was drunken and smelled of Alcohol. Where are the checks? No one checked him in 25 KM of my journey.
— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
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Delhi doesn't seem to have learnt it's lessons on women's safety after Nirbhaya. And as a Transgender Woman traveling alone in cabs in Delhi, I have no assurance of my safety.
This incident was scary and I hope this doesn't happen with anyone else. I hope the System Acts.— Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (@doctorsaheba) October 31, 2022
I totally agree with Dr. Aqsa Shaikh. One would think that after the horrifying Nirbhaya case, the emphasis on safety, especially for women would be more. However, things seem to have remained unchanged and the loopholes are so easy to exploit! There really needs to be a reform that will ensure that customers are not fooled out of their money and are safe while traveling too.
