We have covered our share of Uber & Lyft stories over the past year – even those about service animals, including many drivers who just refuse to service a passenger with one, despite federal regulations and Uber/Lyft policy that requires it. We have covered drivers which flat out refused service, those that said service animals should have to ride in their trunks – but never before had we seen an Uber driver threaten violence toward a service animal – UNTIL NOW.
Meet Caleb Rappaport, an Uber driver in Nashville. After last night’s NewsChannel5 story aired about a blind man who was refused service by Rolanda Douglas, a local Uber driver – Rappaport and others took to Facebook and other social media platforms to express their disgust over this law that requires them to accommodate service animals when working for Lyft/Uber, or similar rideshare services.
Caleb Rappaport shared his solution to the problem: “Next time just run over the service animal before you pick up the rider that way this whole issue is moot”.
He continues to show his ignorance of the law:
Another driver, Robert Emery, disclosed how he avoids the ADA regulations that require him to accommodate the service animal – by simply hitting cancel as soon as you see the animal and pretending you could not find the passenger. Stating he’s done this to avoid the law, damage to his leather, and engaging the customer:
Another Driver, John Lucier says he won’t pick up dogs, but doesn’t reveal his method for bypassing the regulations and policy:
Lee Robertson, adds that “ain’t no dog getting in my car! I don’t give a shit if it’s God himself standing there in a thunderstorm. He aint getting in!”:
According to Uber, Rolanda Douglas is now an “ex-Uber driver” so others will not have to worry about her prejudice, and now she has to face the charges from the state.
Tennessee Code Annotated 62-7-112 makes it against the law to refuse service to a blind or physically disabled person who is being led or accompanied by a dog guide dog in any place of public accommodation. It’s a class C misdemeanor, which carries a penalty up to 11 months 29 days in jail, a fine up to $2,500, or both.
Our Previous Uber/Lyft coverage:
Nashville UBER Driver to Passenger: “You have a small penis”
Rude Uber Nashville Driver Lisa Fields Stafford – Refuses to stop at Krystal’s for Rider!
Nashville Uber Driver: Dino Formosa (& his 8 Pages of Criminal Charges!)
https://www.scoopnashville.com/tags/uber/
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