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Blind Man Successfully Prosecutes Fifth Uber Driver After Filming Him Refusing To Allow His Guide Dog In The Car
02 March
Colin Perreira / SWNS
A blind man has successfully prosecuted a fifth cab driver for refusing to give a ride to his guide dog.
<p>Colin Perreira filmed his latest rejection on his smartphone as he ordered the Uber to pick him up at Watford Junction station last summer.<br></p><p>Driver Mohammed Hafiz Raja would not allow the highly trained guide dog into his car and drove off - after the partially-sighted 24-year-old warned he was breaking the law.</p>
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<p>In the video, Colin walked up to the blue BMW with his six-year-old guide dog named Sid, who helps him to cross roads and climb steps on trips out.<br></p><p><div id="action_button_container"></div></p><p><strong>As soon as the driver saw Colin, he said: </strong></p><blockquote><em>"I'm going to pass you to another driver. I ain't going to take your dog."</em></blockquote><p><strong>When Colin questioned the driver, he said:</strong> </p><blockquote><em>"It's my car mate."</em></blockquote><p><strong>Responding, Colin said:</strong> </p><blockquote><em>"It might be your car, but you sign up to a specific agreement with Uber. The law states you are not allowed to refuse a guide dog."</em></blockquote>
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Colin Perreira / SWNS
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<p>The driver insisted he has "the power to" refuse to take him and then drives off, leaving Colin and Sid standing on the pavement on June 27 last year without a ride to his father's house in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England.<br></p><p>Raja, of Watford, Hertfordshire, was convicted at Westminster Magistrates' Court on February 13.</p><p><div id="c7da91bc-8e44-492f-b7fd-c382c0e55bda"></div></p><p>He was ordered to pay more than £1700 (~$2,170) in costs and banned from offering rides on Uber.</p><p>This is the fifth time Colin has taken this type of case to court, and he has won every time.</p><p><div data-conversation-spotlight=""></div></p><p><strong>Commenting on the latest ordeal, he said:</strong> </p><blockquote><em>"What angered me most this time is the driver was so blatant in his refusal. Sometimes, drivers give medical or religious reasons."</em></blockquote><blockquote><em>"But this was the most blatant refusal I'd ever had. He didn't have a reason. I told him I'd report him and he said he didn't want a dog in his car."</em></blockquote><p>Colin explained that many Muslim drivers have refused to give a ride to his guide dog.</p>
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<p><strong>He said:</strong> <br></p><blockquote><em>"Most Uber drivers I come across are muslim drivers. Many Muslims seem to think dogs are unclean. It's against their religion."</em></blockquote><blockquote><em>"They don't seem to understand that UK law, under the Equality Act 2010 doesn't protect them from refusing rides on religious grounds."</em></blockquote><p><strong>He added: </strong></p><blockquote><em>"Other drivers have said they are allergic to dogs, but they must have a valid medical exemption certificate. One driver said he was going to pull over to show me his certificate, and then just drove off."</em></blockquote><p>Colin said the four previous prosecutions also involved Uber drivers, but has defended his continued use of the app, after he said he social media users had criticized him. </p><p><strong>He said:</strong> </p><blockquote><em>"It's convenient, cashless, and cheap. It makes my life much easier because I don't have to mess around with coins. Ubers are always around the corner."</em></blockquote><blockquote><em>"It normally takes about five minutes, compared to 30 minutes for a taxi. Why should I have to stop using the app, because of the way I am treated?"</em></blockquote><p>Colin, of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, said it is important to prosecute to defend disabled people.</p>
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<p><strong>He said:</strong> <br></p><blockquote><em>"I feel like I am standing up for the disabled people and guide dog owners. I want to show that we won't tolerate this behavior and that we will stand up to it."</em></blockquote><blockquote><em>"My message to drivers who refuse to take my guide dog is that I will not tolerate it. I will prosecute. I am not in the business of getting people to lose their jobs, I'm doing it to raise awareness. I have to stand up for members of the blind community."</em></blockquote><p>Colin, who said he has been refused more than 20 rides, said he is now used to being rejected, but is concerned about the emotional impact it can have on others.</p><p><strong>He said:</strong> </p><blockquote><em>"I don't take being refused a ride personally, although it does really anger me and confuse me that people don't seem to understand what a guide dog is."</em></blockquote><blockquote><em>"I take action because it can have a long-lasting impact if it happens to others. It could stop them from leaving the house."</em></blockquote><p>Colin added he was grateful for the action taken by Uber and Transport for London but said the ride-hailing company could be more "proactive" to prevent incidents like this instead of reacting to them when they happen.</p>
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<p><strong>A spokesman for Uber said: </strong><br></p><blockquote><em>"It is totally unacceptable for drivers to refuse to take a guide dog and we investigate every report."</em></blockquote><blockquote><em>"Any driver who is found to have refused to take a service animal will permanently lose access to the app."</em></blockquote>
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