Al Roker wants to express his feelings that racial discrimination is still existing. The weather forecaster tweeted about an upsetting exchange he had with a Manhattan taxi driver on Saturday, November 21.
"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." He tweeted. He stresses that while not all NYC taxi drivers are bad, he wants to "weed out the bad apples."
Roker filed a complaint against a New York City Yellow cab. The 61-year-old said the incident was more difficult and hurting because he was with his 13-year-old son Nicholas, who also noticed when the cab passed them up for a white man standing on the next block.
Roker admits this issue is not a new one, but now he wants to see some action from the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, which conducts the cabs.
Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) chair Meera Joshi said the incident will be investigated. She said that the service rejection goes to the core of the taxi management social contract with the riding public and should not be tolerated. Meera was pleased that Al Roker took the time to file a complaint.
Roker, whose Weather Channel show Wake Up With Al was cancelled last month after six years, appears to be having his complaint taken seriously.
Although it is illegal for yellow cab drivers to refuse to pick up a passenger because of their race, disability or chosen destination within the five boroughs of New York City, Al Roker's recent run in with the cab driver proves that this is still an ongoing issue.
Black people having a hard time hailing cabs in New York City is such a long-standing issue that it's become something of a go-to joke to explain racial discrimination and white people privilege.
