Gay couple allegedly kicked out of Uber for kissing
(Instagram/randall magill)
A gay couple has been allegedly thrown out of an Uber – for kissing.
The two men, Randall Magill, 28, and Jose Chavez, 26, say they simply went in for a quick peck on the lips.
But the driver in Houston, Texas, where the pair live, told them he couldn’t stand it and told them to get out.
(KSAT)
Randall and Jose were coming back from a party at a friend’s home.
They had been celebrating their recent engagement in the Dominican Republic, but things turned sour when they got in the Uber.
It’s not the first time that Uber customers have said they have experienced homophobia from drivers.
(Facebook/Randall S Magill)
In June, two gay men in San Francisco said they were thrown out of an Uber after they kissed and said they loved each other.
The driver allegedly called them “disgusting” and said that “fags rot in hell”.
In 2016, Uber suspended a London driver who attempted to eject a lesbian couple from his car for kissing.
Randall defended himself and Jose, who he said did nothing to deserve their driver’s reaction.
(Facebook/Randall S Magill)
“I wasn’t doing anything that I wouldn’t have done in public,” he said.
“I’m not going to embarrass myself or my fiancé by any means.”
He told local news station KSAT that the engaged couple were in a minivan, in seats separated by an aisle, and just wanted to show affection.
“I’ve never heard of anyone being asked to stop kissing anywhere, especially when you’re just peck on the lips,” said Randall.
He added that the driver had told them he had kicked out a straight couple before them, but Randall and Jose didn’t believe him.
(Facebook/Randall S Magill)
“He said: ‘I can’t take you no more,’ Jose said.
“He was like, ‘I’m going to have to drop you guys off,’ and we said: ‘That’s fine.’ We didn’t want to fight back.
“I was upset,” Jose added.
“I’ve never been told not to kiss or anything.”
Randall said that the driver stopped as quickly as possible to eject the pair into the middle of nowhere, at around 4am.
“He proceeds to pull off the freeway, not in any safe space place or anything, leaves us on the corner of 59 and New Castle, right next to the concrete sound barrier.”
Randall said he had never thought of Uber as homophobic, but that this incident had changed his perceptions.
(Instagram/randall magill)
“I’ve never had a bad experience with Uber, this was probably, I’ll never use them again,” he said.
“I was super disappointed.
“Everyone I have ever ridden with has been very nice, very respectful.
“Even the ones I could tell were not so comfortable with carrying us, they were very respectful.”
The engaged couple had to walk under a bridge and call another Uber to take them home.
A spokesperson for Uber told KSAT that both the rider and driver have reported the incident.
They added that they are investigating what happened.
