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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

"Sharia taxi driver told me i was disgustingly dressed" says actress.

435 replies

HelenaDove · 24/11/2015 00:56

It apparently happened after an awards ceremony.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3331164/Sharia-taxi-driver-told-disgustingly-dressed-BBC-star-Frances-Barber-tells-accosted-Uber-employee-showbusiness-awards-ceremony.html

OP posts:
HelenaDove · 24/11/2015 00:57

Sorry if the title of the thread is wrongly worded. I didnt know how to phrase it tbh.

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Booyaka · 24/11/2015 01:14

I'm not really surprised. Almost all of the Rotherham sex abuse was based around taxi firms and it's common knowledge round here that taxis are not really safe for women to use, especially after a night out when you've had a drink. I've had a few nasty experiences and won't stay out unless I can get home on public transport. I'm talking drivers very aggressively trying to hit on me then getting really abusive when turned down. Being called a slut and a whore and a tramp who automatically should be up for it if I was out alone in a short skirt after having a drink. It was open common knowledge for years that taxis were dangerous for women because of the attitudes some people operating them had, but it was ignored for decades in the name of political correctness.

I think it has a lot to do with taxis being part of the black economy and therefore having a high number of recent immigrants who haven't adjusted to different expectations of women's behaviour in this country.

HelenaDove · 24/11/2015 01:19

Booyaka im so sorry to hear that.

I once had one ask me about my sex life. Hmm

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NoArmaniNoPunani · 24/11/2015 01:30

I'm a bit surprised she used uber instead of a proper black cab.

Bakeoffcake · 24/11/2015 01:33

Good for her for putting it on Twitter. The driver will hopefully be given some training and reminded that we are in 2015

NoArmaniNoPunani · 24/11/2015 01:34

Also I tried to find the story from somewhere less right wing than the DM but no other source seems to have it.

Bakeoffcake · 24/11/2015 01:35

She won't use UBer. He'd rather pay more and get a driver who knows where the heck they are going.

HelenaDove · 24/11/2015 01:36

I tried that too Armani before starting the thread.

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Bakeoffcake · 24/11/2015 01:36

Sorry that should be DH won't use Uber.

Baconyum · 24/11/2015 01:47

Sceptical only one 'source' has reported and anyone could have set up a twitter account claiming to be this lady. Plus what's a 'sharia' taxi driver?

HelenaDove · 24/11/2015 01:49

Ive been following Frances on Twitter for years but didnt notice this till it kept getting retweeted into my timeline tonight.

Why so skeptical about sexism?

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ShortcutButton · 24/11/2015 01:50

I. Not sure a taxi driver can be 'sharia'

It also seems unusual that a muslim (if that is what she means by 'sharia') would describe a long blavk dress with sleeves and a high neck line as 'disgusting', given that is what the burka is Confused

HelenaDove · 24/11/2015 01:52

I did put my thread title in inverted commas. Because it was a quote from the article.

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ShortcutButton · 24/11/2015 02:16

Yes, I realise that Helena

I also am sceptical of this 'article'

goddessofsmallthings · 24/11/2015 02:20

It can be hard to find a black cab around the Old Vic unless you walk up to Waterloo Station which, presumably, Ms Barber didn't want to do while dressed in her finery -and nor would I.

I use black cabs a lot, but I also have an account with a women only cab company as there are far too many 'illegals' of one kind or another in London's minicab trade.

ChipsandGuac · 24/11/2015 02:26

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ChipsandGuac · 24/11/2015 02:29

I love Uber though so may well be biased

BadlyBehavedShoppingTrolley · 24/11/2015 03:50

shortcut while I can well believe everything Booyake said, I can't help wondering is there was a misunderstanding here because of slight language difficulties. There's no way her outfit would be considered disgusting - it's actually very modest, although glamorous. Confused

I wonder if he meant it was inappropriate for the weather? In other words she didn't have a sufficient coat or something?

And perhaps she tweeted after a drink or two and didn't think it through properly, and used the word 'sharia' slightly wrongly due to being a bit er...'tired and emotional'?

On the other hand he could just be one of those revolting Muslim men who think they are entitled to berate all women just for leaving the fucking house. Who knows.

HirplesWithHaggis · 24/11/2015 04:06

Chips, having seen Ms Barber in action on Twitter in the past, you're probably right. Grin

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 24/11/2015 04:20

Do we not do "I believe you" for unpleasant experiences in sketchy taxis, then?

Or not for actresses? Or not for people who speak to the Daily Fail? Or people who use strangely un-PC terminology?

What's with maligning the victim and inventing a whole fictional scenario?

Tram10 · 24/11/2015 04:24

I would imagine Uber would be a bit easier to track who the driver was. A random black cab or taxi picked up on the street would not be as easy.

I also have never heard of a 'Sharia' taxi driver, and her clothes are quite modest, so I have my doubts about the accuracy of that report.

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 24/11/2015 04:25

Or is it just that we believe victims of sexual abuse and intimidation unless there is something politically inconvenient about the apparent ethnicity/religion/culture (or status/wealth/connections) of the perpetrator?

So much for Rotherham. So much for 100 years plus of feminist campaigning.

StrawberryTeaLeaf · 24/11/2015 04:28

I would imagine Uber would be a bit easier to track who the driver was. A random black cab or taxi picked up on the street would not be as easy.

Hackney Carriage Office black cabs are the easiest to track down, safest taxis anywhere, with a near-spotless safety record. You don't even need to scribble down the number any more (which is displayed inside and out) you just whip your camera phone out.

ShortcutButton · 24/11/2015 06:12

strawberry I did pause in my thinking and before posting; I am a supporter of 'we believe you'. I have been raped and sexually assualted

badly; she hasn't used 'sharia' *slightly wrongly. She has used it in an utterly nonsensucal way. She has just grabbed a muslmlim-associated woord out of her head, hasnt she

I've never heard of her; I think I doubt the report, rather than her. It sounds just totally made up. By a 10 year old

BrendaandEddie · 24/11/2015 06:17

The urban poncery about "uber" gets my goat. They are still just mini cabs

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