Taxi Driver Online

Uber forced to apologise to blind student after driver refused to let his guide dog in car because it was against his RELIGION

Charles Bloch, 22, wanted a cab to take his Labrador to a park in Leicester

Once booked, he called driver to tell him his guide dog would be coming

However the man refused to pick the dog up, calling it an 'unclean animal'

Law makes it illegal to refuse a lift to a blind passenger with a guide dog

Uber has been forced to apologise to a blind student after one of its drivers refused to let a guide dog in his car - saying it was against his religion.

Social media student Charles Bloch, 22, used the taxi firm's smart phone app to call a cab to take himself and two-year-old Labrador Carlo to the park.

Once booked, he called the driver to let him know he would be bringing his guide dog but the man refused to take them saying it was an 'unclean animal' and might 'try to lick him'.

When Charles told him it was illegal to refuse a lift to blind passenger with a guide dog, the driver became hostile and asked: 'Are you threatening me?' before hanging up.

Social media student Charles Bloch, 22, was told by a driver that his guide dog Carlo, pictured, would not be allowed in his car as the dog was an 'unclean animal' and might 'try to lick him'

Charles - who has been blind with cataracts since birth - complained to the company and the driver called back and offered to give them a lift free of charge.

The offer was refused and Charles booked another taxi.

De Montford University student Charles - who lives in Leicester city centre - said: 'He didn't say exactly what religion he was but that his beliefs said that dogs were unclean animals.

'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.

'I told him no because Carlo is so well-tempered. I told him it was against the law not to carry a guide dog and that the only reason he could refuse was if he was allergic to dogs.

'But he was quite abrupt and asked if I was threatening him.

'I felt disheartened and quite let down. It was a shocking moment.

'It was quite intimidating. It was my first time using Uber but this experience has put me off using them for life.'

In March 2003, the Disability Discrimination Act was extended to make it illegal for minicab drivers to refuse to carry guide dogs for blind passengers.

Charles used the taxi firm's smart phone app to call a cab to take himself and two-year-old Labrador Carlo to the park

An Uber spokesman said: 'We would like to again extend our sincere apologies to Mr Bloch.

'It is not acceptable to refuse guide dogs.

'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.

'Any Uber partner-driver who doesn't accept service animals not only risks having their Uber partnership revoked but also risks having their private hire licence taken away.'

Last week blind Jade Sharpe 23, from Roehampton, London, took Uber to court for a fifth time for allegedly refusing to give lifts to her and guide dog Brodie.

She claims Uber drivers have turned them down nine times since March last year and her evidence has led to the conviction of four of its cabbies for breaching equality laws.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z476fliCO9

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

This company are really attracting quality drivers

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Uber again state the drivers are self employed,under the present law this cannot be correct unless the driver holds a private hire operators license in his own right,and if the spineless Council licensing Officers applied the law they would be taken all these drivers to court for plying for hire,accepting a booking for a private hire vehicle when they do not have a private hire operators license,

After thought.

Why has UBER not appeared in court as even under the Deregulation Act in subcontracting a booking the original operator is held responsible for fulfilment of the booking.

They always come the innocent victim and do not accept the responsibilities of Licensed Private Hire Operator.

Based on that understanding, all private hire drivers acepting work through any base can't be self employed.

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Grandad,

They're attracting the wrong drivers.

because the right drivers know they are going to get screwbered by poober

Grandad,as a private hire operator you are licensed to accept a booking and provide a suitably licensed private hire vehicle or engage (Deregulation Act) another licensed private hire operator through sub-contracting to fulfil that booking.

But at all times the private hire operator who invited and took a booking to provide a private hire vehicle is responsible for any actions taken in fulfilling that booking,this does not appear to be so in the case of UBER,the so called booking goes direct to a person who is,it would appear to be an unlicensed operator as that person can refuse to accept that call for the provision of a vehicle.Could this be the reason why UBER does not accept any of the responsibilities that every other operator does.

That is the reason why I am inclined to come to the conclusion that every driver of a vehicle on the UBER system should be the holder of a PRIVATE HIRE OPERATORS LICENSE.

I was asking about the self employment. Not the legalities of accepting a booking.

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Grandad,

That'll do for a start

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Not sure I agree with that assertion.

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IDFIMH

This was on LBC radio the other night & a Muslim taxi driver called in, if a Muslim gets touched by a dog/gets licked by a dog & he needs to pray, he would have to go home , get showered /change of clothes, (they need to be clean of mind/&body to pray) i think they should be exempt on religious grounds ( & i would instantly convert to Muslim) , they believe that a dogs mouth is dirtier than a whole pig

I think that if the can't do the whole job properly then they should get another job.

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Grandad,

people have rights you know, if you like it or not

I'd sooner get licked by a dog than from a human being at times. They don't like dogs plain and simple but they use them for a status symbol in Bradford. Hypocrites much.