Another woman claims Duffy's Taxi driver propositioned her for sex
2 women report being propositioned by cab drivers within hours of each other
Two women have now come forward with claims they were propositioned by their drivers while in Duffy's Taxis on separate occasions over the weekend.
"It's just really unsettling ... it was completely unnerving," the woman said Tuesday.
CBC News has agreed to not release the woman's name as she doesn't want to be identified.
Just before 2 a.m. CT Sunday morning, she and a friend hopped into a Duffy's cab outside of the King's Head in Winnipeg's Exchange District.
"Things went fine, he was a very friendly cab driver," she said.
Not long after dropping her friend off, she said the driver started asking her strange questions.
Want 'some extra money?'
"Like, 'Oh, would you like to make some extra money?' I was like, 'What do you mean?'" she recalled, adding she believes the driver was offering her money for sex.
"I've taken a lot of cabs and I felt just so creeped out. I've never felt so creeped out."
She said she demanded the driver stop and let her out immediately, which he did.
She went to a nearby gas station and called Duffy's to report what happened and was taken aback by what the employee said.
"They pretty much laughed at me," she said. "I tried to tell them what happened and they were like, 'OK, and?' They were very rude, they pretty much disregarded my complaint."
Paranoia set in
Unsettled by her experience in the cab, she decided against calling another cab and started to walk to another friend's home in the dark.
As she made her way, she started to get paranoid. She gave the driver her friend's home address when she first got in the car and was now worried he could be there waiting for her arrival.
She called 911 and asked the operator to stay on the phone with her until she got home safe. A police officer called her to follow up the next morning.
It could've been a misunderstanding and it didn't sound criminal in nature, she recalled the officer telling her.
"At that point I was like, 'Absolutely, I could've been completely and totally overreacting and misunderstood.' I felt a little silly at that point."
'Exact same story'
But on Monday, her father saw the story of Patricia Nosal on the news.
"It was pretty much the exact same story," she said, adding police called her a short while later to say another, similar report was made Sunday.
Rather than feel vindicated, she felt more afraid to discover she wasn't the only one.
"It's scary because it wasn't a one-time incident," she said. "A cab should be a safe ride home. That's what it's supposed to be whether you're a female by yourself or in a group."
She has since reached out to Nosal on Facebook to let her know she wasn't the only one.
There's no way in hell that is a legit story and that's what really got me angry.- Woman propositioned in cab
Nosal told CBC News that a male Duffy's cab driver propositioned her on the way home at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday, less than two hours after the other woman's disturbing exchange. Similarly to her experience, Nosal said the driver asked if she wanted to "make extra money."
Drivers suspended
But Nosal's case differs from the other woman's in at least one way. After telling the driver she wasn't interested in whatever he was suggesting, he dropped her off at home where a second Duffy's cab was already parked outside.
Nosal said a passenger from that vehicle was standing outside and asked her the same question: "I hear you would like to make some money?"
In a statement to Nosal, Duffy's said the two drivers said it was all a misunderstanding.
According to Duffy's, the second cab driver in Nosal's case claimed to have a family emergency and needed to find his current fare another cab. He co-ordinated with the other driver to take his passenger after dropping Nosal off at her home, according to the statement.
'Makes no sense'
Both Nosal and the second woman say the cab drivers' accounts in both cases don't add up.
"I got the same message," she said. "There's no way in hell that is a legit story and that's what really got me angry yesterday. Clearly something is up…. It makes no sense."
Duffy's Taxi manager Ram Valluru said Tuesday both drivers involved in Nosal's case have been suspended until the conclusion of the Manitoba Taxicab Board's review of the case.
1st bad cab experience
Meanwhile the second woman says this is the only time she has ever had a bad experience in a cab. Still, she remains rattled and says if women can avoid taking a cab, they should.
"I know there's good cab drivers out there. I know that," she said. "But you always have to be aware unfortunately. You should feel safe, but you should still be aware."
She doesn't know when she'll feel comfortable stepping in a cab again.
As of Tuesday afternoon, she hadn't reported the incident a second time with Duffy's because she was too upset with the initial response she received from the company Sunday.
She has confidence police will do a thorough job investigating her complaint.
Valluru said the company isn't aware of the woman's complaint.