A video filmed by an Uber passenger in Chicago appears to show the driver receiving oral sex from a woman. Uber confirmed that it is investigating the situation.
The passenger, Aner Manuel, posted a video of the July 16 incident on Uber’s Facebook page to lodge a complaint about what he called “the most dangerous and inappropriate Uber ride ever.”
Manuel, who was visiting Chicago from Boston, claims that when the car approached him, he was confused as to why there was another passenger in the front seat. He hadn’t ordered an UberPool (an option for Uber passengers to carpool to their various destinations). Assuming it was a friend or family member of the driver, he got into the car.
That’s when he said things took a turn.
“She then began to grope him and grab him. They began to kiss and she began loosening his belt. As we got further and further from my pick up location I had no idea where I was, so I had to stay in the car,” he wrote. “She then proceeded to perform oral sex.”
Manuel added that he asked for the driver to stop and was dropped off once the alleged oral sex began, despite being in an unfamiliar city.
“This was my last straw,” he said.
In an interview with Esquire, Manuel said the driver apologized to him a couple times throughout the trip and said he hoped he would leave him a good star rating.
In an emailed response to Global News, Uber said Manuel contacted the company through their in-app support. The company said they refunded Manuel for the ride (Manuel said he received a $10 credit) and initiated an investigation.
Uber said they “immediately removed this driver’s access from the app to look further into this.”
Manuel claims four days passed without any further communication from Uber, so he took to social media to get their attention again.
Under the video posted to the company’s Facebook page, an Uber representative commented that Manuel’s complaint was being escalated, to which Manuel responded with a screenshot of a message from Uber confirming that the driver was being permanently banned from the platform.
Global News asked Uber what compensation was offered to Manuel, aside from the refund. They did not answer that specific question, but provided this statement:
“The behaviour of this former driver is appalling and is not tolerated on the Uber app. As soon as this situation was reported to us, we immediately removed this driver’s access.”
This video is the latest in a string of controversies for Uber that have played out publicly. The company’s chief executive, Travis Kalanick, stepped down after allegations of sexual harassment within the company. Uber is also embroiled in lawsuit over allegedly stolen trade secrets linked to its $680-million purchase of self-driving trucking startup OttoMotto last year.
— With a file from Reuters
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