The contentious rift between Toronto taxi drivers and Uber has now got the attention of an American late-night talk show.
Comedian Hannibal Buress 鈥� known for drawing renewed attention to sexual assault allegations against Bill Cosby 鈥� in a Toronto cab on
Buress was in Toronto last weekend for the NBA All-Star Game, and he said things began to go south when the van cab driver insisted upon a $20 flat fee.
鈥淎nd I鈥檓 like, 鈥楴o, put the meter on,鈥欌�� Buress told Meyers.
After some back and forth on the pricing of van cabs, Buress said the driver conceded: 鈥淗e said, 鈥榊ou know what? I鈥檝e had a good week. I鈥檝e had a good day. I鈥檓 not going to let you ruin it. I鈥檓 just going to take you for free.鈥欌��
That鈥檚 when, Buress says, he struck a nerve: 鈥淚 said, 鈥業 don鈥檛 want your free ride.鈥� I said, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 why Uber is crushing you guys.鈥欌��
鈥淗e says, 鈥楻AAAH!鈥欌�� Buress shouted, raising his fists in the air. 鈥溾�橤et out of my taxi right now!鈥� He just snapped because I mentioned Uber.鈥�
Indeed, the ride-hailing app has become a hot-button issue in Toronto, where cab drivers have blocked off downtown streets in protest of Uber and its low-rate service, UberX.
A recent Angus Reid poll of 1,503 Canadians found that more than 70 per cent of respondents approve of Uber in their communities, with only one in six supporting a ban.
Taxi drivers across the country have rallied against Uber, saying it leeches business and circumvents municipal regulation.
Buress went on to say he didn鈥檛 accept the free ride because the driver 鈥渨as doing it in a condescending way鈥� and instead stayed in the cab to avoid the frigid temperatures.
鈥淏ut the Uber thing really set him off. He tried to kick us out to the cold and I said, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e not kicking me out, it鈥檚 -3 degrees, I鈥檓 just using your place (for) heating. I鈥檓 using your heat until this Uber comes,鈥欌�� he joked as the audience laughed.
Host Seth Meyers chimed in, saying Buress found a sore spot by dropping 鈥淯ber.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a trigger word for taxi drivers,鈥� Meyers said.
With files from The Canadian Press
