An Uber driver was fined $2,000 after breaching the law by refusing service to a blind man who was traveling with his guide dog.
The incident happened in Hertfordshire, UK, where driver Mohammed Hafiz Raja confronted 24-year-old Colin Perreira who is blind and gets around with the help of his guide dog, Sid.
According to the reports, Raja instantly dismissed Colin when he saw him with a dog and told him he has the “power” to refuse service.
“I ain’t going to take your dog,” the Uber driver said in a recording taken by Colin. “I’m going to pass you to another drive. I ain’t going to take your dog.”
After the driver went on to tell Collin it was his decision because the car was his, the 24-year-old responded by explaining how the law works.
“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,” he said.
Following a heated argument, the driver left the blind man and his dog at the side of the road.
After taking the case to the court, Collin has managed to get Raja banned from Uber whereas the driver was also forced to pay $2,000 for breaching the Equality Act.
“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,” Collin said after the incident.
“I told him I’d report him and he said he didn’t want a dog in his car. Most Uber drivers I come across are Muslim drivers. Many Muslims seem to think dogs are unclean. It’s against their religion.
“They don’t seem to understand that UK law, under the Equality Act 2010 doesn’t protect them from refusing rides on religious grounds.”
As the blind man went on to say, drivers often come up with excuses, such as having an allergy, to attempt to justify refusing service.
In case of refusing a ride to a service dog due to an allergy, however, the driver has to present a valid medical certificate to back up their claims.
“My message to drivers who refuse to take my guide dog is that I will not tolerate it. I will prosecute. I am not in the business of getting people to lose their jobs, I’m doing it to raise awareness. I have to stand up for members of the blind community,” Collin added.
“I don’t take being refused a ride personally, although it does really anger me and confuse me that people don’t seem to understand what a guide dog is.”
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