Emily Brown
A Lyft driver in Pennsylvania has received widespread praise for refusing to serve passengers who made racist remarks.
James Bode took to Facebook on Saturday, 14 May, to share dashcam footage of the encounter he had with the customer, who hired the car under the name Jackie, and her companion.
The passenger appeared shocked as she entered the car and noted Bode was a 'white guy', saying: "You're like a normal guy, you speak English."
Hear the exchange below:
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Bode quickly told the customer she could 'get out of the car', saying her remarks were 'inappropriate' and asking her what the difference would be if the driver of the car wasn't white. When Bode repeated the exchange for the woman's male companion and told them he wouldn't be taking the ride, the man branded the driver a 'f*****g a**hole''.
The two passengers were warned the exchange was being recorded, but the man ignored Bode and threatened to 'punch [him] in the f*****g face'. Bode described the pair as 'racist f**ks', to which the man called him a 'f*****g n***** lover'.
In his post on Facebook, Bode explained he had filed a police report over the threat of assault, but admitted he was 'not sure if that will do anything'.
"If you make me feel uncomfortable, I will absolutely do the same especially in my car or property. Yes they were made aware I was recording, yes I have postings in my car indicating such," he wrote.
The dashcam footage has since gone viral, with many internet users praising Bode for the way he handled the situation. Commenters told the driver the world 'needs people like [him]' and encouraged more people to 'speak up' in the same way, with viewers describing him as a 'good human', a 'legend' and 'awesome'.
"Well done James. Your response was spot on. The fact you have taken a stand against a casual remark which many would prefer to neglect, is indeed outstanding," one person wrote.
Bode shared another post to thank those who had showed their support for the video, saying his response is 'the way it should be everywhere, every time' and that 'we should all be that person' to stand up to racism.
The woman in the video is said to have shut down her personal Facebook page after Bode shared the footage, and the bar where the pair were picked up has also shut down its website and Facebook page.
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