- By Priyanka Koul
- Wed, 31 Dec 2025 04:45 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A terrifying Uber ride in Delhi has raised serious concerns about the reliability of the company’s "Top Rated" driver badge, which is typically associated with trust and a strong safety record. For one rider, however, the experience was far from reassuring, and they are now questioning the value of the rating system.
The passenger shared their harrowing experience on Reddit, detailing how their Uber driver’s reckless behaviour nearly led to a serious accident. The incident, which was marked by erratic driving, route changes, and alarming moments of danger, has sparked a wider discussion about Uber's safety standards and the accuracy of its ratings.
“I had a genuinely scary experience with an Uber driver today in Delhi and wanted to ask if others have faced similar stuff,” the rider posted, recounting the events that left them fearful for their life.
“Top rated” Uber driver in Delhi nearly got me killed today
byu/OldBite1436 indelhi
The troubles began right from the moment the driver was supposed to arrive. The Uber app showed that the driver was just two minutes away, but the car took much longer to show up. When questioned about the delay, the driver claimed his app showed a five-minute wait, despite being across the street and only needing to make a quick U-turn.
Although this caused some irritation, the passenger decided to let it slide and continue with the ride. However, it didn’t take long for more unsettling things to unfold.
Midway through the trip, the driver’s phone running the Uber app ran out of battery, and he asked the passenger to enter the drop-off location into Google Maps using another phone. This left the rider feeling uncomfortable, as they were no longer able to track the journey through the Uber app.
“That already made me uncomfortable because there was no Uber navigation or tracking anymore,” the Reddit user explained.
But the most dangerous moment came next, when the driver made a sudden and risky manoeuvre on a highway. Traffic was flowing at about 70 km/h, when, without warning, the driver swerved from the far-right lane to the far-left lane, cutting across multiple vehicles.
“There were multiple close calls (near death experiences) in just a few seconds. I honestly thought we might crash,” the rider recalled.
After the near-miss on the highway, the rider noticed that the route being followed no longer matched what was shown on their Uber app. The driver appeared to be taking a longer route, and when questioned, the driver said, “This is what my app is showing.”
However, the passenger’s Uber app was still showing the original, shorter route. By this point, the driver had added nearly 30 minutes to the journey, and it only got worse. The driver took yet another random turn that didn’t match the map. Feeling increasingly unsafe, the rider asked to be let out of the car immediately.
“I was genuinely scared and just wanted out,” they shared. “I asked him to stop the car and let me get down because I didn’t feel safe anymore.”
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What shocked the passenger the most was the fact that the driver had a “Top Rated” status on Uber. Despite the dangerous and erratic behaviour, the app had marked him as a highly-rated driver. In their message to Uber support, the rider expressed disbelief, “This can’t be for real. My app showed me that this man is a ‘top rated driver’. Be real, Uber you can’t label an experience like this as ‘top rated’. One bad ride is enough to make someone fear for their safety on this app.”
The rider also raised a question about Uber One, a service that promises better drivers and cars. They had switched from another ride-sharing service, Rapido, to Uber for its “safety” features, believing that Uber One would provide an enhanced experience.
“Mind you, I switched from Rapido to Uber just because of the ‘safety’ aspect and Uber One offering good drivers and cars!! Would like to know if this is becoming common or if I was just unlucky today. Is there something else I can do about this (because I had to pay for two rides instead of one just because of this)?” the Redditor concluded.
The post quickly gained attention, with users sharing their own experiences and opinions. One person wrote, “These ratings don’t mean a thing. Also, there’s no such perk to switching to another app, since the same drivers operate across multiple platforms.”
Another commenter empathised with the rider, saying, “So sorry you had to experience this. I’ve experienced a lot of rash driving in Uber cabs and autos alike. It is scary and causes one to be constantly hyper-vigilant. Did you complain? Did they get back to you?”
Some users shared similar frustrations with Uber’s rating system, with one person writing, “Very common. Top-Rated means nothing. I’ve had drivers who behave like criminals and drive with zero concern for safety, and Uber does nothing despite complaints. The bigger joke is Uber Premier — I’ve sometimes had ‘Premier’ cars that are on their last legs, in such bad shape you worry for your life. Complaints to Uber just get standard AI responses; basically, customer communication just goes to their bin.”