A woman from Detroit has taken legal action against Lyft after claiming that a driver refused her a ride based on her body size, rudely suggesting she might ‘burst his tyres’. This incident has sparked widespread conversation and distress among many concerned individuals.
Dajua Blanding, who is well-known in Detroit’s music scene performing under her stage name Dank Demoss, has filed a lawsuit against both Lyft and the driver, identified only as “John Doe”, in Michigan’s Circuit Court for Wayne County.
The court papers reveal that Blanding had paid for a Lyft ride to visit her cousin’s place to catch a sports game. However, after she patiently waited for around 10 to 15 minutes, the driver arrived but soon displayed unexpected behavior. When Blanding approached the vehicle, the driver locked the doors and attempted to make a hasty departure.
As described in the legal complaint: “As Plaintiff walked towards the vehicle, Defendant John Doe locked the doors to his vehicle and attempted to drive away.” Blanding managed to capture the unsettling exchange on camera. In the footage, she can be heard asserting, “I can fit in this car.”
The driver, however, dismissed her assurance with, “Believe me, you can’t.” He insisted that she was “was too big to fit in the back seat” and went on to claim the “tires were not capable of supporting Plaintiff’s weight.”
Despite Blanding’s clarification that she didn’t need a larger car, the driver stubbornly persisted. He mentioned having experienced a “problem in the past” and insisted that “overweight individuals must order Lyft XLs”.
This troubling encounter led Blanding to sue, accusing Lyft and the driver of fostering a hostile environment and engaging in discriminatory treatment. Her lawyer, John Marko, emphatically stated to PEOPLE that, “Under the law, refusing someone transportation due to their weight is no different than refusing someone transportation based on their race or religion.”
Marko pointed out the potential dangers of such discrimination, insisting, “Discrimination of any kind should never be tolerated in our society.” He further highlighted the potential risks by stating: “Refusing someone transportation based on their weight is not only illegal, but dangerous. Imagine the consequences if Ms. Blanding were unable to seek shelter after the driver left her stranded. This could have ended even worse than it did.”
The incident has turned a spotlight on the broader issues of discrimination and prejudice that many individuals face in various aspects of life. The legal proceedings now underway could potentially set a precedent for how ride-sharing companies address such grievances.
As the case progresses in court, it serves as a stark reminder of the need for empathy, understanding, and equality in our daily interactions. It underscores the importance of inclusive policies and practices not just in ride-sharing services, but in all sectors, as we strive towards a more compassionate and fair society.
