The ride-sharing service, Uber, has released updated community guidelines for seven countries in Africa, including Ghana.
The guidelines contain information on proper decorum for drivers and riders.
Uber also included an explanation for why riders can lose access to Uber, its first time releasing the policy publicly.
Beyond users understanding that poor behavior can lead to suspension from the app, users are now provided with specific offending behaviors.
Among the reasons for suspension, the Uber guidelines states, are damaging drivers’ or passengers’ property, and the use of inappropriate language and gestures.
The guidelines give equal weight of responsibility to both drivers and riders.
On an Uber drivers’ discussion forum, uberpeople.net, drivers constantly complain about the economic costs of carrying drunken passengers. One driver reported a drunken passenger who fell into a deep sleep before clarifying his destination for the driver. The driver lost several other rides while he drove the sleeping passenger in circles, unable to wake him up.
In reference to passenger behavior, a statement from the company said, “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 …”
Riders should also be careful by “not trying to cram in extra people when there aren’t enough seat belts,” the policy says.
The underlying theme of the guidelines is safety. Even if there is enough space in a car, if there are broken seat belts, less people should ride so that everyone has a working seat belt.
All parties are cautioned to respect personal space by not touching, flirting, or making unwelcome conversation.
The seven countries the guidelines were written for are South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ghana.
The guidelines are available in English, Swahili, French, Sesotho, Zulu, and Xhosa.
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By: Joy Notoma/citifmonline.com/Ghana