Detroit woman sues Lyft after driver allegedly denied her service, saying she was too large to ride in his car

(Dank Demoss, who describes herself as a “BBW,” is suing Lyft after one of the company’s drivers allegedly refused to let her in his car, saying she was too big. Photo: @dankdemoss/Instagram)

A Detroit woman is suing rideshare giant Lyft, claiming one of its drivers refused her service because of her weight and left her stranded after she had already paid for a ride.

Dajua Blanding, also known as rapper Dank Demoss, captured part of the exchange on video, which has since gone viral on social media, drawing widespread attention to the case.

In response to the lawsuit, Lyft released a statement but declined to comment on the specifics of the case, citing ongoing litigation.

“Lyft unequivocally condemns all forms of discrimination—we believe in a community where everyone is treated with equal respect and mutual kindness,” a company spokesperson said in a statement to Local 4.

“Our community guidelines and terms of service explicitly prohibit harassment or discrimination.”

Denied a Ride: What the Video Shows

The incident occurred earlier this month when Blanding ordered a Lyft ride to her cousin’s house. A driver, identified in the video as Ibrahim, arrived in a Mercedes-Benz sedan but allegedly refused to let her into the car.

Blanding’s video shows the driver locking his doors as she approaches and then attempting to leave.

When she asked why he was driving away, the driver reportedly told her she was “too big” to fit into his car and that his tires wouldn’t support her weight.

Despite Blanding insisting she could fit in the backseat, Ibrahim stood by his decision, telling her she should have ordered a Lyft XL instead.

“Believe me, you can’t [fit],” he is heard saying in the clip.

“Under the law, refusing someone transportation due to their weight is no different than refusing someone transportation based on their race or religion,” said Blanding’s attorney, Jon Marko.

“Discrimination of any kind should never be tolerated in our society.”

“I Just Want Them to Know It Hurt My Feelings”

Blanding, who has previously shared her weight on social media—most recently at 489 lbs.—said she felt humiliated by the incident.

“I’ve been in cars smaller than that,” she told FOX2 Detroit after filing her lawsuit.

“I just want them to know that it hurt my feelings.”

Viral Reaction & Legal Fallout

The video, which Blanding posted on January 19, has since been shared thousands of times, racking up more than 340,000 views on TikTok as of Tuesday.

The driver apologized in the footage but stood firm in his decision to cancel the ride, saying he had experienced similar issues before.

“I’ve been in this situation before,” Ibrahim said.

“So every big person, you turn down because they can’t fit in your car?” Blanding fired back.

Legal experts say the case could test the limits of discrimination protections in the rideshare industry, where drivers operate as independent contractors and have some discretion over who they accept as passengers.

Attorney Zach Runyan pointed out the potential dangers of leaving a customer stranded.

“Refusing someone transportation based on their weight is not only illegal but dangerous,” Runyan said.

“Imagine the consequences if Ms. Blanding were unable to seek shelter after the driver left her stranded. This could have ended even worse than it did.”

(Demoss, seen with her lawyers, has said she’s weighed over 500 pounds. Photo: @dankdemoss/Instagram)

What’s Next?

Lyft’s community guidelines prohibit discrimination, but the lawsuit will likely determine whether the driver’s actions violated any specific laws.

For now, the case is still in early litigation, and it remains unclear whether the driver will face any further consequences from Lyft beyond the cancellation of the ride.

Meanwhile, the public debate over size discrimination and accessibility in rideshare services continues—both online and in court.