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

[treesntrees]

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.

nobody has mentioned 'black people being monkeys' other than you Bulbasaur, have they? How odd.

People like you are the reason racism still exists
No, dawn it is because of people like you that racism still exists. Your constant preaching to the converted, the sanctimonious, sneering, patonising attitude you and your type take with anybody who dares to take a slightly different viewpoint to yourself. People like you - serously love, you do the anti-racism cause no favous whatsoever.

People like you are the reason racism still exists
No, dawn it is because of people like you that racism still exists. Your constant preaching to the converted, the sanctimonious, sneering, patonising attitude you and your type take with anybody who dares to take a slightly different viewpoint to yourself. People like you - serously love, you do the anti-racism cause no favous whatsoever.
Bless you sweetie, you won my argument for me. Thank you!

nobody has mentioned 'black people being monkeys' other than you Bulbasaur, have they? How odd.

I think it's quite clear that I'm bringing up racist comments that have been commonly said to ask where the rational debate part is. Not that I expect intelligence from a racist, but reading comprehension is understanding what you read as a whole.

You never answered my question. How odd.

Although it's not odd, because we both know that calling a racist comment racist doesn't shut down discussion. It stops people from making racist remarks.

My DH had a cab driver the other day who referred to Southall as Narnia (as in naan). DH asked if he had other such names for parts of London and it seems there's a culture of nicknames.

Harrods is referred to as the Souq since being owned by an Egyptian and now by the Qataris. There's an area of Knightsbridge known as Garlic Grove because so many French live there. There's Marxist Mile which the Russians are buying up. There's also a Barmitzvah Boulevard in St John's Wood. etc etc.

Apparently it all started years ago when the Australians "colonised" Earls Court and it became known as Kangaroo Valley.

Now Ebola Central is particularly unfunny but I'd be interested in views on the other nicknames. Xenophobic? Racist? Mildly ironic?

lol bulbs, YOU start going on about 'black people being monkeys' and then fling around the killer insult 'racist' to other people.
You actually couldn't make it up

lol bulbs, YOU start going on about 'black people being monkeys' and then fling around the killer insult 'racist' to other people.

You're avoiding the question.

What debates has the "racism" label been stamping out?

Oh yes, there's also a block of flats nicknamed Tossers Towers. Because so many MPs have their London homes there. So, it's not just foreigners.

Grovel I think the difference is he is basically saying black people are diseased.

bulbasaur I disagreed with someone and immediately you called me a 'racist' and suggested that I have impaired intellectual powers.
I guess that is pretty much shutting down debate really. And to be honest it sounds like YOU have the problem and are shouting really loudly to cover that up.

SunnyBaudelaire When you condone racism by dismissing a racist remark as a "stupid remark", I'm not sure what other conclusion you expect me to draw?

I am not shouting. I simply asked you to answer a question. Which you still haven't done.

What debate were you trying to have? You keep talking about this apparent debate, but you still haven't told me what the debate you're even trying to have.

Racism is rarely taken seriously, I doubt he will lose his job. Even when its proven hardly anything happens FA, Metropolitan police etc.

preaching to the converted

That's laughable from someone who dismisses racism as banter. And if you want to look at "patronising" simontowers2 look no further than your tone to Dawndonnaagain

For the likes of the taxi driver out there...

I would report. I didn't report the minicab driver who made stupid comments about 'Poles taking jobs' and 'all those people coming from Eastern Europe'. Guess where I'm from? I didn't say anything and I'm still angry at myself about it.

No, dawn it is because of people like you that racism still exists. Your constant preaching to the converted, the sanctimonious, sneering, patonising attitude you and your type take with anybody who dares to take a slightly different viewpoint to yourself. People like you - serously love, you do the anti-racism cause no favous whatsoever

So according to this logic, simontowers2, some people are racist because they don't like the preaching of anti-racists. Well, I suppose for a racist any excuse is handy.

And if the taxi-driver loses his job, another person will get a job, another person's children will get to eat, as someone so emotively put it.

I think previous poster apocalypse then was misunderstood earlier.

I think they were asking people who said the remark wasn't racist / get a life etc to engage in a reasoned debate about why the remark wasn't racist and why it was over the top to complain. And I think they were saying this because the argument that the 'it's not racist / get a life' perspective people have put on this thread is not very rational.

Apologies if I have that wrong, Apocalypse.

I've seen several analyses of why the remark was racist, but none which explain why it wasn't.

I've seen and indeed made the point on this thread that by reporting the incident, the driver will be appropriately held accountable for his remark, which at the very least was completely unprofessional. Why is a taxi driver allowed to deliver rubbish service which makes customers feel uncomfortable/ is racist just by virtue of being a taxi driver?

And for those people saying he will lose his job and it will be the complainants fault. What rubbish. He alone is responsible for what he says and if he doesn't want to be complained about he should keep his inappropriate comments to himself.

And he will only lose job if his unacceptable conduct is part of a trend in his behaviour.

I've had a call from the cab company today and they said they will talk to him. It doesn't sound as if he will be sacked but maybe he will engage his brain in future before he opens his mouth.

teapuddles it is a minicab does that matter.

I've had a call from the cab company today and they said they will talk to him. It doesn't sound as if he will be sacked but maybe he will engage his brain in future before he opens his mouth

I'm glad you reported it and the cab company say they will address it with him.

Well done OP.

They will not address it I bet they are having a chuckle about you.

You need to move on and not let what others say bother you so much.

I doubt they'll speak to him either but you've done your bit now.

Well done op

Well you've got it off your chest I suppose.