Lotokam, questions and answers
The things people ask before they sign in.
Is Lotokam free?
Yes, completely, and there is nothing to upgrade to. No money passes through the app at any point. If you and your buddy want to split the petrol, that is between the two of you and Lotokam has no part in it.
Is this a taxi service?
No. Lotokam is a noticeboard, not a transport operator. It introduces two people who were already making the same journey. Nobody is driving for a living, nobody is hiring anybody, and there is no fare.
Who sees my phone number?
Nobody, until you have both agreed. Your contact detail is only asked for at the moment you first tap connect, and it is revealed only once the other person has tapped connect too. Before that it never leaves the server.
Do you know where I live?
No. The pin you drag is rounded onto a grid roughly 500 metres across before it is saved, so the exact coordinate never reaches the database. We know your neighbourhood, which is all the matching needs.
Nobody matched me. Now what?
Nothing, and that is the point. Your request stays live indefinitely. Every new person who signs up is checked against everybody already waiting, and you get an email the moment somebody turns up going your way, even if that is months later.
Do I have to drive?
No. You choose whether you have a car, need a lift, or want to take turns, and you can change it whenever you like.
Is there a chat in the app?
No, deliberately. Once you have both agreed, you have each other's WhatsApp or email, and the conversation happens there. Lotokam has no messages to read.
Is it safe?
You decide who you share anything with, and you can report and block anybody in two taps, which deletes the pairing immediately and stops you ever being matched again. Use the same judgement you would with any stranger: meet in a public place the first time, and tell somebody who you are travelling with.
Do I need to install anything?
No. It runs in your phone's browser. You can add it to your home screen if you want an icon, but there is no app store and no download.
Which languages does it speak?
Kreol Morisien, French and English. Switch at any time with the flags at the top of the screen.
How do I delete my account?
From the account screen, in one tap. Everything goes, including your pins and your contact detail. Accounts that go dormant are deleted automatically too.
Anything else, and you can ask us at kamarad@lotokam.com.
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