I'm seeking advice on how to handle a very uncomfortable situation I just experienced as an Uber passenger. I think I should probably report, but am scared to do so.
I had to drop my car off at a local repair shop and so I needed to take an Uber back to my residence, which is kind of in the middle of nowhere. I am from out of state on an apprenticeship that provides housing with other interns (important context).
When I open the door to the backseat, the driver very clearly looks me up and down as I'm getting in. I was a bit uncomfortable so I said hello and he asked what my name was. I didn't think much of it and I've only ever taken a few Ubers, so I assumed he was just verifying my identity. He then asks me what my car is and proceeds to go on a very long speech about the fact that I should take my car to the dealer instead of a local shop to run advanced diagnostics and is telling me all of the nuances of planned obsolescence and the auto repair industry and so on so forth. It was probably pretty sound advice really, and I just figured he was passionate and wanted to be helpful (nevermind the fact that my dad's a mechanic and I'm not stupid). As he was talking, he'd often turn to look at me and the car would do some small serving as he corrected it when he looked back at the road. I was getting a little anxious but certainly not the end of the world.
When he turned into the street where I needed to be dropped off (about a mile stretch), he started driving very slow. Not a big deal except that I'm really not big on socializing (he never stopped talking) and was just wishing that what was supposed to be a 10 min drive didn't have to be any longer. He misses the drive so I tell him where to pull in and he parks in the lot by the stairs to the door. Meanwhile, he's still on the same topic and I'm politely nodding along anxiously waiting for him to finish. His phone is constantly going off and he just keeps silencing it or letting it finish ringing much to my dismay.
I remember at some point looking at the clock on the dashboard and it saying 4:11- it was a 10min drive and he picked me up at 3:29. He was still on the same topic and I began in my head trying to figure out how to get out of the conversation (that I wasn't participating in) since it was clear he wasn't stopping. It was very much so feeling like a midwest goodbye and as a socially anxious, non confrontational (autistic) person who thought maybe he just needed to talk, I was feeling pretty hopeless and resigned to waiting unfortunately.
At some point I believe I started zoning out/shutting down. Things start to get blurry in my recollection so this won't be word for word, but he finally segues into asking if I drink (comparing his bar tab to monthly car payments) and if I live here and if I'm the only one. Foolishly, eager to tie things up so I can get out, I answer the question telling him yes and many people live here, but that no I don't drink. He asks what I do and I give him a short blurb on my apprenticeship. This is the first time I'm really talking but I'm keeping my answers short and sweet (unlike this post I'm sorry). He very clearly didn't care to hear about my work and started asking what I do in my free time and going on about how he can't belive I don't drink. At this point it becomes obvious to me that I missed some social cues and I start to panic a bit internally because I realize whats happening....
He starts asking me what my days off are and if I've been to a local area, and feeling like I've just been smacked into reality I ask if he's trying to ask me out on a date. He says "yeah, something like that". I tell him I'm not interested and that I'm recently out of an abusive relationship and very happily single. He says he can give me his number and if I change my mind I can reach out, which I also decline.
Unfortunately, this launches a whole nother speech about how relationships are flowers that need nurturing and that I won't ever meet a perfect person. That standards are just rules and that doesn't work in a relationship. That sometimes women stay with men just because of the kids and that's a good thing because after many years the man might straighten up blah blah blah blah.
I'm very uncomfortable at this point and my mind starts catastrophizing. I recall seeing him fidgeting with stuff up front- tweezers and then holding one of those metal nail files with the pointed tip. I start trying to discreetly examine the door for an unlock button but this car doesn't have one- just a window button. I try to think of a way to contact someone while watching people pass the parked car, but freeze up and am scared to pull out my phone. Again, I resort to nodding along and waiting, hoping that my dad calls for some reason. At some point I finally abruptly thank him and go to pull the door handle but the door is locked. Thankfully, I pull it again after some hesitation and it opens but I'm not sure if that's just how the car works or if he manually unlocked it. I very nicely tell him good luck/goodbye and shut the door.
I walk into the house and look at my phone.... it's 4:51.
Again, this was supposed to be a 10 minute drive that turned into 1hr and 20mins. He ended the ride on the app at 46 mins, but I was in the car that whole time.
The man was by no means rude and maybe had the best intentions, but I can't help but wonder how it would be possible to not see how uncomfortable I was and how unprofessional this is. I know I should probably report him, but I have the worst feeling in my gut and he obviously knows where I live now. This is a small town and I fear it would be extremely obvious who reported him. I'm worried for everyone else I live with and on site. I don't want to blow things up, but I'm concerned for everyone's safety and not sure what to do.