Lucy Thomas and her girlfriend were hoping for a quiet end to their evening when they jumped in an Uber in the inner Melbourne suburb of Collingwood on Saturday night, instead they copped an offensive rant from their driver.
The same-sex couple had finished up dinner with friends on Smith St when they hailed the car.
What began with small talk about their plans to watch the footy the next day quickly turned sour when the driver said “he hated football because it was a bunch of ‘faggots’ jumping around and touching each other,” before diverging into a “cheerful” rant on the subject.
“I said ‘I understand the spirit of what you just said but the word faggot is deeply offensive to me, to people I know and to my generation’,” Lucy, a writer and co-founder of anti-bullying organisation Project Rockit, told Mamamia.
She said the driver wasn’t swayed by her comment, however, and proceeded to spout several more examples of derogatory words he didn’t have any qualms in using.
“He then asked us,’why are you worried, are you gay?'”
Lucy told him it was “irrelevant” but her girlfriend, Chelsea, confirmed they were a couple.
Lucy and Chelsea at Sydney Mardi Gras. Source: Twitter
"The mood of the conversation shifted," Lucy said. "He obviously hadn't realised we were same-sex attracted because we don’t look the part."
She said he suddenly became "very threatening and aggressive," which is when she pulled out her phone and hit the 'record' button.
Listen to the full clip here:
After asking him to justify his use of offensive terms like 'faggot', he responded he could say say anything he liked and was prepared to "suffer the consequences".
"What are you going to give me a one rating and make a complaint? And when I write my report about two faggots who don't like being called faggots then what are they gonna say?"
"Get out of the car … if you don’t I will get out and drag you out," he said.
Lucy and Chelsea. Source: Supplied
As soon as they were safely inside their apartment Lucy called Uber to make a report, she also called the police.
She's since found out that man has been fired.
"I think we live in a time when there are very few words that are offensive people ... but there still remains word which are," she said.
"The use of those words is really damaging for people who aren’t part of whatever in joke it is that makes them ‘okay’. It’s really violent language for people who aren't part of a group. It’s not okay and it’s not necessary."
Top Comments
This is what I like about uber - there is some accountability and opportunity for follow-up. I have been in taxis before and been verbally abused by drivers (for various things, like working at a bank or living too close to the airport)
In those situations although I would have recorded the number plate or taxi number my brain has always frozen in the moment as I am trying to work out how to get safely out of the cab. At least with uber you know exactly who has driven you and follow-up once the ride is over
The driver used the word faggot, so the two women feel they have the right to get him sacked? The women sound as if they were out to antagonize the driver who may himself have felt threatened when they dragged out their phone.
Did you listen to the audio? The word was used with such revulsion and derision it could not be taken any other way than abusive. And then to threaten violence?
I can't help but think he thought the girls were "a bit of alright" and his reaction was mixed with anger that they were off the menu (so to speak)
He behaved deplorably and I am glad he had to "suffer the consequences". Not on.
Its a scary world we live in.