Bloomberg Speaks Out On Anti-Hugging Cabbie

Bad news for the cabbie who kicked the embracing gay couple to the curb on Monday night — Mayor Bloomberg has gotten involved! The NY Post reports that he declared everyone has the right to ride in a cab (duh), and added, "I thought the taxi driver's behavior -- if it is as reported -- was a disgrace. Somebody's orientation has absolutely nothing to do with whether they can ride a taxi. That kind of attitude doesn't fit with what this city's become."

Paul Bruno and his boyfriend say that Medhat Mohamed tossed them from the taxi after they hugged in the backseat. Mohamed has claimed that the couple was distracting him, to which Bloomberg says, "a cabdriver shouldn't worry about the orientation of the people that get in the taxi cab. The cabdriver's job is to get them there safely, as expeditiously as possible."

Meanwhile, the Taxi and Limousine Commission are investigating to find out if Mohamed should be penalized for refusing service.

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

By Jen Carlson in News on November 6, 2009 11:30 AM

Comments [rss]

potsmoker

theres plenty of rules for driver conduct but practically none for passenger conduct.

hugging to stained seats is a stretch.

The "Rules" explains all the varied and sometimes complicated reasons a cab driver can and cannot turn down passengers, among other things. Drivers do not have to pick up those transporting what the driver "may reasonably believe will cause damage to the interior of the taxicab, impair its efficient operation, or cause it to become stained or foul smelling."

http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/faq_pass.shtml

NannyState

Dear follicly-challenged cabbies: Hugz not Plugz.

cofsnowdon

Is this the same Paul Bruno that works at Page Six, owned by the NY Post, the source of the story? Not saying it didn't happen, just asking if it's the same one.

thefacts

Simple rule.

No one should do in a cab what they wouldn't do on the public sidewalk.

moonbeam

You'd have a difficult time finding anything that some people wouldn't do in public.

handsomedevil

such as hugging

JenChungsBaby

But would it get you thrown out of Cash Cab?

potsmoker

anybody want to do a hug-in.

evbo

I'm in. But only if it's in a cab.

handsomedevil

Ohhhh shit! Bloomberg better watch out for that cabbie lobby. He's supposed to be everybody's mayor, not just the gays. I smell a cucumber sandwich and selzer-with-lime summit in his future.

NycChick

FCD, do you really expect other races and nationalities can stomach two guys kissing then taking down their pants and sucking each other cocks. Would that be acceptable while driving? Why couldn't those two act respectable in someone's else car?

evbo

Doesn't sound like you can "stomach" it, either. That said, yeah, it's probably better that 2 people wait to go at it full-tilt until they're someplace at least reasonably private, whether they're gay or straight.

But hey, according to the guy who got booted all they were doing was hugging. That's hardly grounds for "get the fuck outta my cab." And I've gotta believe that if it was a straight couple none of this would've happened.

Soggy

Why should someone's race pr nationality have anything to do with whether they can deal with gay people? And how do you know what the couple was doing in the back of the cab? It seems like your imagination has run away with you...

hotstepper

it's called "roadhead" and it's all-american and totally awesome thank you very much.

zodak

free hugs!

Huffy6241

You should see how some cabbies treat you when you tell them you're gay AND going to Brooklyn...

grandzu

Why would you need to tell them you are gay?

Mr Mel

Use a car service.

Gregoire

Wow, who are all these homophobes that read Gothamist? How bizarre.

Most people here seem to be inferring more than has been claimed. Based simply on the facts, how can anybody sympathize with the cab driver? What if it were two ugly people, two black people, two old people, etc etc?