A New York City cab driver has had his license revoked after a hearing in which he was shown on video shoving and pushing a passenger out of his cab.
The incident happened in April, when the allegedly drunk passenger, who wanted to go to Sunnyside, Queens, hailed the cab from Midtown and vomited in the back.
It appeared to push the 20-year cabbie over the edge: video shows him grabbing the rider, pulling him from the back seat and then flinging him into the street.
Eventually, the passenger manages to get back in and the cabbie drives away, with the back doors still open.
The legal journey ended Tuesday when the Taxi and Limousine Commission took cab driver Sidikaba Diallo's license away from him.
"Even if the passenger was being very difficult, the driver needs to call the police, let the police deal with the difficult passenger," said TLC Commissioner David Yassky. "The driver cannot take matters into his own hands."
Diallo had previous run-ins with taxi regulations: The TLC said he once locked a passenger in the back of his cab. Another time, he supposedly pushed an inspector while getting a ticket.
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Diallo was not at home and could not be reached for comment.
The TLC says cabbies can refuse a ride if a customer seems intoxicated. But they cannot refuse a ride based on destination, and they are not allowed to touch a passenger.
