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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Shakey1500 · 30/12/2014 21:26

I believe it was racist. However, I think reporting him was OTT.

Far better to challenge him directly and have attempted to have a calm, measured conversation about it. He might have been someone who said "Really? Oh...right, didn't think about it like that" etc.

Instead he might lose his job.

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 30/12/2014 21:36

I don't think he needed reporting.

It was a stupid thing to say but at one time or another we have all said something stupid. He may even have realised that it was stupid right after the words left his mouth.

My apologies for the overuse of the word stupid Blush

You told him you thought it was a racist remark and I think that was enough. Perhaps enough to make him engage his brain before he opens his mouth.

FreudiansSlipper · 30/12/2014 21:38

nanny state oh please

when you are at work you have a responsibility to your company, clients, customers, patients, work colleagues and so on

you think before you go expressing your racist views, express them with like minded friends if you have them there is no law about that but not to anyone we have moved on from when this was an ok thing to do and those offended or annoyed by such remarks just had to suck it up

ilovesooty · 30/12/2014 21:42

He may even have realised that it was stupid right after the words left his mouth

According to the OP he tried to justify it after being challenged.

Branleuse · 30/12/2014 21:44

i think racist remarks are part of 'the-knowledge' The amount of shit they come out with in general.
Its thicko racism though. I don't engage with it. I hope theres no comeback to you

BigRedBall · 30/12/2014 21:46

Still gobsmacked at people saying it was a joke.

Would you appreciate a cashier in Tesco telling you not to buy that plantain because you might catch Ebola from it. No. It's racist. The same way this man was working for an employer when he made a horrible comment. Just because his manager/colleagues weren't two feet away listening it doesn't mean he should be let off. He needs to be disciplined and his manager needs to be told what he said.

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 30/12/2014 21:57

According to the op he tried to justify it after being challenged

Well yeah, what's your point?

He would wouldn't he? He's just been challenged. He probably wasn't expecting his crap comment to be called on.

Shakey1500 · 30/12/2014 22:00

BigRed No, it's not acceptable I know BUT I still wouldn't go so far as to have someone possibly sacked over such a remark. Would I feel all justified and righteous having "done the right thing"? No, I'd feel shit. And would hope there was another way, like the calm, measured way previously mentioned.

ilovesooty · 30/12/2014 22:03

My point is that if he genuinely realised how appalling his comment was he shouldn't have defended it.

Cherrychocolate · 30/12/2014 22:05

It was a very stupid comment, which really made no sense.

He is obviously an idiot, not worth getting your knickers in a twist about it.

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 30/12/2014 22:10

Well him defending his remark just goes to show he's an ignorant plank.

Don't think he should lose his job over it though. Even ignorant planks have to earn a living!

Perhaps he's sat somewhere now thinking about it and realising it was a dumbass thing to say and hoping it doesn't come back to bite him.

ilovesooty · 30/12/2014 22:14

Perhaps "ignorant planks" ought to be more careful what they say then. I doubt he'll lose his job if it's a first complaint and if he's done it before I wouldn't lose any sleep if he were sacked for it.

PhaedraIsMyName · 30/12/2014 22:21

Would you appreciate a cashier in Tesco telling you not to buy that plantain because you might catch Ebola from it. No. It's racist.

That isn't a terribly good example. It would be an incredibly stupid thing to say as it's suggesting a piece of fruit must be contaminated simply because it originates from an area affected by Ebola but has nothing to do with race. Obviously if she'd said "don't touch it, it's been touched by people who are a different colour from me" that would be racist.

So far as the taxi- driver's remark it's enormously stupid and doesn't make sense.

I'd be uncomfortable being in his taxi but possibly if I'm being honest more from a sense of general unease/wtf at being alone in a taxi with a nasty weirdo.

theendoftheendoftheend · 30/12/2014 22:25

To be fair as OP perceived it to be a racist she could have reported it to the police so reporting it to his employers seems quite lenient in comparison.

ThePinkOcelot · 30/12/2014 22:29

You actually reported him?! For that?! I hope you had a really long walk in the cold OP! Pathetic!

BigRedBall · 30/12/2014 22:32

No actually, it is a good example. What do you think the taxi driver meant by "Ebola Central"? That, that particular area was contaminated with Ebola because of the people.

shakey I doubt he'll get the sack if it's his first complaint. I've complained about various shop staff a few times and I still see them working there afterwards. But I bet he'll think twice before making comments like that again and hopefully his manager will do whatever is appropriate to discipline him.

PhaedraIsMyName · 30/12/2014 22:41

To be fair to the OP like CherryChocolate I think the remark made no sense. I'm not sure if I'd have thought "racist" (as I'd probably have been trying to work out what he was on about) but as I said in my post it would have made me feel uncomfortable. And I don't like being made to feel uncomfortable by taxi drivers when I'm on my own late at night.

If this was a one-off thicko remark he will not lose his job; if however this is not the first complaint , for want of a better word, about "dodgy behaviour" then perhaps he may be taken to task over and asked to think before he speaks.

If it's the last in a long line- then he's probably been warned before.

Inthedarkaboutfashion · 30/12/2014 22:45

If he gets disciplined or sacked it isn't OPs fault, it is his own fault for spouting racist bullshit. I don't see how people are trying to blame OP for any repercussions, she didn't invade the cabbies brain and force him to make racist remarks.
I'm glad people like OP exist as this thread has shown that far too many people see racism as a trivial or laughable issue.

Shattered2014 · 30/12/2014 22:50

Oh for God's sake grow up!! Why couldn't you have pulled him up on it at the time? Do you seriously believe that this guy deserves to lose his livelihood for voicing his opinion?

Catmint · 30/12/2014 22:54

She did pull him up on it at the time. He won't lose his livelihood unless he is habitually unprofessional or racist.

If he is habitually racist then yes, I do believe he deserves to lose his livelihood.

ilovesooty · 30/12/2014 23:00

Shattered2014 is expressing those sort of opinions acceptable in your place of work?

Catmint · 30/12/2014 23:01

Fwiw I am a professional complaint handler and I deal with complaints where people perceive actions or remarks to be racist. (Not in the taxi industry).

I value these complaints because only by raising the issue will such behaviours be put under the spotlight and the person required to improve.

Very often the complaint will come down to what the OP has put in her title. She perceived the remark to be racist. Someone else may not have perceived it as racist.

This is why making a measured complaint is a good thing, to enable this driver to reflect on what comes out of his mouth. He is a taxi driver and therefore his opinions are not relevant to the service he is providing. Hopefully he will learn to keep them to himself.

If he is open minded and willing to take the feedback on board then there would be no reason to sack him, IME.

Dawndonnaagain · 30/12/2014 23:21

You actually reported him?! For that?! I hope you had a really long walk in the cold OP! Pathetic!
Yeah, I was being pathetic when I was having my eyebrow stitched after being beaten up by a racist twat.

Oh for God's sake grow up!! Why couldn't you have pulled him up on it at the time? Do you seriously believe that this guy deserves to lose his livelihood for voicing his opinion?
Sorry, I was only 17. Dd gets it now though, does that make you feel any better or should she grow up too?

raltheraffe · 30/12/2014 23:22

Ironically the one proven case of Ebola in the UK is a white nurse.

SnookyWookyWooWoo · 30/12/2014 23:36

Sorry don't think I'd have gone so far as to make a formal complaint purely because it was a confusing comment. Not at all humorous but i think that's what the guy was aiming for.

I don't think the stupid cabbie with a big mouth is the same as a hardcore racist who is willing to kick someone's head in because of their skin colour. There are real battles to be picked with some really nasty people...He doesn't seem like one