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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to report a taxi driver for what I perceive as a racist remark

176 replies

treesntrees · 30/12/2014 12:57

The taxi driver asked me for my address then jokingly (I thought) said oh you don't want to go there it is too rough. I replied that it was so quiet it was boring. He then said "It's ebola central". Not being quick witted my mouth dropped open in shock. When I had recovered my breath I said "that's a bit of a racist remark" His reply was that ebola comes from Africa and as a lot of Africans live in that road it is ebola central. My response was to stop the taxi and get out. If I had been quicker witted I would have stayed in the taxi then said sorry mate I can't pay you in case You catch Ebola. So should I put in an official complaint to the taxi firm or am I being unduly sensitive. In actual fact although there's about half a dozen African families in my road they are still very much in the minority.

OP posts:

Legionofboom · 30/12/2014 14:20

The only way you stamp out racism/homophobia/ableism is by making sure people realise that there are consequences.

I completely disagree with this. They way to stamp out racism/homophobia/ableism is to educate people.

Getting sacked for making a racist comment just makes people wander around muttering things like 'bloody hell, you can't say anything these days.' It doesn't make people understand why they shouldn't be saying things and it certainly doesn't stop them thinking them.

Hurr1cane · 30/12/2014 14:22

Cabbies here are pretty racist as a whole. The worst ones are the ones that are actually from other countries.

I've had

"All those immigrants, coming over here, getting massive houses for free and giving immigrant like me who have had to work hard a bad name"

I was and

Surely if he knows how hard he's had to work he knows that ukip make half of that stuff up.

Didn't report him though, although actually I don't know why I don't report them, if someone in the local shop had said something similar I might.

TheXxed · 30/12/2014 14:22

Legion do you think the cabbie managed to escape all of the anti racist/homophobia/ableism campaigns? Does this cabbie live in a cave?

HolaCaracola · 30/12/2014 14:27

Not only racist but illegal. Goes against the Equality Act 2010. He's providing a service and therefore he has to comply with this. Anyone else in any other job would be disciplined if they did this and a complaint was made. Why should he get away with it.

How was he to know your partner was not African? It could have been very upsetting.

If he gets away with saying this to you, he may feel he can bully people with impunity. Think of people he could hurt, not about him. He has a choice in how he behaves.

Any consequences from this are his responsibility and his alone - he chose to behave in that way.

People will not stop this kind of behaviour unless they are made accountable.

He may not get into serious trouble if this is the first time, it would most likely be a warning. If it's not the first time he only has himself to blame.

uglyswan · 30/12/2014 14:28

Legion, I think demonstrating the consequences for racist behaviour counts as education.

lem73 · 30/12/2014 14:30

The correct way to deal with it is to say 'that remark is racist and the wouldn't repeat that if I were you.' You could report him and the company might tell him you complained and do nothing which is even worse. This has happened to me with my mixed race dcs so I've learned to say something directly to the person's face.

GraysAnalogy · 30/12/2014 14:32

I wouldn't report him personally. I would have pulled him up on it there and then though.

Nearly every taxi driver I've had says things like this it's like it's part of the job description (no offence to those lovely taxi drivers who aren't)

simontowers2 · 30/12/2014 14:33

Daft remark for sure but really cant see the point in getting so uptight about it. Some people really are so precious it makes me wonder how on earth they get through life; constanty seeking out things that can upset or offend then. Fwiw, if he gets sacked, he knows where you live and would be quite justified in popping round to post a load of dogshit through your letter box

TheXxed · 30/12/2014 14:34

Hurricane my granddad ( from the west Indies) made similar racist remarks about eastern Europeans. I explained how fucking stupid and racist he was being and remind him about how terrified he was then the National Front were marching up and down London, being too scared to catch the bus because he was beaten up more than once on public transport and having his windows smashed in because they didn't want a darkie on their street. He soon came to his senses.

Nancy66 · 30/12/2014 14:35

Making a bad taste joke is not illegal!

muminhants · 30/12/2014 14:36

Does he really deserve to lose his job for being stupid? I hope none of you ever do or say anything untoward in your jobs and that if you do, you don't get caught. If he does lose his job, I wonder what the effect on his family would be. High and mighty judgmentalism gets us nowhere.

Nobody is perfect. The OP pulled him up on the comment and that should have been sufficient.

Would she have reported a female taxi driver for making a sexist remark I wonder?

ilovesooty · 30/12/2014 14:39

So simontowers2 on what planet is criminal harassment justified?

And I see you've come out with the usual bullshit given out by people to excuse racism.

And I think some posters on here need to familiarise themselves with the contents of the Equality Act 2010. People in the workplace are expected to abide by it.

Eminado · 30/12/2014 14:40

Simontowers i find your attitude appalling!

So the issue is now with Africans who point out - rightly so - that such comments are not acceptable?

IsabeauMichelle · 30/12/2014 14:40

Why do they think it's acceptable to share their racist views with their passengers though, muminhants? I don't want to listen to it. I wouldn't say something like that to a caller on the phone in my job, would I?

Rumplestrumpet · 30/12/2014 14:40

Why people are getting "uptight" about racist comments? Justified putting dogshit through her letterbox? What planet are you on Simon ?! If what he said is so harmless then there'd be nothing wrong in the OP reporting it, because nothing would come of it. But, given that it IS racist, there's a chance he would be told off for it. And he might learn to keep his racist views to himself.

The more we stand up to racist comments, then the smaller the circle in which racism is acceptable - it's been greatly reduced in recent decades but there's a long way to go.

Eminado · 30/12/2014 14:42

Muminhants - if your JOB is so important to you dont talk shit at work. Surely?!?!

ilovesooty · 30/12/2014 14:42

muminhants anyone who made a remark like that in my workplace would be disciplined and if it were repeated they'd be dismissed. Quite rightly so in my opinion, and any effects on their families are their responsibility.

simontowers2 · 30/12/2014 14:51

I dislike racism as much as the next bloke but i wouldnt want to see a man lose his job just after xmas for making daft attempt at banter with a customer. The OP could have just said to him it was racist and that he shouldnt be saying stuff like that if she was so bloody shocked by it. Calling his company is a low and frankly pathetic move IMO.

ilovesooty · 30/12/2014 14:53

More bullshit. It isn't a daft attempt at banter. It is racism and if he loses his job as a result it's his responsibility and might teach him to keep his mouth shut.

ilovesooty · 30/12/2014 14:54

I dislike racism as much as the next bloke

Yeah, sure.

TheXxed · 30/12/2014 14:55

No Simon its low to make racist comments. The cabbie is a grown man not a child, I don't understand why you find it so easy to excuse his behaviour but are quite comfortable laying blame with the OP

BigRedBall · 30/12/2014 14:57

simontowers is the type of person who starts off every racist comment with "I'm not racist, but....."

The taxi driver was representing the company he works for. Does his employer want to be perceived as the racist taxi cab firm? I doubt it. Like with any job, it's best you keep your personal thoughts and opinions to yourself whilst working.

Good on you for reporting OP! I hope he's disciplined appropriately.

simontowers2 · 30/12/2014 14:57

Yes sure sooty. How the booody hell dare you suggest i am lying about that.

ilovesooty · 30/12/2014 14:59

You spend your time describing objections to racism as people being precious and uptight.

I think I'm justified in not believing you.

ilovesooty · 30/12/2014 15:01

I agree BigRedBall

And people who advocate failure to act are condoning racism.

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