Many people in the world take comfort in new accommodations since the covid-19 pandemic hit. Some fine comfort hiding behind a mask, some enjoy delivery services of groceries and other goods and some enjoy being able to get a ride share service at any convenience. Jo Ann Hardesty is a commissioner in Portland. She likes to use the rideshare service Lyft and usually doesn’t have any problems until she was picked up by a driver name Richmond Frost. This Lyft experience led Jo Ann Hardesty convinced that the police should be defunded.
Jo Ann Hardesty was leaving a casino in Washington when she was picked up by her Lyft driver Richmond Frost. It wasn’t long when they into the ride when they started arguing. The Lyft driver preferred to have his windows rolled down while carrying passengers to help slow the coronavirus from spreading. This did not sit well with Jo Ann Hardesty. She requested that Richmond Frost roll the windows up and he refused. Before long the argument led to Frost canceling the Lyft ride. Upon canceling the ride Frost told Hardesty that she could find another ride with the Lyft app. He had proceeded to pull off a freeway and into a Chevron parking lot to let Hardesty out of the vehicle. She had refused to leave the vehicle stating it was cold and that she was a woman and alone. She proceeded to stay in the vehicle and call 911 in regards to the dispute. Hardesty told the dispatcher that she wasn’t going to leave the vehicle until the driver ordered her another ride. She stated that all she had asked was for the driver to roll his window up and then he canceled the ride. She told the dispatcher that she wasn’t going to allow the driver to leave her on the side of the road also. The dispatcher had informed Hardesty that she was on the driver’s property and that only she could order herself another ride and not the Lyft driver. Hardesty continued complaining to the dispatcher until she had promised a police officer would be coming to the location.
Minutes later the Lyft driver Richmond Frost call 911. He told the dispatcher that he was with Lyft and had a passenger that refused to get out of his vehicle. He further explained that he had canceled the ride and stopped at a gas station to let her out with no success. He also informed the dispatcher he doubted she was armed. Things had gone further south for Hardesty when she filed a complaint regarding the incident. Lyft informed her that they would take action regarding her services. Lyft informed her that she had refused to get out of the vehicle upon the driver’s request. They also reminded her that drivers can cancel a ride for any reason and leave passengers at a safe location upon doing so. Lyft further informed her that any future complaints similar to this would cause further action taken on her account. Hardesty realized that her point was true and calls to 911 were a waste of time.
