Gay Couple Given the Heave-Ho for Hugging

A cabbie is being called out for kicking a gay couple to the curb after they dared embrace in his car. The G-rated PDA caused Medhat Mohamed to allegedly toss the two out just two blocks after he had picked them up at 13th Street and First Avenue around 10:20 p.m. Monday night.

The NY Post talked to one of the men, 27-year-old Paul Bruno (pictured), who says the driver told them: "You guys have to get out of the taxi! Hugging is not allowed in here!" He says he doesn't know if the shocking act of discrimination "was a personal or religious thing," but the driver is "in the wrong place and in the wrong line of work if he doesn't have an open and tolerant attitude. I've seen a lot more go on in taxis than hugging."

As for the complaint they filed against the driver, the Taxi and Limousine Commission says they will take the allegation "very seriously and fully investigate." Service refusal comes with a fine anywhere from $200 to $500 and could lead to license suspension or revocation.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in News on November 4, 2009 11:57 AM

Comments [rss]

JimLowerEast

This happened to me and my partner who have been together for 9 years and are not typical of many comments I see on this site. We had dinner and were going home near the Lower East Side in a cab. I gave him a kiss on the cheek as innocent as you can imagine, then we were thrown out. I wonder if it is the same guy. Outrageuos, he should drive in a more conservative city.

invisibleman

pics, or it didnt happen

Think2wice

Doesn't this asshole know which city this is?

birdmechanical

Poor Jake Gyllenhaal. That picture is of him right?

marcasm

Perhaps a publicity stunt to re-generate DVD sales of Brokeback Mountain. Ever heard the term "Gay as Christmas" ?

The Clandestine Samurai

Most gays you know would be performing fellatio in the back of the cab. So this couple was lying about hugging according to your experience with most gays YOU know?

Are you being sarcastic or are you seriously this stupid?

As long as they pay and tip for the ride, who the hell cares if they hugged?

potsmoker

the comments on the post are pretty amusing and defend the cab driver against sodomites and aids carriers.

this is big in the UK with lots of cab drivers refusing fares for people carrying ham or alcohol!!!

the general response there is who the F*uck do they think they are, imposing their standards on us.

i cant find the Uk link, but in Minnesota cabbies have been refusing seeing eye dogs and people carrying alcohol.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/biztravel/2006-09-17-airport-check-in-usat_x.htm

Clarice City

You read USA Today? That explains so much.

mzungu

if they were just hugging, this is of course crazy and wrong.

however, i have seen enough of those HBO "real" taxi shows. i don't want boys, girls, anyone doing the things people obviously do in cabs.

there just isn't enough purell to protect from some fluids

faprilano

am i to assume the cabbie stopped talking on his cellphone long enough to engage in this kind of behavior?

Potty Boy

Maybe Medhat was afraid he would get stiffed.

potsmoker

ok, please dont protest in front of a mosque, thats not the issue, the problem is specific to the actions of a single cab driver.

fyi, that mormon kissing / trespass thing on colbert last night was hilarious!!!

potsmoker

why did the my comment merge with the last sentence from the last one?

why did it say registration is required even tho i was signed in?

potsmoker

Would it be acceptable for the cabbie to say "guys, I'm sorry but your hugging makes me feel uncomfortable, I would rather you not do that please?"

I think if the cabbie asked nicely then the right thing to do would be stop hugging.

DollinNYC

Why is the cabbie monitoring what is going on in the back seat instead of watching THE ROAD IN FRONT OF HIM??!??!

Sinchy

Would it be acceptable for the cabbie to say "guys, I'm sorry but your hugging makes me feel uncomfortable, I would rather you not do that please?"

I think if the cabbie asked nicely then the right thing to do would be stop hugging.