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AIBU?

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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:
CrispyFern · 31/12/2014 11:12

I say well done for reporting him.

TheyThinkImCool · 31/12/2014 11:12

The fucking casual racism on this site is terrifying

ARGEED

TheyThinkImCool · 31/12/2014 11:13

AGREED* silly auto text!

SunnyBaudelaire · 31/12/2014 11:13

well I am sorry but if you think this site is 'terrifying' you must have led a very sheltered life.

ApocalypseThen · 31/12/2014 11:13

What rational debate are you trying to have that's been smothered by the forces of people who don't like racism here? Because it sounds rather like someone has drawn an apposite comparison and it's making you uncomfortable.

SunnyBaudelaire · 31/12/2014 11:16

I do not like racism either, as the child and wife of immigrants.
I just know that many taxi drivers make stupid comments and in this case I pointed out to dawndonna that her point about her daughter was not really valid.

Dawndonnaagain · 31/12/2014 11:18

There isn't a debate to be had. I'm not trying to shut down anything, racism is racism. It was clearly a racist comment made by the taxi driver, ergo should be reported as such.
It's you that is trying to shut down the discussion by using terms such as 'bandied about' and 'rational debate'. People like you are the reason racism still exists, because those of us that challenge it are 'trying to shut down reasoned debate' or are 'going over the top' or a 'too sensitive to stupid remarks'. Racism should be stopped, at all points. That's it. What else is there to discuss?

MrsCosmopifairylight · 31/12/2014 11:18

Yes, it was racist.

I haven't experienced this thankfully but I would pull someone up on it.
I recall chatting to a woman at a bus stop some years ago. Until she mentioned working in London and how it was "full of bloody paki's", so she wouldn't want to go there.
I told her I found her comment offensive and she asked why.
"Because my colleagues are some of those bloody pakis, and so are some of my family"

She never spoke to me again, even though I saw her almost daily. Thankfully I have moved now and I don't have to see her stupid face any more.

TheyThinkImCool · 31/12/2014 11:19

SunnyBaudelaire

I haven't been on this site for long, some of the things I have read on here and the way people treat other people on this site is terrifying and the most upsetting thing is that we are all parents.

teapuddles · 31/12/2014 11:19

Apologies for not reading the whole thread, but I would like to know OP, if this was a licenced black cab type vehicle, or a mini cab?

SunnyBaudelaire · 31/12/2014 11:19

no it is not because of 'people like me that racism exists', stop being so hysterical.

Dawndonnaagain · 31/12/2014 11:20

Oh, and I would add using the fallacy of the non sequitur to the list above. Hmm

Dawndonnaagain · 31/12/2014 11:22

I'm not remotely hysterical. Your attitude, amongst others clearly demonstrated on this thread is precisely one which allows casual racism to thrive.

SunnyBaudelaire · 31/12/2014 11:22

yes but dawndonna if I wanted I could tell you about incidents of racism to me or my family, but it is not really germane to this thread, which is about a dickish taxi driver making silly comments, which is what they do really.

Greysanderson · 31/12/2014 11:23

I guess it's simply one of those things that if your not the target for casual racism then you hardly notice it.

Remember this taxi driver is at work imagine he said that he has heard that all the women it that area are easy and are quick to spread their legs. Is that sexist?

Dawndonnaagain · 31/12/2014 11:23

That makes it neither right nor acceptable, Sunny.

Greysanderson · 31/12/2014 11:23

Target of*

SunnyBaudelaire · 31/12/2014 11:24

oh I do agree with you dawndonna, if I were you I would be kicking ass at that school your daughter attends, as I am sure you are.

Greysanderson · 31/12/2014 11:25

And he won't get fired for this one thing unless he has had repeated disciplinary problems already in which case he has no one to blame but himself.

adsy · 31/12/2014 11:31

dawn I'm confused about what your dd has to do with this cabbie? You seem to have gone off on a tangent

LadyLuck10 · 31/12/2014 11:34

I too am confused what your daughter has to do with this dawn.

partialderivative · 31/12/2014 11:34

Who would you report this to?

Are you then letting them to judge whether this was racist, and how to deal with it?

I think you made your point by stopping the taxi and getting out. And it was a point well made

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 31/12/2014 12:01

Yes it was an uneducated remark but I don't think h deserves to lose his job and for his children to go hungry because of it and as Nancy said. He loses his job. He knows where you live. Like her I am not trying to scare you but you really don't know what people are capable of.

53Dragon · 31/12/2014 12:08

Good grief, people - he's not going to lose his job! It's right to report it. I use a local taxi firm a lot and they do a weekly email newsletter to all their drivers and would just highlight that this sort of remark is unacceptable.

I had to pull them up recently because one of their drivers told one of our customers that he didn't like dogs in the car - it was a guide dog so the driver was obliged to accept the job but made it clear that he wasn't happy.

It's a cultural thing - many of the drivers are Muslims who regard dogs as unclean but they know that they have a legal obligation to take guide dogs. I still thought it was unacceptable that this particular driver made the comment so I reported it.

Bulbasaur · 31/12/2014 12:23

I have had a cab driver intimidate me and my friend into a tip by locking us in the car (and they sawed off the locks so you couldn't pull them up) and demanding to know how much we tipped him. I reported him the next day. He knew where I lived too. Nothing happened to me, never heard from him again. No need to be paranoid.

Yes, this cabbie is racist. If he loses his job, too fucking bad. That's not your fault, that's his for making inappropriate remarks to customers. You don't decide if he loses his job, the company does. If he cared about his job in the first place he'd have acted professional.

Education helps get rid of racist attitudes, but so does stamping out comments and letting people know that it isn't ok. All the educating in the world would mean nothing if there wasn't the equality act to back it up and enforce it. I really could care less how "educated" someone is on black people, I don't want to hear their bullshit.

The attitudes and ignorance on this thread are appalling.

oh racism racism how many time I have I heard that word bandied about in order to shut down any kind of rational debate.

I didn't realize a cab driver making a rude remark was a rational debate. Hmm

What rational debates has the "racism" stamped out?

Is there a logical debate on how black people are monkeys? That's scientifically impossible.
Is there some sort of CDC data that the ebola is actually affecting Britain? I would think the Daily Mail would be on that like a fly on shit.
Is there any medical data to suggest that a person with different skin color is actually inferior? I haven't seen any, please link.

I'm confused. What debates is the "racism" debate stamping out?