A plus-sized rapper is suing the ride-sharing service after one of the drivers refused to take her on a trip, claiming she was “too big to fit in the back seat.”
Dank Demoss, whose stage name is Dajua Blanding, is suing Lyft and an unidentified driver, alleging that she was refused a trip due to her weight.
The plus-sized performer claims that on January 18, she requested a Lyft to go from her home to her cousin’s place for a football game viewing party.
The driver, who was only known as John Doe, arrived to Blanding’s home in the Detroit area ten to fifteen minutes later. But when she went to the car in the hopes of getting inside, things didn’t go as planned.
On TikTok, the influencer shared a video of the driver and the woman fighting, with the man politely stating that his car couldn’t handle her weight.
“What makes you think I can’t fit in this car?” she asks the driver of the Honda Civic. Following a few more (inaudible) exchanges between the two, the driver continues, “To be more specific with you, I’ve got very tired tires.”
“How did your tires relate to me?” Blanding disagreements “You have no space,” the driver replies, gesturing to the back of his seat.I have no space in the back.
After the driver finally canceled the trip and left, Blanding was unable to go to her cousin’s watch party. Because she felt humiliated and disrespected, she decided to sue.
“Too big for us to fit.”
On January 27, Blanding filed a lawsuit against Lyft and the driver, claiming the driver had infringed her civil rights.
“Defendant John Doe locked the doors to his vehicle and attempted to drive away as Plaintiff walked towards the vehicle,” according to the lawsuit, according to People.
The filing claims that Doe refused to let her go on a trip because “she was too big to fit in the back seat” and “his tires were not capable of supporting Plaintiff’s weight.”
Doe suggested that Blanding ask for a Lyft XL, a larger vehicle that can hold up to six people, according to the company’s website.
This chat is part of the TikTok tape: Blanding claimed that “I never have to order an Uber [Lyft] XL” and that “she did not require a bigger car.”
“Discrimination”
Her attorney John Marko tells People that “denying someone transportation because of their weight is no different than refusing someone transportation because of their race or religion.” Any form of discrimination should never be tolerated in our society.
Attorney Zach Runyan asserts that it is not only unlawful but also risky to refuse someone transportation due to their weight.
Think about what might occur if the driver left Ms. Blanding without a place to stay. “This could have ended even worse than it did,” Runyan said, referring to the woman who was safely waiting outside her home when she was denied permission to go.
The vehicle was too small.
Online, the incident sparked a lot of comments, the majority of which implied that a passenger’s girth could compromise the vehicle’s safety or functionality.
The car’s size was obviously too little. The driver has every right to refuse for the sole reason of safety. “The seatbelt wouldn’t fit properly, and the extra weight would have destroyed his transmission, tires, shocks, and dislodged the front passenger seat,” writes one commenter on Blanding’s Facebook post, which includes photos she shared with her legal team. Unfortunately, you’re trying to win the lotto of the ghetto. The lawyers are slime to even take on this case.
Another Facebook user comments, “I’m with the driver on this one.” This was not discrimination, even if I strongly oppose it. Cars can only carry so much weight before they become unsafe.
A man who graciously declined to give her a ride is the target of her lawsuit. According to Lyft, he had the right to decline a ride, and he wasn’t rude or disrespectful, haha. A third netizen continues, “Therefore, it is diabolical to take away a man’s livelihood because he answered “no thank you.”
A fourth user said that “the entire lawsuit is a farce.” You were well aware that you wouldn’t fit in his automobile when he pulled up. The choice ultimately rests with him and his automobile.”I hope the man sues you,” the person shares.
Another online follower who identifies as a “big, beautiful woman” (BBW) claims that although Lyft drivers have the ability to cancel a ride, she understood she needed to request an XL ride. I always ask for an XL ride on Lyft as a BBW because I want it to be cozy.
According to People, blanding is the practice of seeking compensation for a range of damages, such as mental suffering, stress, embarrassment, shame, and outrage. She continues by saying that the incident made her feel scared and upset, which had an impact on her day-to-day activities and overall health. In addition to emotional and monetary losses, she is demanding payment of court costs and legal bills as part of her complaint.
In a statement, the corporation stated that it “strongly opposes all forms of discrimination – we believe in a community where everyone is treated with equal respect and mutual kindness.”Both harassment and discrimination are expressly prohibited by our community standards and terms of service.
As the case moves forward, everyone will be watching to see if it alters the way ridesharing companies operate.
What are your thoughts on the driver’s refusal to give Blanding a ride? Please share this story and let us know what you think so that we can hear from others!
