Uber Ride Results In Kidnapping, High-Speed Chase

The safety of ridesharing services has been called into question by some, and alongside those concerns have come a couple stories of rides-gone-wrong with Uber, arguably the most popular amongst such services. The latest is a tale nearly stranger than fiction, involving a kidnapping and high-speed chase.

The tale starts as an ordinary trip through Uber. Convene's CEO Ryan Simonetti, who describes himself as a "diehard Uber fan", was on business with a couple colleagues. The three decided to take an Uber car to their next destination, and found that their driver was in conversation with a D.C. taxi inspector.

The inspector left, and the trio got in the car, at which point the Uber driver began driving for their destination. That's when the taxi inspector turned on his lights and took off after them.

Rather than stopping, the driver informed Simonetti and the other passengers that he was "going to have to run this red light." Once on the I-395, the Uber driver reportedly took off at a high-speed with the inspector in pursuit, with the chase lasting about ten minutes.

As expected, the passengers were none too happy about the episode, asking the driver to slow down so they could get out. The driver reportedly didn't want to stop, however, because he faced a $2,000 fine. Simonetti says he began threatening the driver in fear for their lives, eventually compelling him to pull over onto an exit ramp.

The three riders got out of the car, and in the process the taxi inspector is said to have pulled in front of the Uber car, blocking it. That didn't stop the driver, however, who elected to drive down the wrong side of the ramp to escape into Virginia.

After all was said and done, Simonetti hasn't abandoned the ridesharing service, but is now one of many calling into question the quality of vetting drivers.

SOURCE: The Washington Post