Accepting A Lift From A Stranger May Prove To Be Lethal

January 22, 2019

Seeking a lift — Image used for representation only

Grabbing a ride and taking that lift from an unknown person can prove to be dangerous for you…

Scant attention is paid to the warnings or the legality and people continue to take lifts and endanger their own lives. Incidentally, offering a lift is illegal as well.

For the record, according to the Motor Vehicle Act 1988, Under Section 66(1) read with 192(a) states that giving a lift to a stranger is prohibited, as the law clearly prohibits the use of a private vehicle for commercial use.

Drashti Shah, A frequent traveller to Mumbai and software professional speaking to Pune365 quips “Every weekend I travel to Mumbai to see my parents and the rates of private buses are very high on weekends. Honestly, spending huge sums of money on travelling every weekend on isn’t possible. Sharing cabs, blab la cars are decent cheaper options.

At times, I do take a chance and get a lift but I always ensure i give my parents the vehicle number. Most of the time I have also sent the photocopy of drivers license to my parents for reasons of safety.

I know it is illegal to take a lift, But then there are no good reasonable options available. MSRTC buses also charge a bomb and being a developer I can’t afford much.

If ever there is anything mode that the government implements understanding these issues, I would definitely opt for it, Shah added.

While speaking to Shekhar Oswal, Entrepreneur says, “I prefer spending money on travelling rather than putting my life to risk.

The rare case when I opt is for share cabs is only when I have to travel on a very urgent basis and can’t keep to the bus or train timings.

Such instances are witnessed often on the Mumbai-Pune, and Pune- Bangalore highway and it is best to take precautions at an individual level when it comes to safety, added Oswal.

If it is illegal, why aren’t the police penalising people offering these rides to people who end up victims of such crime?

There is a police station right opposite the wakad bridge where most people wait for lifts to travel to Mumbai, says Kamna Muchal, Techie.

Speaking about safety, people should not accept a lift from stranger irrespective of the gender. There are several options if you look around like the yellow plate cars who are certified cab drivers travelling frequently also charge economically. Many buses from Karnataka, Banglore, Solapur also charge less.

Travelling by someone’s personal car can be very risky. Maybe not always, but you can’t deny the possibility, Muchal added.

A city-based Police officer speaking to Pune365 remarked, ” People are educated enough to understand the risk involved while taking a lift from the strangers.

There has been a tremendous rise in cases where people are robbed during the journey and half of them don’t even bother to complain. The search investigation starts after one complaint and that’s when we get to know the details of all the robberies that the accused has been involved in.

Everyone should be concerned and responsible for their own safety . though police is there to protect you, the risk of accepting a lift from the stranger should be avoided.

These are things you can bear in mind for your own safety: Do not accept food beverages from strangers when in the cab, bus station or railway station.Ensure that at least one of the family member know how you are travelling and send the car number.

Use Public transport as possible as much as you can.

If you find someone who’s using his personal car for commercial use, complain to the control room. Frequent travellers should keep the helpline number handy. Also, carry self-defence weapons for safety purpose. Must for women travelling alone.

#All views are those of the individual respondent’s and Pune365 does not necessarily subscribe to them.