A gay teenager has gone viral on TikTok after sharing a video that appears to show an Uber driver cancelling his pre-booked ride moments after he entered the vehicle.
The creator, who posts under the username @alexdiarieslive and is reportedly a Hispanic teen based in Texas, uploaded the clip on Wednesday (18 March). In the video, he can be heard repeatedly asking the driver why the trip was cancelled, while the driver tells him to get out of the car and warns he will call the police.
After exiting the vehicle, the teen claims the situation escalated immediately after he greeted the driver.
“As soon as I said ‘hello good morning’ with a little f****** gay in my voice, that’s when he said ‘oh you’ve got to leave my car’,” he said in the clip.
The video quickly gained traction online, amassing more than 3.4 million views and thousands of comments. Among those responding was Uber’s official TikTok account.
“Support team here – we’re sorry to hear this happened – this behavior isn’t okay. Uber does not tolerate discrimination of any kind and can confirm that a specialised team is actively reviewing this incident,” the company wrote.
However, in a follow-up post, the TikToker said he had not received a satisfactory response from the company.
“I did contact Uber and honestly, guys, Uber has done nothing… every time I try reporting him, they close the chat,” he claimed.
He also rejected suggestions that he may have provoked the driver, saying: “People need to understand there’s something called homophobia… he does not need a reason to cancel the ride.”
@alexdiarieslive Replying to @thehedaz🇧🇦 STORYTIME ANS UPDATE OF THE UBER ACCIDENT don’t mind how I look I js woke up #stroytime #uber ♬ original sound – alexdiarieslive
The incident has reignited discussions about discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ people when using rideshare services.
Similar allegations have surfaced in the past. In 2020, a gay man claimed he was assaulted by an Uber driver after his sexuality was revealed, while another couple said they were asked to stop showing affection during a ride due to the driver’s religious beliefs.
In 2021, Uber also faced criticism after a transgender woman said she was unable to update her name on the app, leading to her being misgendered and involuntarily outed. The company later apologised and said it would review its policies.
