Woman Helps 93-Year-Old Struggling to Hail Taxi in Heat: "We All Grow Old"

An Elderly Man Waits 30 Minutes; Woman Uses Her Own App to Call a Taxi
"We Need to Consider Whether the Benefits of Technology Are Distributed Equally"

The story of a woman who helped a man in his 90s waiting for a taxi by the roadside for over 30 minutes in the scorching midday heat has moved many people. At the same time, some have pointed out that this case clearly illustrates the issue of "digital exclusion" among the elderly.

A story has emerged about a woman who helped a man in his 90s who waited for a taxi on the roadside for more than 30 minutes in the midday heat. Screenshot from social media (SNS)

KBS reported on the story of Ms. A, a woman in her 40s, citing a video that recently spread on social media on June 1.

At the end of last month, while on her way to an appointment, Ms. A noticed an elderly man standing alone by the roadside. The 93-year-old explained that he had been waiting for a taxi for over 30 minutes to go to the local welfare center. At the time, the temperature exceeded 30 degrees Celsius, and although the destination was only about a 10-minute walk away, it was difficult for him to walk due to mobility issues.

After hearing his situation, Ms. A used her smartphone to call a taxi for the elderly man. In the video, Ms. A can be seen asking the taxi driver to "please take good care of the grandmother," while the elderly man repeatedly expresses his gratitude, saying "thank you."

Ms. A, who shared the story, said, "These days, most people use apps to call for taxis, so it's hard to find an empty one on the street. While this is second nature to younger generations, simply getting around can be a major barrier for seniors. For the elderly who are not familiar with smartphones or have difficulty reading, even using a taxi is not easy."

She continued, "For seniors or foreign tourists who are not used to digital devices, how are they supposed to get around without an app? We need to consider whether the benefits of technological development are being distributed equally to everyone."

She also added, "We will all grow old one day. While future technologies are important, we also need to pay attention to the inconveniences faced by seniors who are standing by the roadside in the heat right now."

As Ms. A pointed out, as public and transportation services such as taxi-hailing apps, mobile ordering, and unmanned kiosks are rapidly shifting to mobile platforms, there have been ongoing concerns that digitally vulnerable groups may be excluded from access to transportation and information.

Accordingly, some argue that as digital services expand, alternative options such as phone calls and on-site registration should be maintained for those who are not familiar with contactless technologies.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.