She shared a video of the encounter on social media, and it quickly went viral, sparking debate among viewers.
In the clip, the driver of a Mercedes-Benz sedan can be heard expressing doubt about whether Blanding would be able to fit in the back seat of his vehicle.
Blanding responds, assuring him: “I can fit in this car.”
However, the driver remains firm in his stance, telling her: “No, believe me, you can’t, so… I’m sorry.”
She then asks him directly if his refusal is based on her size, to which he responds: “Yeah, you need to order a bigger car.”
In an unexpected explanation, the driver also claims his tires are “very tired,” suggesting another reason for refusing to complete the ride.
She later shared the clip on Instagram, calling out Lyft for what she considers to be discrimination. In her caption, she expressed frustration, writing: “@lyft what yall got to say about this yall driver discriminated against me. I JUST FEEL LIKE YALL TREAT BIG PPLE LIKE S*** LIKE WE DONT BELONG HERE.”
Speaking to Fox 2 Detroit, Blanding confirmed that she has hired two attorneys and plans to move forward with a lawsuit, arguing that the incident was a case of discrimination.
Reflecting on her experience, Blanding told Fox: “I’ve been in cars smaller than that. I just want them to know that it hurt my feelings.”
Jonathan Marko, one of her attorneys, emphasized the legal implications of the case, stating: “I knew that it was illegal and I knew that it was wrong.”
In response to the controversy, Lyft issued a statement addressing the situation.
Speaking to Fox 2 Detroit, the company reaffirmed its position against discrimination.
