A woman takes legal action against a taxi company after the driver canceled, claiming she was unable to fit in the car.
A woman in Michigan is suing Lyft after a driver refused to transport her, claiming she was “too big” to fit into his car.
The incident occurred earlier this month, and the woman, rapper Dajua Blanding, also known as Dank Demoss, recorded the confrontation.
Incident overview and social media reaction
In the video, the driver informs Blanding that he doesn’t believe she will fit into the back of his Mercedes Benz sedan. He tells her, “I got no space at all, my car is small.” Blanding insists she can fit, but the driver maintains his stance, saying, “No believe me you can’t, so… I’m sorry.”
When Blanding asks about the refund, the driver explains he will cancel the ride to process it. She then asks if the cancellation is due to her size, and the driver responds, “Yeah, you need to order a bigger car.”
“What I got to do with your tires?” Blanding responds.
In a social media post, Blanding expresses her frustration, stating, “I JUST FEEL LIKE YALL TREAT BIG PPLE LIKE S**T LIKE WE DONT BELONG HERE.” She tagged Lyft, calling out the driver for discrimination.
legal action and the basis for the lawsuit
Blanding has decided to take legal action against Lyft, hiring two attorneys to help her sue for discrimination.
Michigan, where she resides, has a law that prohibits weight discrimination. Blanding shared that she had been in smaller cars before, but the experience still hurt her feelings.
Jonathan Marko, one of her lawyers, compared the incident to racial or religious discrimination. “It would be no different than a driver pulling up and saying, ‘I don’t want to have Black people in my car or I don’t want to have Christians in my car,'” he said.
Lyft’s response to the incident
Lyft responded to the allegations, condemning all forms of discrimination.
A company spokesperson stated, “We believe in a community where everyone is treated with equal respect and mutual kindness.”
They also emphasized that their terms of service explicitly prohibit harassment and discrimination.
In conclusion, the case highlights concerns over discrimination based on body size and the potential legal implications for taxi companies and ride-sharing services.