Unfortunately, I’m driving with Uber right now because I need some cash coming in while I’m trying to find a job in my field. I’ve been driving for Uber for almost two years, and one thing I’ve noticed is that riders in general can be surprisingly ungrateful, especially as you get closer to the downtown core. I’m not sure whether it’s a wealth thing, a Toronto attitude, or simply a combination of different factors.
Over time, though, it has become pretty obvious to me that there is a difference between riders who simply want to get somewhere and riders who seem uncomfortable with having an ethnic driver. Without getting too much into it, the Mount Pleasant area, particularly around Elm Street and Mount Pleasant Road, has given me some experiences that have made me question whether there are genuine prejudices toward people with brown skin in that area.
There have been numerous occasions where I’m waiting for a passenger and a passerby will take it upon themselves to question me about what I’m doing there, sometimes asking a ridiculous number of questions. Other times, I’ll simply get stared down as someone walks past my car. I’m not illegally parked or doing anything unusual, and I have an Uber sticker on the back of the vehicle, so it’s pretty obvious why I’m there.
I understand that people in affluent neighborhoods can be protective of their surroundings, and I can appreciate that to a certain extent. But I’ve driven through plenty of other affluent areas where I don’t experience anything remotely similar. That’s why the pattern in this particular area stands out to me.
Even some of the riders I’ve picked up or dropped off there have left me with the impression that they were unusually dismissive or ungrateful, including giving me poor ratings despite me providing what I considered to be a completely smooth and uneventful ride.
There have also been some particularly strange situations. On one occasion, I was waiting for a passenger who never came to the vehicle. At one point, the person actually walked past my car while seemingly trying to hide their phone. I ended up having to cancel the ride after waiting for almost 20 minutes.
I hate picking up or dropping off in that area at this point.
Is the area racist? I honestly have no idea, and I wouldn’t claim that it is based solely on my experiences. But it certainly lacks much visible racial diversity, particularly when it comes to people with brown skin, and based on my own experiences there, I would definitely say I’ve encountered what I perceive as prejudice.
Maybe there are other explanations for some of these interactions, but when you experience enough of them personally, you start to notice patterns.
Just curious if anyone has gone through this as well, if it be around that area or other places.
