By Fiifi NETTEY Every time I get into a taxi, whether it's Bolt, Shaxi, Yango, or Uber, I frequently start talking to the drivers. Depen...
By Fiifi NETTEY
Every time I get into a taxi, whether it's Bolt, Shaxi, Yango, or Uber, I frequently start talking to the drivers. Depending on how they feel, they either engage in the conversation or remain quiet; I respect their silence. However, some are friendly and approachable, and soon we end up having long, endless talks.
I frequently observe the everyday difficulties that drivers encounter while maneuvering through Accra's crowded streets and dealing with ongoing challenges, pressure from passengers, pedestrians, and the routes they take. Occasionally, passengers also express harsh opinions about their actions and demeanor, increasing the load on their shoulders. In some cases, drivers also act poorly towards passengers and pedestrians.
A specific taxi driver caught my attention. It was a coincidence that he frequently took my ride requests at the same time every morning, and over time, we developed a friendly relationship. Then, for several weeks, I noticed he wasn't accepting my requests. Worried, I decided to call him to check if everything was okay.
That was the moment I discovered he had been assaulted by armed individuals who tried to steal his car. During the confrontation, he suffered several injuries and was profoundly shaken. I was informed about how many of his coworkers hadn't been as lucky—some had lost their cars, while others had even died. His experience motivated me to talk to more drivers, and their stories were truly terrifying.
A driver shared a frightening experience with what appeared to be a normal passenger. He picked up a nicely dressed young woman who sat directly behind him. Her actions made him uneasy, and through his side mirror, he saw her pulling her hat down to conceal her face. When she reached her supposed destination, she said her boyfriend would cover the fare. As the young man approached the vehicle, the driver spotted something unusual bulging beneath his shirt. A sense of alarm kicked in, and the driver swiftly drove away while the woman was still inside.
It was then that she seized his neck and started to suffocate him. Struggling to stay alive, he disregarded her hold and sped up until he arrived at an intersection. The woman became frightened, opened the door, and leaped out, abandoning her bag. Later, the driver discovered a sharp knife inside— a sobering reminder of what might have occurred if he hadn't relied on his intuition.
Mike, a taxi driver, described how – even though his vehicle wasn't taken – armed individuals stole all the money he had earned that day and also took the food he had purchased for his family.
Kwesi, who is also a driver, recounted an incident that nearly cost him both his car and his life. A passenger asked for a trip to Tema and convinced him to go offline to avoid the app's fees. Kwesi agreed reluctantly. During the journey, the passenger requested an unauthorized route and later insisted on picking up another person. The situation became increasingly tense. Soon after, the passengers ordered him to stop. When he pretended not to hear, one of them hit him on the head, causing the car to veer off the road. In the confusion, Kwesi managed to jump out and flee. The attackers pursued him but failed to steal the vehicle—the keys were still in his pocket.
Nana, another driver, showed me a WhatsApp group where drivers exchange their stories. What I witnessed there was disturbing. Numerous individuals had faced attacks—some were slashed with machetes, others stabbed with knives, and some vehicles were destroyed in the process. Others have lost their cars entirely. The truth was much more horrifying than anything I had previously heard. Viewing the photos and accounts on that platform made the danger very clear and deeply unsettling.
In addition to physical aggression, I have also noticed that some travelers can be very disrespectful and use harsh language towards commercial drivers. I saw an example where a driver was treated poorly by a passenger just because he didn't call upon arrival. The driver had parked exactly at the designated pickup location, but when the passenger emerged, she was extremely angry. She yelled, "Why didn't you call me when you arrived? Do you want the fare to go up?" Then she immediately canceled the ride. Later, the upset driver shared with me his frustration over how certain passengers behave, mentioning that this was already his third cancellation that morning. "It's not fair," he added.
Peace shared his story, describing how certain passengers—especially women—can display a lot of disrespect and arrogance. He mentioned that some eat in the vehicle and leave their garbage behind, while others even go so far as to put their feet on the dashboard. He did admit, though, that not all drivers behave properly either.
Several drivers mention that the primary difficulty frequently arises from the pickup locations. In certain situations, there isn't a suitable road to access the place, but passengers still expect the driver to arrive rather than meeting at a more practical point. Drivers report that passengers occasionally call and yell at them over the phone, and once the driver has made an effort to get to the location, the passenger cancels the ride at the last moment.
"We experience a lot while transporting passengers. But who are you to complain? It's what we do for a living, and you have to see it as part of the risks involved," a driver said.
On the contrary, a traveler expressed her concerns, mentioning that she refrains from using commercial ride services during specific hours due to tales of drivers abducting passengers. "Some of my friends have gone through such situations, so I don't take any risks," she mentioned.
Michael, another traveler, mentioned that certain drivers might attempt to charge inexperienced passengers excessively. "You simply need to be cautious and stay alert," he recommended.
Osbert described the impolite and unkind behavior of certain riders, remembering an event where a minor misunderstanding resulted in a rider insulting him—a situation he claims he will never forget.
These are not rare occurrences. Beneath each ride request on Uber, Bolt, or Yango, there is an underlying danger of violence. For drivers, every journey is a risk between making a living and protecting their safety—and passengers encounter comparable dangers. To address this, we need to learn how to live together with respect. Life is brief, and only by valuing each other can we create a safer, more improved society.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
