Blind entrepreneur, 28, is taking Uber to court after being refused a ride more than 100 times
Blind entrepreneur, 28, is taking Uber to court after being refused a ride more than 100 times because he has a guide dog – and says it makes him feel like a ‘second class citizen’
- Dan Williams, 28, and his guide dog Zodiac have been refused rides by drivers
- He estimates he has been turned down on over 100 different occasions
- Mr Williams, an entrepreneur, said it makes him feel like a ‘second class citizen’
- He is taking legal action against Uber, claiming it is responsible for its drivers
- Uber says it is unacceptable for drivers to refuse to take a guide dog
By Stephanie Linning For Mailonline
Published: 09:10 EDT, 13 May 2020 | Updated: 09:13 EDT, 13 May 2020
A blind businessman is taking Uber to court after being refused rides on more than 100 occasions because he has a guide dog.
Dan Williams, 28, of Cardiff, who has an eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa which causes gradual sight loss, explained drivers frequently cancel when they learn he is travelling with guide dog Zodiac.
He said it can take up to five attempts before he has a booking accepted. Over one two-week period recorded six refusals out of 10 attempts.
Mr Williams, with support from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, is now bringing a case against Uber, claiming the company is discriminating against him because of his disability.
Dan Williams (pictured), 28, of Cardiff, who has an eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa which causes gradual sight loss, explained Uber drivers frequently cancel when they learn he has a guide dog and refuse to take the fare. He is taking legal action against Uber
Speaking about the issue on Radio 4’s In Touch last night, Mr Williams said: ‘It has had a severe mental health impact. It has made me feel not so confident to use taxis. It’s made me feel really anxious when booking taxis.
‘It just makes me feel like a second-class citizen to be honest. We still have so much more to do. It shouldn’t be happening in the 21st century.’
Mr Williams runs Visualise Training and Consultancy, a company which provides training and advice to companies on how to communicate with visually-impaired customers and colleagues.
His job requires him to travel extensively across the country, which means he often needs to use taxis.
He explained: ‘I work all over the UK and I know Uber is all over the UK. It’s cheap, I don’t have to use money. It makes my life a lot easier.’
Asked why he doesn’t consider using a different taxi company, Mr Williams responded: ‘I don’t feel like as a blind person, I should have to use a different company. The company should be adhering to the Equality Act that’s there for a reason.’
Mr Williams, pictured with guide dog Zodiac, runs Visualise Training and Consultancy, a company which provides training and advice to companies on how to communicate with visually-impaired customers and colleagues. He uses Uber to travel for work
Mr Williams said that after booking an Uber through the app, he often messages the driver to inform him or her that he will be travelling with a guide dog. The driver often cancels at this point.
‘That can happen two or three times before I am accepted,’ he said.
Other drivers arrive to pick-up Mr Williams but refuse to let him in because of the guide dog. They often give ‘excuses rather than reasons’, he explained, with many complaining about allergies or the mess created by the dog.
Dan explained: ‘A regular scenario is that I book an Uber ride and on arrival, the driver either spots me and Zodiac and drives off or pulls up and refuses to allow us into their car.
What is retinitis pigmentosa?
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the name given to a group of inherited eye conditions called retinal dystrophies.
A retinal dystrophy such as RP affects the retina at the back of your eye and, over time, stops it from working.
This means that RP causes gradual but permanent changes that reduce your vision.
How much of your vision is lost, how quickly this happens and your age when it begins depends on the type of RP that you have.
The changes in your vision happen over years rather than months, and some people lose more sight than others.
Mr Williams’ sight has deteriorated to the point where he is registered blind.
‘I always remain calm and professional and explain that it is illegal under UK law as a guide dog is classed as a mobility aid, just like a wheelchair.
‘I then started to message drivers to inform them that I have a guide dog which resulted in cancellations and would often message 2 or 3 drivers before one would actually accept the job.’
Some refuse Mr Williams because they don’t think he ‘looks blind’ and claim they do not think Zodiac is a guide dog.
‘I don’t look blind because I don’t look like the stereotype,’ Mr Williams said in an interview with Radio 4’s You and Yours today.
‘There is a lack of education, definitely. But most people are aware of what a guide dog is and that should be part of their training.’
It is illegal for a taxi driver to refuse a passenger because they have a guide dog.
However the case is complicated by whether or not Uber drivers are employees or self-employed. In 2016 a tribunal ruled that Uber drivers are employees but the company is set to challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court this summer.
Lawyer Chris Fry, of Fry Law, which specialises in disability discrimination cases, explained they will wait for the outcome of the Supreme Court hearing before proceeding with their case.
He said: ‘I’m pleased that Dan has decided to pursue this case as I know of many people who are treated in the same way and just put up with it.
‘I’m very hopeful that together, we can make a positive impact on the taxi sector as a whole that will benefit the two million people living with sight loss in the UK.
‘We think that Uber hanging its drivers out to dry shows an abrogation of responsibility. They are the Service Provider and are therefore responsible for providing an Equality Act compliant service.’
Uber issued a statement in response: ‘It is totally unacceptable for drivers to refuse to take a guide dog and we investigate every report.
‘Licensed private hire drivers must carry service animals in their vehicle. We highlight this obligation to all drivers before they start using the Uber app and often send reminders.
‘Any driver who is found to have refused to take a service animal will permanently lose access to the app.’
