If you’re a celebrity weatherman on NBC’s “Today” show, you don’t need to file a formal taxi complaint with Big Apple authorities. You just tweet.
So it was Sunday, when Al Roker raked an unnamed cabbie over the coals for apparently bypassing him for a “white guy” a block away. (But he filed a gripe just in case.)
In a series of Tweets, Roker made his point.
Filed a complaint today after getting passed up again by a NYC Yellow cab. Cabbie picked up a white guy a block away. Wonder why Uber wins?
— Al Roker (@alroker) November 22, 2015
This happens to folks of color every day. And while most cabbies do their job, there are those ignorant, racist ones who hurt the others
— Al Roker (@alroker) November 22, 2015
What really hurts, my 13 yr. old boy was with me and asked why the cabbie passed us. I said, “Nick, ignorant people make dumb choices”
— Al Roker (@alroker) November 22, 2015
Hopefully @nyctaxi weeds out the bad apples. Looking forward to a hearing and dealing with this. I will keep you posted
— Al Roker (@alroker) November 22, 2015
It didn’t take long to catch New York officials’ attention.
NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission chair Meera Joshi told the New York Daily News:
“Service refusal goes to the core of the taxi industry’s social contract with the riding public and it will not be tolerated,” she said. “We’re grateful that Mr. Roker took the time to file a complaint, and I can assure him that we will investigate this thoroughly and take every appropriate action.”
Al Roker files a complaint claiming an N.Y.C. taxi ignored him because of his race https://t.co/7Eu8RfedSH
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) November 23, 2015
@jamielynnspeers no we just hate Al Roker.
— burlivesleftnut (@burlivesleftnut) November 23, 2015