I think it’s OK to admit that a lot of us have stumbled out of an Uber in the early hours of the morning. But though drunk people can be pretty hilarious, it’s not always so good, since drivers have reported drunk passengers distracting them or even assaulting them.
In January, a woman in Miami was filmed attacking her driver, and then last November, a man in California was filmed hitting his driver. So as a way ‘to keep drunk riders entertained,’ Uber is leaving the game Bop It at the back of their cars in North Carolina.
Yep, that’s right, you can play Bop It on your ride home. Those children’s toys from the 90s, where you have to twist it, pull it and (of course) bop it on command. Used by parents as a way to keep their kids entertained, it seems drunk adults are no better. Joe Sallvan, Uber’s Chief Security Officer, saidthat if you can distract the rider, they’re ‘less likely to be irritable and aiming aggression at the driver.’
But I can’t be the only one who used to get overly competitive with Bop It? Screaming at a plastic toy probably wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever done. If you add alcohol to that, it sounds like it’ll increase irritability instead of reduce it. Maybe not the world’s greatest plan?
Uber drivers on Reddithave posted similar concerns. One driver said that it could be stolen or even used as a weapon. User Monsto said they thought ‘it was a joke post’. But some like the idea, with user EyeMadeAnAccount saying they’d be ‘stoked’ to find Bop It, while Promo7 said ‘it would be a neat way to cheer people up’.
Other safety solutions have included drivers in Seattle using colour-coded lights so people can find their Ubers in the dark. There are also plans to have mirrors facing the passengers as it’s believed that people will behave better if they can see themselves.
Sounds like there’s going to be a lot of drunk people thinking they’re seeing double...
Like this? Then you might also be interested in...
These Stories About Uber Might Make You Want To Think Twice About Travelling Alone
Follow Jennifer on Twitter @jennifer_cerys
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.