Published: 29/06/25 | 02:45
In a deeply troubling incident that has raised serious concerns over driver safety and privacy a Bolt driver working a night shift in Tikkurila faced an alarming encounter after a customer tracked him down to his home and aggressively demanded the return of a lost item.
The driver, who had completed his shift around 7:00 AM after transporting a customer from Dixi to a nearby location, discovered a forgotten bag in the back seat of his vehicle. Attempting to act responsibly he reached out to the customer to return the item and when the customer didn’t respond the driver offered three reasonable options later when contact was made: immediate delivery for a €50 fee due to it being outside working hours, handing the bag to the police for pickup or returning it during his next shift free of charge.
Despite the fair and professional approach the situation quickly escalated when the customer rejected all options and insisted on retrieving the bag personally as shown in the above attached video containing the raw conversation between the driver and the customer. Disturbingly, the customer then appeared uninvited at the driver’s private residence, photographed his car and sent the image to him stating he was outside. This blatant breach of privacy left the driver feeling deeply unsafe and violated.
What followed was nothing short of harassment. When the driver went to return the item he was subjected to yelling, cursing and false accusations of theft. The customer’s partner was reportedly intoxicated during the original ride and was also involved in the confrontation. The aggressors threatened to tarnish the driver’s reputation by reporting him despite him never refusing to return the lost item and offering multiple responsible solutions.
Even after calling the police for help the driver was left unsupported and distressed. “How can someone just come to my private home, photograph my car and accuse me like that when it was the customer who left the bag?” he said. He admitted to yelling out of fear and helplessness during the police call. To add insult to injury the driver’s car was damaged during the ordeal which compounds his emotional and financial distress.
The response from Bolt, though acknowledging the driver’s concerns, lacked any real accountability or assurance. In a reply from their safety team Bolt claimed they had taken “internal measures” and recommended the driver file a police report. They also clarified that rider-driver information is only visible for 24 hours post-trip under GDPR regulations but failed to explain how the customer obtained the driver’s home address which is something the driver insists should have been impossible.
There remains no clarity or timeline on any police action that leaves the driver vulnerable and uncertain. More critically, the police have provided no satisfactory explanation about how the customer managed to trace his private location which raises fears among other drivers about possible loopholes or oversights in data protection.
This incident exposes a glaring flaw in how gig platforms like Bolt protect their drivers and not just physically but legally and emotionally. The driver who acted professionally and calmly in the face of aggression was left hanging without meaningful support. With no concrete steps taken to ensure his future safety, the message sent to drivers is clear that your privacy can be invaded, your property can be damaged and your dignity can be threatened and that you’ll be the one left to pick up the pieces.
As of now the driver has submitted a police report and is awaiting a response. In the meantime the lack of decisive action from both Bolt and the authorities speaks volumes about the current state of driver protection in the ride-hailing industry.
This is not just a safety issue but it’s a failure of the system to protect the people who keep it running.
