Woman Shares Terrifying Story Of An Attempted Kidnapping By An Uber Driver

Ride-sharing apps can be a blessing when you’re out somewhere with no cabs or car services. But Lyft and Uber have both received considerable scrutiny for how they treat their workers and for how they guard the safety of the passengers. Drivers are required to take background checks before they can sign up, but that wasn’t always the case. There have also been many reports of sexual assault and harassment by drivers and in a few cases, by passengers.

A woman named Brooke Adkins in Tallahassee, Florida, shared photos of injuries on her legs, which she claims she sustained when jumping out of the window of an Uber driver’s car. Some people were surprised to hear that the alleged kidnapper was a woman; Adkins wasn’t assaulted, but the driver’s behavior was strange and she seemed to be taking her to a far off destination.

She writes that when she reached her location, the driver asked if they could keep driving around and listen to music together. Adkins was uncomfortable, but agreed, asking her to keep the Uber meter on. The woman took off, and they were soon 25 miles from the original location. When she tested the doors, the childproof locks were activated.

Adkins says she called the police and kept them on speakerphone so they could hear the conversation. She asked the woman to stop and let her out, but the driver refused, saying they were just listening to music. She managed to keep the window open by pressing her finger on the down button, and when the car had to stop at a red light, she jumped out. The driver is currently in jail.

She says it’s been very surreal, but she wants everyone to remember to listen to their gut. If you feel like something dangerous is happening, trust yourself:

Most drivers on ride-share apps are perfectly normal people, but if something feels wrong to you, listen to that voice inside. And keep your finger on the window button.