A taxi passenger was horrified when a 'creepy' driver tracked her down on social media and asked her out for a drink - saying he hadn't stopped thinking about her for three months. Miniver Larman says she booked a taxi from the train station to her home in Oxford on the evening of Thursday 5th March, with Go Green Taxis via their booking app.
The 25-year-old had a pleasant journey chatting with the driver and didn't think any more of it until just days ago [June 12] - three months after her fare - when she claims to have received a message from him. The message shows the driver declaring that Miniver's name had been 'stuck in his head' since they met months before and asking if she would 'like to go for a beverage sometime' - even suggesting meeting last weekend.
The marketing assistant says the 'inappropriate' exchange left her feeling 'unsafe', especially since the driver knew her address. After making a complaint to Go Green Taxis, the company responded with a brief apology message and said it would be 'dealt with' - but Miniver is calling on them to discipline the driver for his antics.
Miniver, from Oxford, Oxfordshire, said: "The journey was fine, we were just chatting away. He was telling me about his holiday and I was telling him about what I had been doing that day and I didn't think anything was off but it seems like he took that friendliness for something else.
"When I saw the message I was just immediately shocked because you hear about these things happening but when it actually happens to you, you think how is this real? How has this person not realised how creepy it is?
"I started to feel unsafe about it because he dropped me off at my house. I think it's really unprofessional and puts, especially women, in a really dangerous position.
"I [tweeted about it and] got a reply [from a social media user] that was like 'this man might lose his job because you reported him' but it is an abuse of power. You've trusted them with your address and you've trusted them to take you home safely and also, as a woman, it shouldn't be that if you are kind to someone that means you're coming onto them.
"I know there's that argument of how do you meet people if you can't do that during your job but I just don't think it's the place." The marketing assistant got into the booked cab at a train station in Oxford to take her to her home address at around 11pm on Thursday 5th March.
The 15 minute journey totaled a pre-agreed fee of £15.60. After getting dropped home she forgot all about the journey until she spotted a message request from the driver just days ago [June 12] from the previous Friday evening - three months after the taxi fare.
The message read: "Hey! So since we had a lovely little chat in my taxi following your London Theatre trip, your name has pretty much stuck in my head. Hope you don't mind me messaging, I'm wondering if you might like to go for a beverage sometime…
"In fact there is really cool stuff going on in Southampton this weekend." Referencing their conversation about Miniver's day at the theatre from the taxi journey, the man invited her to attend a free music, film and theatre festival with him in Southampton at the upcoming weekend [10-13 June].
But Miniver admits she found the offer 'unprofessional' and was left feeling 'unsafe' that the driver had tracked her down on social media, particularly since he knew where she lived. Miniver said: "This taxi journey was [in March] which is why it was kind of confusing for me to see him in my message requests because it was quite a while after.
"He messaged me on Facebook so he must have saved my full name and searched and found me. It's an app so that's how he saw my full name on the booking. I do have quite a unique name so that doesn't help me."
After receiving the 'creepy' message, Miniver complained to the taxi firm expressing her discomfort and asking them to block the driver from picking up her fares in the future. She also urged them to take disciplinary action against the man to 'prevent another woman going through the same'.
A worker at the firm responded: "I'm sorry to hear you had this bad experience with us. I will pass this onto my manager to be picked up in the morning and dealt with in the correct manner."
Miniver says she hasn't heard anything else from the firm since. Miniver said: "When I saw the message I sent the company a message saying I feel like he might do this again and I just need him to know that it's not appropriate.
"I also asked them to block him from ever being assigned to me. They just said 'I'm sorry you've had this bad experience, I'll pass it onto a manager,' so I don't really know what's happening with it.
"I feel like he should at least be disciplined, like at least a month or two where he can't drive a taxi service. If he's done this to me there's a big likelihood that he's done this to other women or that he doesn't realise that it's not okay to do.
"It doesn't make me feel that reassured - just a quick message to say 'I'm sorry you had a bad experience'. It kind of feels very cookie-cutter to me." The marketing assistant tweeted about her uncomfortable experience with the taxi driver alongside a screenshot of his message, saying: "Literally the creepiest thing. Please do NOT do this.
"I've reported him to the taxi company and asked them to block him from ever picking me up again. Very anxious [right now] but feel like I've done the right thing."
Most replies to the tweet were sympathetic and agreed that the driver acted inappropriately, with one saying: "They should sack him really. Hope you're okay Mini." Another said: "So grim, intrusive, and creepy. Sorry you went through that."
One person that replied, however, expressed concern over how the complaint would impact the driver, saying: "Bit much, lad could lose his job." But another was quick to respond with 'good'.
Miniver now says the experience has put her off using the taxi company or any firm that uses apps where drivers can access customers' full names. Miniver said: "I'm definitely put off going with that taxi service again.
"I used to like that it was on an app because I felt more secure that I had all of their details and stuff. But now I'm like maybe it's better to use a normal taxi service because then they won't know my name."
Go Green Taxis were contacted repeatedly for comment but failed to respond.
