‘And don’t charge ur phone or plug it in anything’: Woman issues safety warning about bottled water offered in Ubers
One woman’s seemingly innocent Uber ride led her to make a PSA about ride-share safety. In a viral TikTok, Taylor Paré (@paretay) reminds folks to be hyper-vigilant of Uber drivers, even when certain gestures appear kind.
No water, thank you
Paré films the inside of her Uber ride, zooming in on a bottle of Aquafina resting in a cupholder beside her. The overlay text reads, “[Thank you] to the girl who said don’t drink water from Ubers.”
Her clip, which earned 21,000 views, was only seven seconds long. Still, it was enough of a PSA that women thanked her in the comments for the tip.
“Literally never thought of this thanks queen,” user Anie wrote. Another added, “Not gonna catch me slipping.”
One user shared their own ride-share safety tip, writing, “And don’t charge ur phone or plug it in anything.” Presumably, one can get hacked this way, as it is a common type of scam some hackers use.
But who is this girl Paré thanks in her video?
A terrifying Uber ride
Paré is more than likely referring to the subject in influencer Rory Uphold’s (@icouldbeblonder on IG) story. Uphold’s reel went viral in March, earning 4.4 million views. In the reel, Uphold relays the story of her friend who was allegedly drugged by her Uber driver. According to Uphold, her friend accepted a sealed bottle of water from her driver, only to notice her heart rate and body relaxing seconds after. Within 15 minutes, she couldn’t form words and proceeded to flee the moving vehicle, Uphold says.
How safe is too safe?
There are myriad TikToks with millions of views advising young women on safety tips when traveling alone. But how much is warranted, and how much is fear-mongering? While some of these “tips” have been debunked as the latter (napkin on car door handles, for example), others are very real.
In one incident in 2024, a woman shared how her friend passed out in the back of an Uber and managed to share her location just before doing so. According to the friend, police and friends were able to find her just in time. The accusation was that the driver had drugged her. In another case, a woman in Miami reported she was drugged and sexually assaulted by her Uber driver.
Stories like these lead both folks to share their own safety tips online. And not just warnings against ride-shares, either.
Hotels are another hot topic on women’s safety content online. In one viral clip, a retired Secret Service agent shared how to deal with a stranger who gives you a “bad vibe” at a hotel. When the Mary Sue asked what he thinks about folks criticizing the tip as too paranoid, Scott Bryson says there’s no such thing as too safe.
“Anyone who criticizes people for [taking safety measures] as that is either ignorant or nefarious,” he told TMS.
Uber’s bad rap with rider safety@paretay Stay safe girlies #nyc #fyp #uber ♬ Brasilian Skies – Masayoshi Takanaka
The ride-share company has come a long way in attempting to enforce safety policies for guests. Still, backlash on social media is nowhere near dying down. According to a law office in St. Louis, a 2024 report revealed that there were over 3,000 sexual assault lawsuits filed against Uber.
“The central allegation against Uber relates to the company's failure to implement adequate safety measures and background checks to prevent sexual assault by its drivers,” one of the most recent updates reads.
While some may think it paranoid, it appears it’s better to be safe than sorry when traveling alone these days.
The Mary Sue reached out to Paré and Uber via email.
Update June 12, 2025
In an email to the The Mary Sue, Paré confirmed it was Uphold's video she was referring to and that the reason was that the bottle could be drugged.
"This is definitely something every woman should be aware of," she said. "I didn’t even think of this before seeing the viral TikTok and want to warn as many women about the possible dangers of quenching your thirst in an unknown vehicle, even one with amenities."
She added that PSAs like hers are essential because "the men are evolving in all ways but emotional. So it’s imperative that we protect ourselves against whatever they are planning next. Really morbid to say out loud but it’s sadly and historically accurate. "
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