[Rambunctious]

What happened in Delhi is tragic -- and no one would want such a dreadful thing to happen to anyone, anywhere.

Yes, Uber did not vet the driver enough. But "police verification" in India is a big joke. You pretty much go to one station and find out if there are crimes committed by a person in that locality. There really isn't an exchange of information across stations across cities about a person's criminal record. So, you can only do so much in this country, where a lot of such information needs to be made more easily accessible even to law enforcement agencies themselves. In fact, the government itself is mulling doing away with such verification requirements for government jobs as the police reports are often perfunctory (link: http://bit.ly/1lJ1vRy ).

Regarding Uber's service in India, I have taken over 40 rides in the past year and find it to be the most reliable taxi service in town. In fact, I find it to be far safer when the women and kids in my family ride an Uber vis-a-vis other transportation services. I know fully well that endorsing Uber when a lot of folks are outraging about the firm over the latest controversy du jour may not really come across well -- but I personally feel that the alternatives in India are far worse and definitely not 100% crime free.

[shabda]

You are making a claim that because doing a police verification is hard, Uber should not be doing even the most basic checks it is required to do by law. Delhi Taxi laws require police verifications and a non disableable GPS, Uber failed in both. I would expect Uber to do more checks than the minimum required by law, not less.

I have taken more than a 100 trips with Uber. https://www.dropbox.com/s/v2ypioshi4z8zlh/Screenshot%202014-...

I am evaluating if I should continue using them now. Its hard as they are so convenient, but if they have to blatant disregard of the basic security procedures, I will find something else.

[Rambunctious]

I am making a claim that "police verification" is hogwash and the government itself knows its futility.

Regarding "non-disableable GPS" - please share details of such "non-disableable GPS" devices that other cab services provide. I assume that these cabs automagically stop moving should the driver disable the GPS?

Waiting for more details on cab services that provide such devices.

[Rambunctious]

BTW, journalists are reporting that the driver did indeed get a clean certificate by the local police station in May this year. Link: https://twitter.com/KarnHT/status/541875208844353536/photo/1

Not sure who sought this verification - but the point I wish to make again is that a clean chit by the police in India is bunkum.

Even if any company going forward claims that they are doing "police verification", please realize for your own safety's sake that this is tantamount to nothing.

[prawn]

"His address and background (were) unverified. He was not having (the mandatory) security badge which is given after police verification," Verma said in a separate text message.

If Uber claimed they vetted the driver, but didn't (going by the above), isn't that an issue?