Shocking reason an Uber driver refused to take popular news presenter Jo Hall to a birthday party: ‘Totally wrong’
- Nine News presenter refused by Uber driver
- Jo Hall had been holding box of champagne
- Told ‘we don’t take people holding alcohol’
A Nine News presenter has been left ‘confused’ after being refused by an Uber driver after he noticed she was holding an unopened box of champagne.
Jo Hall, 64, had been holding the bubbles as she waited for the Uber outsider her Melbourne home to be picked up and taken to a friend’s birthday dinner on Sunday night.
‘I had my hands full. I had a pot plant as a gift, a candle and a bottle of champagne in a box. I was struggling a bit,’ she told 3AW radio.
‘As I walked towards the Uber, he wound the window down, and I honestly thought he was going to say “Do you want a hand” because I was struggling.
‘And he said “Is that alcohol?” and I said, ‘Pardon?’ because I was a bit confused.’
The Uber driver told Hall: ‘We don’t take people holding alcohol’.
She replied that the champagne was closed, in a box, and was a gift for a friend.
‘I was very surprised, I’ve been in many Ubers taking a bottle of wine to dinner, and I know that most people do,’ she said.
Jo Hall, 64, had been holding the bubbles as she waited outsider her Melbourne home to be picked up and taken to a friend’s birthday dinner on Sunday night
The Nine News presenter (pictured on March 9) told radio host Dee Dee Dunleavy that she had no intention of drinking the wine in the car and was left ‘confused’ by the interaction
Hall told the driver she hadn’t heard of the rule before and asked if it was an Uber policy or if he was personally refusing to take her.
She pressed him, asking if the alcohol ban was on cultural or religious grounds.
However, the man drove off without giving her an explanation.
Hall told radio host Dee Dee Dunleavy, who had also attended the birthday dinner, that she had no intention of drinking the wine in the car.
‘I have awesome experience of Ubers generally, there’s been moments when they cancel, and it does get a bit frustrating,’ she said.
‘But I’ve never had one cancel to my face.’
She said the second Uber driver she called had noticed her hands were full and immediately jumped out of the car to help her.
The presenter explained to him what had happened.
‘He said it was unheard of and ‘totally wrong’,’ she said.
A woman has expressed her shock after an Uber driver refused to take her after he spotted a unopened box of champagne in her arms (stock image)
Drug use and open containers of alcohol are never allowed in an Uber driver, according to the company’s website.
‘Never bring illegal drugs or open containers of alcohol into a car,’ Uber says.
‘If you have reason to believe your driver may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, ask the driver-partner to end the trip immediately.
‘Then exit the car and call 000/111. Once you have left the vehicle, please also report your experience to Uber.’
