AUSTIN, Texas — It's that time of year when Downtown Austin is filled with people in town to enjoy South by Southwest (SXSW) – and many of them will use rideshare apps like Uber or Lyft to get around.
On March 5, Austin police arrested a man accused of kidnapping a couple in Downtown Austin when they got into his car, believing it to be a rideshare. Ahead of SXSW, visitors are being reminded how to stay safe using a rideshare app.
For the last seven years, Manuel Estrada has been a driver for Uber. He vividly remembers an unsafe situation when waiting to pick up customers.
"There was a car that pulled up in front and two ladies got in that car and I'm thinking, 'They just got in that car.' So I sent them a message, saying, 'I'm here across the street.' They messaged back saying, We're in your car.' Well, you're not in my car or I wouldn't be sending you a message," Estrada said.
That's a scenario former Uber and Lyft Driver Marc Freccero calls a "big issue" when using the app.
This is what Freccero recommends SXSW visitors keep top-of-mind when ordering a rideshare:
1. Avoid what Freccero calls a "dark ride" or a "ghost ride."
"Say you get out of the bar, you're going to get an Uber or Lyft, someone pulls up, and says, 'Give me 30 bucks, I'll take you home.' Absolutely, of course, do not do that," Freccero said.
2. When you order a car, you can identify the vehicle via the app. You'll see the make, model, color and license plate number.
"When the car pulls up, like I say, 'it's a Red Toyota Prius,' make sure to identify Red Prius. Make sure the license plate on your app identifies the license plate on your car itself," Freccero said.
3. Wait for the driver to identify you.
"Open the door and kind of pop your head in and say, 'Hey, who are you here to pick up?' I wait for them to say my name verbally. At that point, I know I'm in the right vehicle," Freccero said.
If you enter the correct Uber or Lyft, but feel like something's wrong, there are tools users can utilize to ensure their safety.
"In both the Uber and Lyft apps, there's actually safety toolkits where you can contact 911 within the app. You can have the recording happening within the app," Freccero said.
These tools are there to ensure safety and events like SXSW go hand-in-hand.