Ride hailing company could now ban you for being a terrible passenger

There have been near-endless reports of driver vs rider skirmishes, assault and other related issues. This updated version of Uber’s community guidelines aim to provide guidelines on how drivers and riders should engage each other on trips.

Uber drivers have often complained about Uber’s lack of provision for rider abuse against them and it seems the company has been paying attention. These new guidelines reflect the first time Uber will be explicitly explaining why rider can lose access to the ride-hailing platform.

“Uber’s updated Community Guidelines help explain what’s not acceptable on an Uber trip. Many of these are obvious to most of us but they should be noted — whether it’s throwing up in the backseat or leaving rubbish in the car, the below list of guidelines is one that everyone using Uber should understand — driver-partners, and riders as well as those travelling with other riders / friends,” says the company in a statement made available to Pulse Tech.

The new guidelines cover safety, children, personal space and respect for both drivers and riders on the Uber platform. On safety, Uber says, "Riders should play their part by wearing their seatbelts and not trying to cram in extra people when there aren’t enough seat belts. Riders also need to refrain from bringing alcohol or banned substances into the vehicle and should not ask a driver to go faster than the speed limit.”

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It also urges drivers to adhere to all safety guidelines and laws including seatbelts, sticking to speed limits and not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

For child safety, Uber says it will deactivate the accounts of users who leave their kids unattended with similar penalties for minors under 18 (it will warn the account holder of its policy and deactivate after the second warning).

The new policy also places an emphasis on both driver and rider feedback. Your account could be suspended (depending on the nature of the complaint laid against you) during investigations of bad behaviour gotten from driver feedback. Same goes for rider feedback on drivers.

As far as personal space is concerned, Uber says it has a strict “no sex” policy. It also encourages both drivers and riders to refrain from any kind of sexual conduct and respect each others space by not making each other uncomfortable during a trip.

Finally, the new policy touts respect as a focal point. In Uber’s words, “Unruly behaviour such as damaging the vehicle is not tolerated. Using bad language is also not allowed. Being aggressive or discriminatory can also get a rider banned from using the app. Uber does not discriminate against gender or race and any rider that does not share the same sentiments is not welcome on the app.”

These new policy guidelines will also be implemented in South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania following a global rollout that started with the US.

What do you think about the new Uber community guidelines? Good for both rider and driver or not? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!