Uber driver told two women to walk 20 minutes instead of reaching their destination — his response after one disclosed a disability left them stunned
A short ride can become stressful when a driver decides a destination is too difficult to reach. That happened to a host and content creator, Betty Douglas, and her friend while traveling to the final day of a festival. The pair had been taking Uber rides from their hotel to the festival gates each morning because walking was not possible for Douglas. Festival traffic made the journey longer than usual, but the women still needed the service to reach the event. What followed during one trip left both women shocked and turned a routine ride into an uncomfortable exchange. The details of the incident were later shared on Instagram on September 7, 2026, under the username @_bettydouglas_.
The driver told the woman the original drop-off point could not be reached and offered a location that would require about a 20-minute walk. Douglas explained the physical disability and asked the driver to continue, regardless of the traffic. The driver then responded, "You should have said beforehand that you were disabled, so I could have said no to the job." The content creator's friend questioned whether that meant passengers had to disclose a disability so a driver could refuse a trip. The driver replied, "Yes." The exchange then became more tense as both women challenged the reason for refusing the agreed destination and called it "discrimination."
The Uber employee described the request as unreasonable because of the traffic. Douglas again explained that walking was not physically possible and that the ride had also cost a high amount, despite the usual journey taking only a few minutes. The driver then asked for proof of the disability and wanted to see a Blue Badge. The woman revealed that she got calipers with her and even offered to provide medical evidence, while making clear that no such proof should be needed. The driver continued complaining about the traffic but eventually agreed to continue toward the festival entrance.
Once the women got out, Douglas's friend asked whether everything was okay. The content creator explained that similar treatment had happened in other settings, including hospitals, shops, and venues. She explained that repeated experiences had made such situations feel familiar, although that did not make the treatment acceptable. At 26, Douglas felt more prepared to stand firm than in earlier years, when a similar encounter might have ended with an apology and an unwanted walk.
People can sometimes be subjected to unexpected prejudice, as shown in another incident. A woman faced a similar situation after using a reserved parking space and being questioned by a stranger who assumed she had no reason to park there. The woman explained that a disability is not always clear from someone's appearance, but the man remained doubtful. He told her, "You don't exactly look disabled," before questioning her parking choice. She then revealed her prosthetic leg, changing the mood immediately. She later recalled, "I'm sick of it," describing how exhausting such judgements can be.
For more such stories, follow @_bettydouglas_ on her Instagram account.