Solo traveller creeped out by Grab driver in JB: 'He asked me when I lost my V-card'

The New Paper
Sept 27, 2023

Holidaying to Johor Bahru is deemed safe by most Singaporeans, even if you’re a young woman travelling solo.

And despite the occasional stories of getting scammed or robbed along the way, perhaps the last thing – or person – you’d expect impending danger from is your driver. 

A Singaporean woman shared a TikTok video recalling her disturbing experience with a Grab driver when she travelled alone to Johor Bahru for five days. 

The woman, whose TikTok handle is Alayna, explained how she wanted a “quick, affordable getaway” from Singapore, and especially wanted to visit a firefly park in JB. 

“It’s inconvenient to get there without a private driver. So I (figured) if there was a Grab driver who had a private hire service, I wouldn’t mind just paying him a bit more to get to my destination,” she said in the video.

Alayna found such a driver and struck a deal with him. But trouble ensued as soon as they set off on the journey. 

She said she felt uneasy when the driver checked her out “from head to toe”. 

“It wasn’t just a simple check-out; it was in a creepy manner,” she added. 

She shrugged it off, but the situation became awkward when he started asking inappropriate questions.

“I think the weird part came when he suddenly popped this question like, ‘Why did you come to Malaysia by yourself? Don’t you know this is a dangerous place, and you’re with a guy alone in the car? Aren’t you scared that I will kidnap you?'” Alayna recalled.

Later, things “started to get weirder”, she said. 

“He talked about his past relationships. There were a lot of racist remarks… Basically, I was done. I did not want to engage with him anymore; I was giving him one-word answers,” she said.

“Then, he started to ask me things. He asked me about my past relationships, and he asked me when I lost my (virginity),” she recalled with an embarrassed laugh. “I do not know how I survived that moment.”

“I was freaking out in his car; I was coming up with various solutions in my head, like, you know, should I just jump out of his car or should I call the police or should I call my mom?” 

@peltings I dont think I’ve ever felt so scared in my entire life #malaysiatiktok #johorbahru #sgtravel ♬ original sound - alayna

She concluded her video by advising everyone to choose their private drivers wisely and to trust their gut: “I think when it comes to looking for a private driver, get recommendations from your friends, look them up online, go for those highly rated ones.”

In a note on their website, Grab reminds their employees and customers that “the following behaviours are prohibited on our platform: verbal or physical sexual harassment… and sexual advancement between drivers and users, whether consensual or otherwise. 

“Do not ask overly personal questions or comment on anyone’s appearance. You are strictly prohibited from contacting your passenger after the trip for personal reasons.”

Grab also urges customers to use the AudioProtect safety feature, which allows passengers and drivers to record audio via the Grab app during the ride.