A confrontation between a rideshare driver and a passenger turned into a racially charged spectacle this week. What might have otherwise been another petty dispute over a fare has become a disturbing reflection of how hate can become currency in modern America.
In the video, a rideshare driver is seen ejecting a Black woman from his vehicle following a disagreement about whether he should return to a previous location, potentially costing her more money. The argument escalates when the woman, visibly frustrated, calls him “white shit.” The driver responds with a pause… and then, without hesitation, drops the N-word.
Viewers on social media were perplexed that the driver uploaded the video himself. “So then he shared that video? Wtf,” one top Reddit comment reads. Another adds, “He saw that woman get $500k for being racist and uploaded his racist video hoping for the best.”
That “woman” refers to Shiloh Hendrix, who gained national infamy after calling a Black child the N-word in a Rochester playground. Instead of public scorn, Hendrix received more than $700,000 via GoFundMe from a flood of supporters. Now, some are speculating that this driver might be banking on the same playbook.
“He’s hoping it goes viral and he gets a payday,” said one Reddit user. Another commented, “Coming soon — $1 million raised on GFM.”
While both the driver and the passenger resorted to racially charged language, many online were quick to point out a glaring imbalance: one slur — “white shit” — is offensive and reductive, but the N-word is a historically loaded weapon, tied to centuries of racial violence.
“He definitely could have either not reacted to this, or just been an equal piece of shit, but instead he chose to surpass and be the bigger piece of shit,” one commenter said. Another noted, “You can even see him pausing for a second or two deciding whether he should say it… and then he said it.”
The video has also seen debate about how platforms like GoFundMe and GiveSendGo are being weaponized as reward systems for racists. As keyboard warriors and digital grifters exploit outrage for profit, the lines between shock, shame, and strategy blur. One user dubbed it “the golden N-word pass,” likening it to a twisted game of internet lottery, with a jackpot paid out in donor dollars.
As for the rideshare driver, there’s little doubt his employment is in jeopardy. Uber and Lyft both have strict anti-discrimination policies, and any driver caught using hate speech is subject to immediate deactivation. The platform used in the video has not been publicly identified, but the backlash has already done its work.
