AIBU to be shocked at this taxi driver's attitude?

[harrypotternerd]

I live in Australia and I caught a taxi to take my kids to school this morning because I have had issues with my back recently. I also caught a taxi home.
The taxi driver I had on my way home completely shocked me. He started with the small talk which was all good and then he started complaining his wife had started work now that his kids were adults. He went on a huge rant about how women should be at home and do all the housework and cooking and looking after kids etc and told me because his wife now worked he doesn't have a hot meal when he gets home. I was too shocked to speak.

He then went on to say that women should not dress nicely while out and to keep it for when their husbands get home and the woman should have a freshly baked cake or cookies etc and a hot coffee waiting for her husband.

Then he told me about a passenger he had yesterday, a young woman with children and he said she was a single mum and one of her children were crying and he said 'that was because there is no man around' and that single mothers are only single 'because they don't know how to keep a man happy'.

He asked me if my fiance did anything around the house and I said he cooked on weekends and he helped with some of the housework and he told me that I was selfish and unfair on him because he shouldn't have to 'work two jobs'.
He became quite aggressive at times and I felt too intimidated and shocked to say anything.

AIBU to be so shocked at his attitude?

YADNBU. What a twerp.
He needs to try entering the 21st century. God help his poor wife.

He sounds worrying to be honest. Almost like he is a complete women hater.

I made a complaint to the taxi company, I can just imagine how a woman who may have just left an abusive relationship or a woman who's husband had just died would feel hearing that. I wish I had said something but I was just so shocked that I didn't know what to say.

Nope. He sounds like a bloke that I would describe as outdated, misinformed, ignorant misogynistic waste of organs.

Now get back in the kitchen, put a ribbon in your hair and make your poor husband a cake.

Op I would use another taxi company next time you need a taxi, if they have reprimand him about his behaviour or at least told him about the complaint then he will know that it was you that complained..the last thing you want and need is to be in a car with him again

His viewpoint is obviously controversial, but certainly not out of the ordinary in some conservative, religious communities. Within that context, I can see what he's saying with regards to having freshly prepared food and drink waiting for your husband and making sure housework is completed etc.

Whether he should be sharing these kind of extreme views with passengers is another question, though.

Jeez- what a knob-hope you didn't give him a tip!

Nope no tip, it was a shame because the last taxi I caught the man was so nice and I gave him a huge tip just because of the way he acted. This guy, I paid and got out of the car asap.

AIBU to be so shocked at his attitude

No one is going to suggest that YABU, OP. Glad you reported him.

Out of interest, OP, was he a little short guy, almost bald, with glasses? Caucasian? (I once knew someone exactly like this who ended up in court for similar things - he also drove taxis.)

well I heard back from the company and the woman said she was appalled but while she couldnt say much they had other complaints of the same nature about this guy and will be taking him off the road asap to talk to him as she said during their training taxi drivers are told what is and is not appropriate to talk about.

I'd use another taxi firm next time, what a complete moron, also really un-professional. A bit off point because this guy, although an idiot... I'm pretty sure isn't as bad as this, but I got put off taxi's when a friend/neighbour of mine who had his own taxi firm, found out someone he had employed for years, was a murderer (which according to the man was self defence) and a rapist (which he can't defend at all, and it was especially horrific)

They don't need full CRB checks (at least they didn't then.. which was 2007, I don't know if this has changed at all) He was a too laid back about who he employed though, he obviously didn't check much, probaby not at all, because surely without much delving, this would flag up straight away.

I'm hoping things have changed since, and that employing taxi drivers requires a CRB check before it is legal to employ them, because you can't have other careers working with people without proper checks. I do realise that small businesses are hard to keep track of, especially if some smaller businesses do things 'off the books' so to speak. Unless there are bad reviews people won't know about who is driving them, and I just keep thinking of girls that have been drinking and they get in a cab with someone like that creep. Driving instructors need CRB checks so why don't taxi drivers?

Sorry way over kill compared to the the taxi driver in the OP but it does get to me. I'd had this guy in my house, as my husband briefly worked for the company, so knew him (well thought he did).

I'd advise people not to go with smaller firms if CRB checks are still not needed. Larger firms I think (hope) would be more likely to check who they employ.