Comedian Rosie Jones has spoken out after an experience with an Uber driver who left her “in the road” after allegedly thinking she was drunk.
Jones – who has cerebral palsy – shared the message on Twitter, writing that she received a message from Uber notifying her that her driver claimed that she wasn’t wearing a face mask.
“Your driver said you were not wearing a face cover or mask,” read the message.
Jones shared the screenshot, accompanied by the caption: “Just received this message from @Uber. I was wearing a mask and the driver drove away.
“I had a hand on the door and I was left in the road. He thought I was drunk. I wasn’t. I have cerebral palsy. Please make sure your drivers know the difference between the two. This is ableism.”
Jones – who has written for panel shows including Would I Lie To You? And The Last Leg, as well as appearing on 8 Out of 10 Cats – has received messages of support from fans.
“Bloody hell, that’s appalling. Surely they have a duty of care,” wrote one person.
“I’ve had an Uber driver who was deaf, I knew because I was notified on the app when he confirmed the trip,” wrote another. “I wish they would add the options for passengers to add any specific ailments.”
The official account for Uber has commented on Jones’s post, writing: “We’d like to follow up with you right away. If you send us a DM with your phone number, a member of our team will get in touch.”
A representative for Uber told The Independent will be “carrying out a full investigation” into the matter.
Their statement read: “Everybody should feel safe and welcome when riding with Uber. The experience Rosie described is totally unacceptable and we offer our deepest apologies.
“As our Community Guidelines state, we have zero tolerance for any discrimination based on disability and we’ll be contacting the driver involved and carrying out a full investigation.”
