At least one of three women has been banned from ride share apps Lyft and Uber after a video of her coughing and hitting a driver went viral. The incident took place Sunday (March 7) in San Francisco, California and was captured on the driver’s dashboard camera.
“F--k the masks!” one of the women can be heard yelling in a clip of the video. The rider who has since been banned can be seen snatching ride share driver Subkahar Khadka’s cell phone and tearing off his face mask.
According to a report by KPIX 5, Khadka initially refused the passengers a ride because they weren’t wearing masks. The outlet reported the woman seated directly behind Khadka may have pepper sprayed him during the incident as well.
Warning: Video Contains Explicit Language
After the video went viral, the woman who assaulted Khadka took to social media with a threat to sue Uber for banning her. In her own video, she states, “That’s why I take Lyft.” But the other ride share app banned her, too.
“Although this incident did not involve the Lyft platform, the unacceptable treatment of the driver in this video compelled us to permanently remove the rider from the Lyft community,” the company said in a statement on Twitter, before reiterating the purpose of its safety guidelines. “Driving in a pandemic is not easy. Please wear a mask, respect one another, and be a good person.”
Warning: Video Contains Explicit Language
Since the incident, Khadka told the CBS affiliate he received $120 from Uber to have his car cleaned, but says the amount isn’t enough. He also said he believes he was assaulted because he is a South Asian immigrant. “If I was another complexion, I would have not gotten that treatment from them,” Khadka stated. “The moment I opened my mouth to speak, they realized I’m among one of them, so it’s easy for them to intimidate me.”
Cyan Banister, one of the original investors in Uber, launched a GoFundMe page on Khadka’s behalf. Banister is “appalled by the fact that Uber hasn’t done the right thing,” according to the campaign page. So far, the fundraiser has brought in more than $35,000 to help support Khadka with living expenses.
An investigation by the San Francisco Police Department is underway, but no charges have been filed.
Photo Credit: Getty Images