On average I take about 60 trips a month which means in any given year I’m meeting about 720 different Didi drivers. In my opinion, that gives me a pretty good overview of the different types of Didi Express drivers on the road in Beijing
There are those with spotless cars and blast their AC – a much-appreciated effort especially during these hot months. Then there are the occasional ones with dirty cars, broken seatbelts, and insists that an open window is the same as AC. There are those who’ll drive you from point A to point B without any extra exchange of words other than the “thank you for choosing Didi, please put on your seatbelt” and there are those who offer you more unwanted life advice than you could possibly want, especially when you’re exhausted and just want to close your eyes for a few moments. Common guys, it’s not Uber. Don’t make me feel like I’m obligated to have a conversation with you about how this “isn’t your full-time gig”.
Here he is, driving hands-free.
After one particularly unpleasant ride where the driver kept on slamming on the breaks every few seconds, something at seven months pregnant made me feel nauseous, like I just rode the world’s longest roller coaster. He then proceeded to take me on a route that I didn’t recognize all while pulling out a second phone and spastically driving around hands-free. While this was my first experience of this kind of reckless behavior, my mind couldn’t help but drift to darker “what if” questions.
I reached out to a friend working at Didi Chuxing for some insights into their company’s safety policy.
First of all, how does a company with so many cars on the road every day keep track of all their drivers? Who are these people behind the wheel that you’re trusting your life with? According to Didi’s policy, anyone who wants to become a Didi driver, need to provide the company with a valid ID, driver’s license, and third-party comprehensive insurance. In certain cities in China, they will also need to pass government tests to obtain special ride hailing licenses. After all their documents have been submitted, these drivers must pass a facial recognition to ensure that the driver and the person shown on the Didi account are one of the same, pass a comprehensive and rolling background check, and have their vehicle checked for safety.
The most common annoyance that I encounter while using Didi is the detours, but to be fair, in the past six months I’ve had less than a handful of drivers who’ve taken detours. Most just follow the in-app GPS. Didi has an en-route safety monitoring system that uses the in-app GPS and an algorithm that monitors the normal length of time for the trip. If the trip goes beyond what’s considered normal, the rider or driver will receive a real-time trip check notification which will allow both parties to activate the safety center if needed.
But detours and nauseating break slamming aside, what if the driver gets into an accident while you’re in the car? And worse, what if you’re the one who got hurt? I’m sure I speak for a few of us when I say that we’ve all had those scares where we open a car door without looking only to be surprised by the biker who suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and we suddenly see our lives flash before your eyes. In the event that the Didi you’re in gets into an accident and you’re injured, Didi will provide medical & financial assistance for accidents that happened during trips, including an advance payment for medical bills during insurance claims.
For other safety, related questions visit their Safety Center for more information.
Remember to buckle up for safety and have fun exploring Beijing.
KEEP READING: Didi English Now Allows You to Edit Destination Mid-Ride
Photos: Mina Yan, Unsplash
