After being turned down for a trip by one of the drivers who claimed she was “too big to fit in the back seat,” a plus-sized rapper is suing the ride-sharing service.
Dajua Blanding, better known by her stage name Dank Demoss, is suing Lyft and an unnamed driver, claiming that she was turned down for a ride because of her weight.
According to the plus-sized artist, she ordered a Lyft on January 18 to go from her house to her cousin’s house for a football game watch party.
After ten to fifteen minutes, the driver, who was only identified as John Doe, reached Blanding’s house in the Detroit region. However, things didn’t go as planned when she went to the car hoping to get inside.
The influencer posted a video of the woman and the driver disputing on TikTok, with the guy kindly explaining that his vehicle is unable to support her weight.
She asks the Honda Civic’s driver, “What makes you think I can’t fit in this car?” The driver then adds, “To be more specific with you, I’ve got very tired tires,” after the two exchange a few more (inaudible) remarks.
“What did I have to do with your tires?” Blanding disputes The driver then responds, “You have no space,” pointing to the rear of his seat.I don’t have any room in the rear.
Blanding was unable to attend her cousin’s watch party after the driver eventually canceled the journey and departed. She chose to file a lawsuit because she felt insulted and embarrassed.
“Too large to accommodate”
Blanding sued Lyft and the driver on January 27, alleging that the driver had violated her civil rights.
According to People, the lawsuit claims that “Defendant John Doe locked the doors to his vehicle and attempted to drive away as Plaintiff walked towards the vehicle.”
According to the filing, Doe turned her down for a trip because “his tires were not capable of supporting Plaintiff’s weight” and “she was too big to fit in the back seat.”
According to the company’s website, Doe advised Blanding to request a Lyft XL, which is a larger car that can accommodate up to six passengers.
The TikTok tape includes a portion of this conversation: Blanding asserted that “she did not require a bigger car” and that “I don’t never have to order an Uber [Lyft] XL.”
“Discrimination”
“Refusing someone transportation because of their weight is no different than refusing someone transportation because of their race or religion,” her lawyer John Marko tells People. In our society, discrimination of any type should never be accepted.
“Refusing someone transportation because of their weight is not only illegal, but dangerous,” says attorney Zach Runyan.
Consider what would happen if Ms. Blanding couldn’t find a place to stay after the driver abandoned her. The woman was safely waiting outside her house when she was turned down for the trip, and Runyan stated, “This could have ended even worse than it did.”
The car was too little.
Many comments were made about the occurrence online, with most implying that a passenger’s size could jeopardize vehicle functionality or safety.
It was clear that the car was too small. For the sole reason of safety, that motorist had every right to decline. One commenter comments on Blanding’s Facebook post, in which she shares pictures with her legal team, “The seatbelt wouldn’t fit properly, and the extra weight would have destroyed his transmission, tires, shocks, and dislodged the front passenger seat.” You’re attempting to win the ghetto lottery, which is unfortunate. To even take on this matter, the lawyers are slime.
On this one, I’m with the driver,” another Facebook user says. Although I vehemently oppose discrimination, this was not discrimination. There is a limit to how much weight cars can safely support.
She is suing a man who politely refused to give her a ride. He wasn’t impolite or disrespectful, and he has the right to refuse a ride, according to Lyft, lol. Therefore, it is devilish to take away a man’s livelihood because he said “no thank you,” a third netizen adds.
According to a fourth user, “the entire lawsuit is a farce.” When he pulled up, you knew full well that you couldn’t fit in his car. Ultimately, it’s his vehicle and his decision to make.The individual shares, “I hope the man sues you.”
“Lyft drivers do have the right to cancel a ride, but being honest, she knew she needed to order an XL ride,” says another online follower who calls herself a “big, beautiful woman” (BBW). As a BBW, I always request an XL ride on Lyft because I want it to be comfortable.

Blanding is requesting damages for a variety of things, including mental agony, stress, shame, embarrassment, and outrage, according to People. She adds that the experience affected her everyday life and general well-being by causing her to feel afraid and distressed. As part of her complaint, she is requesting that court costs and legal fees be paid in addition to emotional and financial losses.
“Lyft firmly opposes all forms of discrimination – we believe in a community where everyone is treated with equal respect and mutual kindness,” the company said in a statement.Our terms of service and community rules specifically forbid discrimination or harassment.
All eyes will be on this lawsuit as the legal process progresses to see if it changes how rideshare businesses function.
How do you feel about the motorist refusing to give Blanding a ride? So that we can hear from others, kindly share this story and let us know what you think!