A Calgary mother is raising concerns after she was recently confronted by an Uber driver who attacked her family’s ethnicity and now she’s sharing video of the incident.
Sabrina Rodrigues says she was picking her son up from daycare on June 13 with the help of the ride sharing service Uber.
She says she was verbally attacked by the driver after she returned to the car with her three-year-old son at her side.
“I get into the car with my son and instantly he points to his seat and he says you shouldn’t put him there. It’s dirty. He left a mark on my seat.’” said Rodrigues.
In the two-minute recording, the driver can be seen screaming at Rodrigues about her son, telling her that he doesn’t like kids and doesn’t allow them in the car. Rodrigues replied by telling the driver, “Then don’t drive Uber.”
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“He then makes an illegal U-turn, starts yelling at me saying ‘I don’t like to take kids in my car. I don’t like your kind, I don’t take your kind in my car. You are Indian, you are dirty,” claimed Rodrigues, before adding that the driver then kicked her and her son out of the car.
“He clearly hated the colour of my skin. He clearly hated me having a child. It was a busy street (and) I didn’t feel safe.”
Rodrigues, who lives in the downtown core, says she has been using Uber’s ride sharing services now for roughly eight years because of its convenience, but says she may now look to other services.
An Uber spokesperson issued a statement to Global News calling Rodrigues’ situation “deeply concerning” and confirming an investigation is underway.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe, welcome, and respected when using Uber. We are in contact with the rider and have removed the driver’s access to the app while we continue to look into this incident.”
The City of Calgary has also launched an investigation.
“Holding a City of Calgary livery license places drivers in a position of public trust, in a service industry where service is perceived by the public as being a safe alternative mode of transportation,” said a city spokesperson.
The city says, if the investigation determines there was any wrongdoing, the driver could face a license suspension or have their license revoked altogether.