Alec Jansen and Ben Martella. | Photo: Alec Jansen / Instagram
An Indianapolis Lyft driver kicked out a gay couple for sharing a ‘short kiss’ in the back of his car.
Ben Martella and Alec Jansen booked the Lyft driver to pick them up at Butler University and take them to Broad Ripple.
But when they got in the car at around 5pm on 5 May, they didn’t end up arriving at their destination.
The couples shared a quick ‘peck’ on the lips and as soon as the driver saw it, he told them to get out.
‘He looked in his rear view mirror,’ Martella told the Indy Star. ‘He was yelling.
The Lyft driver then allegedly said: ‘I’m going to end your ride. I can’t have that in my car. I don’t have that here.’
Was just discriminated against by @lyft my ride kicked me out because I was kissing another man. He kicked us out and I still have to pay. Disappointed and feel unfairly judged by this service.
— Ben Martella (@ben_martella) 5 May 2018
Martella said: ‘I was really upset. It was a big reaction for such a small display of affection between two guys.’
Jansen added: ‘We gave each other a short kiss on the lips. I was just surprised the whole thing happened. It just didn’t seem like it was real.’
‘Disappointed and feel unfairly judged’
At the time of the incident, Martella tweeted: ‘Was just discriminated against by Lyft my ride kicked me out because I was kissing another man. He kicked us out and I still have to pay. Disappointed and feel unfairly judged by this service.’
After some Twitter attention, Lyft responded to the tweet: ‘We are so sorry to hear this! Please report this to our Critical Response Line by clicking the ‘Call Me’ button.’
The pair then made a formal complaint to Lyft, who then refunded their money.
They made a statement to the Indy Star that said the company has a ‘strict anti-discrimination policy’.
Lyft then deactivated the driver, effectively preventing him from using the service anymore.
The identity of the man is unknown.
It’s not the first time a Lyft driver felt uncomfortable and kicked someone out of their car.
Charlotte Clymer works for HRC | Photo: Charlotte Clymer / Facebook
A Lyft driver in Washington DC called a trans woman a man, before two strangers came to her aid.
The trans woman, Charlotte Clymer, told Gay Star News: ‘I’m grateful I had the resolution I did, but this might have gone much differently for someone who doesn’t look like me or have the level of security I do.’
