An Uber driver refused to give a ride to a blind man because he has a guide dog, leaving them standing on the sidewalk.
24-year-old Colin Perreira and his 6-year-old guide dog had booked a ride to King’s Lynn, where his father lives. Unfortunately, the Uber driver didn’t want to let the dog hop in the car and left them hanging.
In a viral video, Mohammed Hafiz Raja said “I ain’t going to take your dog!” before he drove away in his blue car at Watford junction station, Hertfordshire.
Raja was fined £1,700 and convicted of breaching the Equality Act. He has also been from offering services through Uber app.
The company said in a statement that the driver’s behavior was ‘totally unacceptable.’
The clip showed Colin walking up to Raja’s car with his guide dog. Raja then said: “I’m going to pass you to another drive. I ain’t going to take your dog.”
When the 24-year-old challenged him, the driver replied: “It’s my car mate.”
Collin can be heard saying: “It might be your car, but you sign up to a specific agreement with Uber. The law states you are not allowed to refuse a guide dog.”
But the driver insisted that he has “the power to” refuse to take them and decided to drive away.
After the hearing, Colin said: “What angered me most this time is the driver was so blatant in his refusal. Sometimes, drivers give medical or religious reasons. But this was the most blatant refusal I’d ever had. He didn’t have a reason.
“I told him I’d report him and he said he didn’t want a dog in his car.”
Despite being refused rides by some drivers, Colin has continued to use the app. “It’s convenient, cashless and cheap. It makes my life much easier because I don’t have to mess around with coins. Ubers are always around the corner,” he expressed.
“I feel like I am standing up for the disabled people and guide dog owners. I want to show that we won’t tolerate this behaviour and that we will stand up to it,” Colin added.
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