Uber puts end to backseat romance

Uber users have been warned to keep their hands and lips to themselves. According to a new policy of the ride-hailing app, one can be banned indefinitely for making out in the back seat of its taxis.

The application-based taxi service giant’s policy also states that users’ applications will be deactivated permanently if they throw up in an inebriated state, spill beverages inside the vehicle or behave aggressively towards their drivers.

Uber already implemented the policy in the US in December last year and it came into force in India on March 7. The decision was taken in the

wake of sexual assault accusations against Uber drivers in the past year.

In a statement titled Uber Community Guidelines, the firm has

put up a set of guidelines for passengers on its Indian website. Some important guidelines state: “As our Community Guidelines make clear, you shouldn’t touch or flirt with other people in the car. As a reminder, Uber has a no-sex rule”. It goes on to say, “That’s no sexual conduct with drivers or fellow riders, no matter what and you should never hit or otherwise hurt a driver or fellow passenger.”

The document also goes on to explain that use of abusive language or gestures like verbal threats to the driver would also result in a life ban.

When contacted, a representative of the company said, “The policy came into effect on March 7. No physical contact among passengers of a sexual nature will be tolerated and the person via whose application the ride was booked will be banned from using it.”