Since the onset of COVID-19 many residents have admitted that they no longer give ‘rides’ to pedestrians. Even with COVID cases being as low as they are in the British Virgin Islands, the culture of stopping for by standers is slowly becoming a thing of the past, drivers have become increasingly reluctant of giving pedestrians ‘a lift.’
Culturally the Virgin Islands has been known to be very compassionate in this regard. However, in recent months, ride catchers can be seen standing for lengthy times trying to get a lift. Many ending up using paid taxi services or carpooling when possible with close family and friends.
Despite COVID being a major deterrent to persons giving lifts, one female resident from Fahie Hill Tortola said it’s not just COVID. She said, “Not just because of COVID, with all these shootings and robberies and what’s not, you really don’t know who is who anymore, and they wearing mask so I can’t see their face, so I just stop giving people rides.”
A male resident of Carrot Bay had a different sentiment. Saying, “If they have on a mask, I still stop and give people a ride, I don’t see the big deal.”
A male pedestrian said, “I just try to organize a ride with my neighbor or a friend, when leaving work, with a coworker because it’s really hard catching a ride these days.”
During the spike of COVID cases in the BVI one female resident took to the BVI community board, sharing that she thought it was “insensitive and cruel” that people no longer stopped for you anymore. Saying, “I am hurt that we have reached this point, it’s so insensitive and cruel, people don’t stop for people anymore, you standing up for hours and nobody is stopping.”
While many agreed with the seemingly disgruntled resident, others noted that due to the circumstances, it is inevitable and they understood why persons would not want to give rides in these times of uncertainty and a pandemic.
The Ministry of Transportation recently ended its City Taxi services which provided low cost shuttle services to persons in the capital of Road Town. Despite those efforts residents still struggled and continue to struggle to get to and from East End, West End or the country side.