A TAXI DRIVER has divided social media in Ireland after a photo emerged of a message he'd left for his passengers to read.
The sign, which was printed and stuck to the plastic divider separating the front and the back of the car, told passengers not to ask "futile personal quizzes" about the driver's ethnic background.
"I am from Ghana. Now Irish citizen. Yes I like it here," the sign reads.
The driver informs passengers that he has a master's degree and asks that they show him "due esteem".
Some on social media praised the driver for having the confidence to write such a message, but others felt it was rude.
"Unnecessarily blunt," one Twitter user wrote.
"The whole point of a taxi drive is to illicit as much information from the driver as possible. All subjects are acceptable."
Another wrote: "What's wrong with asking someone where they're from... Are people really insulted by 'futile' questions like this?"
"This is rude," another said, "Lots of nice taxi drivers from all around the globe who don't do this and are happy to chat. What should we start the conversation with exactly?"
Just had this legend of a taxi driver. 👏 pic.twitter.com/4eOGHCrSNq
— Luke O’Riordan (@luke_oriordan) October 3, 2021
But others felt as if the note was justified.
"Someone's citizenship status is not something people would like to repeat in conversation all day, every day. I think it would be rude and intrusive to ask such questions to someone you don't even know."
"How often do you ask a white stranger where they are from?" Another asked.