Bengaluru– A routine commute turned into a stressful and dangerous experience for a Bengaluru resident after his auto driver started scrolling through Instagram — even slowing down in traffic to browse an actress’s profile.
Sharing his ordeal on Reddit’s r/Bangalore community, the user wrote:
“I had booked an auto through Uber because I needed to reach my office in 20 minutes for an important call. The ride should’ve taken just 10 minutes. But the driver kept scrolling Instagram with one hand while steering with the other.”
What shocked the commuter most was when the driver came across a post by actress Sreeleela and decided to slow down the auto right on a busy main road just to open her profile and scroll through her photos.
“The ride had just begun, and I could already feel the minutes slipping away. I was furious but also felt completely helpless,” the user added.
Netizens React: ‘Reckless and Common’
The incident quickly went viral, with many users echoing the original poster’s concerns about driver distraction.
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“Slowing down to check a celebrity’s feed is beyond irresponsible,” one user commented.
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Another wrote: “Auto drivers are glued to their phones — it’s more common than we realize.”
Some users even joked that Instagram addiction might be the only thing slowing down reckless drivers, while others demanded stricter regulations and monitoring for app-based autos.
A Larger Problem?
This isn’t an isolated incident. Many commuters across Bengaluru have reported auto and cab drivers watching reels, texting, or browsing social media while navigating heavy traffic — putting passengers and others on the road at risk.
With Bengaluru’s traffic woes already making headlines daily, tech entrepreneur Prashant Pitti, co-founder of EaseMyTrip, recently pledged ₹1 crore towards fixing the city’s traffic choke points using AI and Google Maps data.
As digital distractions grow, many are calling for tech-enabled monitoring, better driver education, and stringent penalties to keep passengers and roads safe.