As more reports roll in about the USC student brutally murdered by a 25-year-old man, we are still questioning why the accidental entrance to the vehicle by the student led to her death. Samantha Josephson, 21-year-old senior at University of South Carolina stepped into what she thought was the uber she had called at 2am last Friday night. We mourn for her family and what they are experiencing, and we question what the reason was for murdering someone who made a simple mistake. When I saw this story on my phone, I immediately felt terror. How many ubers have I taken in my life? Too many to count. This could have happened to anyone, including me.
We hear stories like this on the news all the time, but is there a way they can be prevented? I started to make a list of things that one should watch out for and do when they are in a potential sketchy situation dealing with rides like Uber or Lyft.
1. Ask who they are picking up.
The first reaction of seeing a ride pull up to the side of the road is to ask, “are you (name)?” But what we don’t realize is that the driver could just say yes to whatever name you say in order to convince you to get in the car. If you ask them who they are picking up, they should be able to say your name. If they struggle to answer that question, you know the ride is fake and potentially dangerous.
2. Check the license plate number in the app and on your phone
The app of the company you are riding with should give you the plate number of the vehicle picking you up. Compare that number to the plates on the actual car and make sure they match. If they don’t, step away and say you picked the wrong car. They won’t know the difference.
3. Always travel with someone
This isn’t always easy, but if you are out with friends, make sure you don’t take rides alone. Bigger groups of people seem to scare off bad individuals who want to hurt someone who may be slightly intoxicated and helpless.
There are other ways to stay safe when it comes to ordering rides, but these seem to be the main ones. Just make sure what you ordered is what you receive. Just like food! Encourage your friends to be safe when they go out or when taking an Uber. We can never be too careful.
Good Luck!