RIDEGURU
A little over a week ago I picked up a passenger who ordered the ride through a friends app. Upon entering my vehicle he ignored my hello and told me that I was going to be making additional stops for him. I told him he needed to add them in the app, he declined and became enraged about it, I’m still wishing I had ended the ride there.
After his initial irate and irrational response, we drove in silence for about 10 minutes. When I missed a turn and began turning around, he started in again about my refusal to make extra stops for him but now he included personal insults. I warned him that I would not complete the ride if he talked to me like that, he doubled down and I pulled over the car and asked him to exit. He refused, continued to insult me and was now adding threats like “he’s getting mad and I won’t want to see what happens when he gets mad” as well as “I can say goodbye to my job and my 5 star rating”. He called the user whose app he was riding under, on speaker. That friend made it clear this is behavior is normal for him and very nicely requested I drive him home. At this point, although I was uncomfortable and didn’t want to, bringing him home seemed to be the safest/least escalating option.
As soon as I agreed and started driving again, he started all over again. I informed him I would be stopping the car again and not finishing the ride, at which point he started yelling in the backseat like he was being attacked and he was yelling that I was kidnapping him. He then opened the car door while I was still driving (I was pulling into a parking lot because there were no sidewalks on thi…
A little over a week ago I picked up a passenger who ordered the ride through a friends app. Upon entering my vehicle he ignored my hello and told me that I was going to be making additional stops for him. I told him he needed to add them in the app, he declined and became enraged about it, I’m still wishing I had ended the ride there.
After his initial irate and irrational response, we drove in silence for about 10 minutes. When I missed a turn and began turning around, he started in again about my refusal to make extra stops for him but now he included personal insults. I warned him that I would not complete the ride if he talked to me like that, he doubled down and I pulled over the car and asked him to exit. He refused, continued to insult me and was now adding threats like “he’s getting mad and I won’t want to see what happens when he gets mad” as well as “I can say goodbye to my job and my 5 star rating”. He called the user whose app he was riding under, on speaker. That friend made it clear this is behavior is normal for him and very nicely requested I drive him home. At this point, although I was uncomfortable and didn’t want to, bringing him home seemed to be the safest/least escalating option.
As soon as I agreed and started driving again, he started all over again. I informed him I would be stopping the car again and not finishing the ride, at which point he started yelling in the backseat like he was being attacked and he was yelling that I was kidnapping him. He then opened the car door while I was still driving (I was pulling into a parking lot because there were no sidewalks on this road) and jumped out, got up and while still hurling insults at me began to walk away. He threatened to call the police, I replied that I would be happy to wait there for them with him, he said nevermind and began walking home, but not before telling me to suck his…you know.
I reported him to Lyft. He then reported me to lyft for kidnapping. Lyft dismissed his claim as it was an obvious lie.
A week later, last night, I received a phone call from the police for that town that he had make a complaint about me. They said they were not charging me at the moment but that if they did it would be a felony endangerment charge. I gave my version of events and the officer asked if I would come down and write a witness statement.
That brings us up to date. I don’t understand how I could be responsible for him jumping out of my car after both showing and telling me he is an unstable individual.
Any advice or suggestions on what to do next? Should I contact a lawyer and bring them with me? At this point they have not charged me with anything and I’ve honestly done nothing wrong, aside from wishing I had just stuck to my initial refusal to provide service. I also don’t understand how he can make up a lie like this without potential repercussions. The quote I received from a lawyer is a flat fee of $2500 to go with my to the station (he basically said that if god forbid they did try to charge me it would be covered under that rate and if they didn’t and it ends after my statement as he suspects it should, that it’s just the risk you take with getting a lawyer) - when it becomes clear that this man is lying, can I hold him responsible for this fee?
Any advice or suggestions are welcome, thanks!
Comments
Wow, what a horrible situation. I doubt they'll charge you though.