Teh One Who Knocks
04-29-2016, 12:39 PM
Harry Readhead for Metro.co.uk
http://i.imgur.com/3j9Kloa.jpg
Taxi firm Uber has apologised to a blind student after one of its drivers refused to let a guide dog into his car because it was ‘against his religion’.
Charles Bloch, 22, used the app to call a cab to take him and two-year-old labrador Carlo to the park.
When he called the driver to let him know that he would bring his guide dog, the driver refused the fare because the dog was an ‘unclean animal’ that might ‘try to lick him.’
Charles, who has been blind since birth, told the driver that it was illegal to refuse a lift to a blind passenger with a guide dog. The driver responded: ‘Are you threatening me?’ and hung up.
‘He didn’t say exactly what religion he was but that his beliefs said that dogs were unclean animals,’ Charles, who studies at De Montford, said.
‘He asked if my dog would lick him because guide dogs have to sit in the front passenger seat. It was a very bizarre thing to say.
‘It was quite intimidating. It was my first time using Uber but this experience has put me off using them for life.’
An Uber spokesman extended the firm’s ‘sincere apologies’ to Charles.
‘It is not acceptable to refuse guide dogs,’ he said.
‘While the licensed drivers who use our app are self-employed, we remind them of their legal obligation to take service animals before they can start driving.’
http://i.imgur.com/3j9Kloa.jpg
Taxi firm Uber has apologised to a blind student after one of its drivers refused to let a guide dog into his car because it was ‘against his religion’.
Charles Bloch, 22, used the app to call a cab to take him and two-year-old labrador Carlo to the park.
When he called the driver to let him know that he would bring his guide dog, the driver refused the fare because the dog was an ‘unclean animal’ that might ‘try to lick him.’
Charles, who has been blind since birth, told the driver that it was illegal to refuse a lift to a blind passenger with a guide dog. The driver responded: ‘Are you threatening me?’ and hung up.
‘He didn’t say exactly what religion he was but that his beliefs said that dogs were unclean animals,’ Charles, who studies at De Montford, said.
‘He asked if my dog would lick him because guide dogs have to sit in the front passenger seat. It was a very bizarre thing to say.
‘It was quite intimidating. It was my first time using Uber but this experience has put me off using them for life.’
An Uber spokesman extended the firm’s ‘sincere apologies’ to Charles.
‘It is not acceptable to refuse guide dogs,’ he said.
‘While the licensed drivers who use our app are self-employed, we remind them of their legal obligation to take service animals before they can start driving.’