Woman Empowerment in India: A myth
I'm a working woman in our wonderful country called India. I've often heard stories about how it is not safe to travel after dark for females but we are modern women we are strong and self-sufficient we dont need anyone to look after us because we can look after ourselves. travelling after dark has never been a problem for me and recently it has never been a problem thanks to Ola.
One day I finished work late and booked a share cab home. It was 3 min away by the time I got the lift and reached my company gate it should have arrived there were about ten empty cabs waiting so I called the driver to check which one it was his number came busy and when I checked my app he was now six minutes away so I kept calling him. Finally he answerd and said the ride had started! I told him he was supposed to pick me up and then start the ride. He asked where I was I said Kudlu Gate and he said he was going to Bannerghatta. I told him I can see that I need to go to Bannerghatta too so why couldnt he have picked me up before heading there and he replies he is going to bannerghatta he cant pick me up and I should book another cab. I told him to cancel my ride because I was not going to pay a Rs. 25 cancellation fee.
By this time it was dark but not late and I booked another cab which turned out was 7 min away. I was tired so I cancelled and rebooked hoping to get one of the now 12 cabs in front of my office but I kept getting the same person who was 7 mins away so I figured I'd wait. I tried calling him but there was a network issue with my phone so I waited figuring he can GPS track me anyway. Ten minutes later he was still 7 min away and I was now sharing the cab with another female. I tried to find a good network zone to get in touch hopping he wont drive away too. Finally I my call went through and I asked him where he was and he said he was on the opposite service road. I told him where exactly my office was and he said there is a lot of traffic and he had to make a U-turn cross one signal and make another U-turn I said I'd wait. He then asked if I could cross over to where he was normally I'd cancel the ride and book another as there was no bus to my place but I was tired of waiting around so I said I'd come there and will take 15 min he said ok. I told hem again I'm on my way will be there in 15min wait. he said ok. It took me 5min to reach the main road of my office and another 5 to cross over without getting run over. there were two cabs neither mine. So I called and the driver cut my call I tried repeatedly and he kept cutting it. Thats when I looked around
The road was dark there were a few construction workers the nearby offices were closing and dark a few feet away was a small booze shop. My heart started racing and I started panicking. I called Ola customer care and yelled at the poor guy for a while. that did not calm me down I tried booking another cab or auto but none were available so I kept walking and looking around for an auto. As I walked I felt as if people were watching me I tried to act as if I was not freaking out. Gone was the calm strong working woman in me. I felt like when I was 5 and lost in shoppers stop. I was just a little lost girl who desperately wanted to cry. I kept walking till I reached a brightly lit temple and an auto stand next to it. The auto guy asked for 200 and I was too tired to argue so I paid 200 for an Rs 80 ride.
When I calmed down I wondered why I freaked out. Nothing had happened and I reached home safe and sound why did I freak out? I wondered what my brother would have done. He defiantly wouldn’t freak he would have calmly strolled around waiting for a rick or grabbed the 3 buses home and reach by midnight. I could have done that too but I didn’t why? because I didn’t feel safe my brain was not working? I really want to know why do guys feel safe and we empowered women don’t. I really don’t know how a guy would react in my situation and I would really like to know. Do you guys feel safe? If you do why don’t I?
I'm a working woman in our wonderful country called India. I've often heard stories about how it is not safe to travel after dark for females but we are modern women we are strong and self-sufficient we dont need anyone to look after us because we can look after ourselves. travelling after dark has never been a problem for me and recently it has never been a problem thanks to Ola.
One day I finished work late and booked a share cab home. It was 3 min away by the time I got the lift and reached my company gate it should have arrived there were about ten empty cabs waiting so I called the driver to check which one it was his number came busy and when I checked my app he was now six minutes away so I kept calling him. Finally he answerd and said the ride had started! I told him he was supposed to pick me up and then start the ride. He asked where I was I said Kudlu Gate and he said he was going to Bannerghatta. I told him I can see that I need to go to Bannerghatta too so why couldnt he have picked me up before heading there and he replies he is going to bannerghatta he cant pick me up and I should book another cab. I told him to cancel my ride because I was not going to pay a Rs. 25 cancellation fee.
By this time it was dark but not late and I booked another cab which turned out was 7 min away. I was tired so I cancelled and rebooked hoping to get one of the now 12 cabs in front of my office but I kept getting the same person who was 7 mins away so I figured I'd wait. I tried calling him but there was a network issue with my phone so I waited figuring he can GPS track me anyway. Ten minutes later he was still 7 min away and I was now sharing the cab with another female. I tried to find a good network zone to get in touch hopping he wont drive away too. Finally I my call went through and I asked him where he was and he said he was on the opposite service road. I told him where exactly my office was and he said there is a lot of traffic and he had to make a U-turn cross one signal and make another U-turn I said I'd wait. He then asked if I could cross over to where he was normally I'd cancel the ride and book another as there was no bus to my place but I was tired of waiting around so I said I'd come there and will take 15 min he said ok. I told hem again I'm on my way will be there in 15min wait. he said ok. It took me 5min to reach the main road of my office and another 5 to cross over without getting run over. there were two cabs neither mine. So I called and the driver cut my call I tried repeatedly and he kept cutting it. Thats when I looked around
The road was dark there were a few construction workers the nearby offices were closing and dark a few feet away was a small booze shop. My heart started racing and I started panicking. I called Ola customer care and yelled at the poor guy for a while. that did not calm me down I tried booking another cab or auto but none were available so I kept walking and looking around for an auto. As I walked I felt as if people were watching me I tried to act as if I was not freaking out. Gone was the calm strong working woman in me. I felt like when I was 5 and lost in shoppers stop. I was just a little lost girl who desperately wanted to cry. I kept walking till I reached a brightly lit temple and an auto stand next to it. The auto guy asked for 200 and I was too tired to argue so I paid 200 for an Rs 80 ride.
When I calmed down I wondered why I freaked out. Nothing had happened and I reached home safe and sound why did I freak out? I wondered what my brother would have done. He defiantly wouldn’t freak he would have calmly strolled around waiting for a rick or grabbed the 3 buses home and reach by midnight. I could have done that too but I didn’t why? because I didn’t feel safe my brain was not working? I really want to know why do guys feel safe and we empowered women don’t. I really don’t know how a guy would react in my situation and I would really like to know. Do you guys feel safe? If you do why don’t I?
