To think this is a weird comment

[Millefilles]

Dp and I were getting into an Uber with a native English speaking taxi driver and we chatted with him throughout the journey.

At the end DP said how it was unusual to have a white Uber driver and also that it was nice to be able to chat with someone who spoke English fluently, as sometimes when he takes Uber, that isn’t the case.

I called him up on the comment and said I wasn’t really sure how to interpret it and he insisted he meant that the guy had been nice and it was good to have a conversation for once.

aibu to think that’s a bit off? I regularly have conversations with Uber drivers who don’t have. A perfect command of the English language. Or even if they do, aren’t white… and still speak it perfectly because they’re british… not really sure how to take it but feel a bit 🫤

He actually said it to the driver ? 😳 how crass.

How embarrassing of him

No, to me only

He didn’t say any of this to the driver, said to quietly to me when we got home. Just wondering if this is an opinion other people share because I feel like I don’t…

Oh he only said it to you? I don't see what's wrong with that. Your post reads as though he said it to the driver.

Actually I do see the issue with the white comment, but I don't see him sharing with you that he was able to have a conversation when normally he might struggle a lot more with other drives. The white comment is obviously ridiculous, but the language barrier comment is fine to say to your wife surely?

I'd find this a really weird comment and I'd be feeling very odd about it if my partner said something like that.

Most of my Uber drivers have not been white, not something I have ever considered noteworthy until I've sat and thought about it now. I have been able to communicate perfectly well with every single one.

I would now be wondering whether your partner is the kind of idiot who just assumes anyone non-white can't speak English well or if he just can't be arsed to try and talk to someone if he hears an accent.

We live in a very multicultural city so I guess it is unusual if an Uber driver is white where we are. I wouldn’t think to comment on it though.

similarly also many of the non white drivers don’t have a great grasp of English. I’ve had this experience too but wouldn’t think to comment on it. Just feel a bit weird about it

I would point out how it sounds but wouldn't over think it

He was just telling you something he noticed. That's literally all it was.

He noticed he hasn't had a white driver before or been able to have a conversationin an uber... it's not racist to notice a difference.

It's not off.....it's just how he felt

Say your husband had a v posh English accent and all the uber drivers normally had strong Birmingham/belfast/glaswegian/Welsh or whatever accent.....and the new uber driver happened to have an accent where your husband understood it v easily.I can see why he might feel it was a bit easier to chat

I think YABU

'Nice' for him to not have to engage with somebody not English/brown?

Yeah, that's him being racist. Not surprised you feel uncomfortable with it. And not surprised there are posts saying it's OK for him to be racist when it's just to another white person (you).

It just reads like a comment on something factual he observed if it is actually true.

YANBU he's shown a glimpse of his true thoughts there.

Seems ok as an observation given the context, though I can't see why you questioned it.

Compare it with my neighbour's recommendation of a cab company because 'it's all white drivers'. That definitely wasn't ok!