NEW YORK – An Uber driver has lost his source of income and could now also see his eyesight after a violent attack at the hands of a prospective passenger that was caught on a dash cam.
Driver Han Quiping had his camera turned on when a man came running to his car on East 14th Street about a month ago, trying to illegally ask Uber to pick him up. However, Quiping rejected the man’s request.
With the driver’s side window open, the man reached inside and hit him in the eye with the cell phone, as can be seen from the video, according to police and Quiping’s wife. A month after the attack, Quiping’s eye is still bandaged and his wife said doctors are not sure his vision can be saved.
“Doctors say maybe after three months, maybe I can see a little bit. Now, we don’t see each other,” he said.
Rideshare drivers say attacks like the one in Quiping happen too often, but are often underreported.
“It happens a lot, it happens while you’re in traffic while you’re in the light. It’s very scary,” said Tina Raveneau, who is a driver and a member of the Independent Drivers Guild. The group has said that drivers are being injured or killed across the country, from car thefts to murders.
In early September, Kuldip Singh was killed by a stray bullet in Harlem. Despite the risks, Raveneau said drivers and their families have very few protections at work.
It is unclear how Quiping will be able to support his family, as he is unable to drive due to the visual impairment he suffered as a result of the attack. In a statement, Uber said: “Our hearts go out to the driver during this difficult time and we wish him a speedy recovery.”
However, a company spokesperson declined to answer whether Quiping is receiving financial assistance from the company, as Uber drivers are classified as independent contractors. The driver said he paid for the dash cam that captured the attack. The drivers union said that despite multiple requests, ride-sharing companies are refusing to install the cameras to help keep drivers safe.
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