Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Lesbian Couple Posts Video Of Uber Driver Who Kicked Them Out Of His Car For Kissing

Lesbian Couple Posts Video Of Uber Driver Who Kicked Them Out Of His Car For Kissing
(Eyewitness News ABCyNY/YouTube)

A New York City Uber driver witnessed what he thought was a deplorable act and kicked a lesbian couple out of his vehicle. They were caught sharing a tender moment sharing a quick smooch in the backseat.

At around 5 p.m., Emma Pichl, 24 and her girlfriend Alex Iovine, 26 called for the car service after leaving a birthday party at the Pig Beach bar in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

Little did they know their causal PDA in transit would get them nowhere fast.




Pichl told the New York Post about the kiss.

We got over the Manhattan Bridge into the city. We were sitting on opposite sides of the backseat. At one point we leaned over and pecked kiss, very fast.

It was enough for the offended driver to pull over and admonish the girls by telling them, "You should not do that … do not do that."

But when the driver opened the car doors, Pichl was taken aback. "I thought he was kidding and then Alex said, 'I don't think he is.'"

Iovine pulled out her smartphone and filmed the confrontation of the miffed driver who exclaimed kissing was "illegal."

He started yelling at us that we were disrespectful and inappropriate and that he wants us out of his car … we were going back and forth trying to understand.



Alex Iovine recounts the moment she and her girlfriend were kicked out of the car.

(Eyewitness News ABC7NY/YouTube)



As seen in the 62-second video, the driver proceeded to reprimand the couple:

Yeah it is illegal. You don't do that here in the car … you are not allowed to do this.





Unsure of how far this was going to escalate Iovine continued filming as one of the girls can be heard, yelling:

What are you f—king talking about? Are you sick in the head? Why are we not allowed to kiss in an Uber?

The driver countered:

You are not allowed … it's disrespectful … it's disrespectful. I don't want to argue with you. Just get off my car.



He kept saying "it's illegal" about the kiss.(Eyewitness News ABC7NY/YouTube)



Frustrated, Iovine wanted answers and reminded him they were not committing a crime.

I want to understand — what did we do wrong? Nothing is illegal. It is not illegal to kiss in New York.

Moments later, the irate driver grabbed her arm to shove Pichl away from the vehicle. Iovine was not having it.

Get off of her phone. Don't f—king touch her. I'm reporting you. I'm gonna get you fired.

By the end of the video, the driver sped off with their 22-dollar ride already charged to their account, leaving the couple out on the street before reaching their destination.



Pichl, senior recruiter for a recruiting company, said they were shocked over being victims of discrimination in a diverse city as Manhattan.

We were in shock. Definitely very shaken and upset. We always thought we lived in this untouchable New York City bubble where LGBTQ is so accepted. We never thought something like this would happen to us. It was a good lesson to show it can happen to you anywhere.

There were consequences. The driver was identified as Ahmad El Boutari, and he had his license suspended. The ride-share company refunded the $22 fare and the incident is currently under investigation.

An Uber spokesperson issued a statement on Monday after contacting the couple to offer an apology.

Uber does not tolerate any form of discrimination, and we have reached out to the rider regarding her experience. We are investigating and will take appropriate action.





The responses were mixed, with some saying the driver should have been respected.





Others were less forgiving of the driver.









H/T - YouTube, Twitter, DailyNews

More from News

Ryan Lochte competes in the Men's 200m individual medley final at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials.
Tom Pennington/Getty Images

People Are Doing a Double-Take After Olympic Swimmer Ryan Lochte Debuted His Virtually Unrecognizable New Look

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is making waves both in and out of the pool after unveiling a dramatically different appearance and announcing his new role at Missouri State University. The 12-time Olympic medalist’s latest chapter comes more than a year after Kayla Reid filed for divorce, with Lochte now stepping into life as an assistant swim coach.

Lochte explained why coaching has become his new passion in a May 10th Instagram post:

Keep ReadingShow less
Hayden Panettiere
On Purpose with Jay Shetty; Neutrogena

Hayden Panettiere Claims Neutrogena Fired Her After 10 Years For Speaking About Postpartum Depression—And Fans Are Appalled

Despite being in an industry that many people only dream of, Heroes and Bring It On star Hayden Panettiere hasn't had the best of luck.

With her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning coming out soon, Panettiere has been opening up about her experiences with discrimination and abuse, this time on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast, shedding light on one very popular skincare line.

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman signing a contract
Lourdes Balduque/Getty Images

Mom And Stepdad Go Viral After Forcing Adult Daughter To Sign Contract To Live At Home—And People Are Divided

In today's economy, it's becoming more common than ever before for adult children to continue to live with their parents after they graduate from high school, while they work their first job, or even while they go to college. Others, just as commonly, will return to their parents' home after going away for college or an internship.

Understanding the financial benefits, and sometimes necessity, of this, some parents use this arrangement to support their children while still trying to teach them something about life, like asking them to pay a little bit of rent, to cover a bill, or to help with groceries, and typically take on a few more responsibilities around the house.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @djyoyo's Instagram video
@djyoyo/Instagram

Mom Sparks Debate After Kicking Son's Girlfriend Out Of Riding In The Front Seat Of His Car In Viral Video

Most of us were taught when we were young that we need to respect our parents and elders in general.

The consensus is that, since they've lived much longer than us, they've learned more and contributed more to the community, so they deserve respect.

Keep ReadingShow less
Doug Bergum; Jared Huffman
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images; Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Dem Rep. Hilariously Trolls Trump Official For Having No Idea How Solar Power Works In Viral Clip

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum was trolled by California Democratic Representative Jared Huffman after he, testifying before the House Natural Resources Committee, seemed to think solar panels are unreliable because they don't work when the sun goes down.

The sun produces heat and light through solar, or electromagnetic, radiation. Solar energy technologies capture that radiation and convert it into usable power. The two primary forms of solar technology are photovoltaics (PV) and concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP).

Keep ReadingShow less