Taxi driver sacked after Aussie radio star Ali Clarke called him out for ‘vile’ comment during cab ride

A taxi driver who made a “vile” remark at an Aussie radio star has been sacked after she outed his behaviour in a teary Instagram video.

The taxi driver who uttered a “vile” remark at an Aussie radio star has been sacked.

Ali Clarke, a former breakfast radio show host from Adelaide, got emotional in a video posted to Instagram as she recounted the “horrible” comments a taxi driver made about her as she attempted to get a cab ride home on Friday night.

“He said, ‘You need to get out, your p***y smells’,” she cried in the clip as she shared her ordeal with her Instagram followers.

Clarke, who stepped down as host of Adelaide’s Mix 102.3 breakfast show last year after three years, called 13cabs to report the man after the incident and the company acted swiftly, saying in a statement that they “do not tolerate any driver behaviour” that “doesn’t meet our strict standard of conduct”.

“The driver involved in the incident has been removed from our network,” the spokesperson began in the statement, which Clarke shared on Instagram on Sunday.

“We have spoken with Ms Clarke directly and provided video footage of the incident to the South Australian regulator, responsible for handling such matters.

“Passenger safety is our highest priority, and we remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of service and professionalism for all our passengers.”

Ali Clarke was in tears after incident at an Adelaide taxi rank on Friday night. Picture: Instagram/aliclarkemix1023

The Aussie radio host got emotional as she shared her ordeal on Instagram. Picture: Instagram/aliclarkemix1023

According to Adelaide Now, the Taxi Council South Australia has also condemned the incident, saying it is considered illegal for cabbies to refuse short fares.

On Sunday morning Clarke also thanked 13cabs for their response and action, while also thanking fans for their support.

“Thank you to everyone who has reached out, and to those who’ve shared your similar stories, I’m sorry,” she wrote.

“Whilst I take no joy from anyone losing their job – especially if others depend on that wage – I am glad action has been taken so that maybe the next time something like this happens, others feel like they can speak up. And we should. It shouldn’t take me being an ex-radio person for this to become a discussion.”

Clarke during her final Mix 102.3 radio show late last year. Picture: Mix102.3

The incident happened when Clarke was leaving a Woman of the Year awards function at SkyCity in the CBD on Friday night after she hopped into a taxi at North Terrace at 1.30am.

Her husband, Matt Clarke, had accompanied her to the event, where she was finalist in the Inspiration of the Year category, but he had gone home earlier in the evening.

As she proceeded to give her home address to the cabbie, he cut her off and told her to get out as the fare was too short.

Despite her pleas and offer to tip, the driver told her to find another taxi as he had been waiting outside the SkyCity casino for 40 minutes.

Clarke hosted the breakfast show for three years with Max Burford. Picture: Instagram/aliclarkemix1023

Clarke said he then became verbally abusive when she took a photograph of him and his employee number, telling her “your p***y smells”.

“I think I’m pretty tough, but it was just that vile sexual nature of it,” she said in her teary Instagram video. “I thought we were better than that.”

The radio star shared more details in her caption on her video, writing: “People who know me, know I’m not one to cry wolf. I can honestly say I’ve never felt more alone and exposed as tonight.”

“It was only after I took a photo of him and his number he started getting abusive. This is not OK and I know Melb and Syd have been dealing with non-metre gouging, but this was next level. Thanks to the security who helped me get home. On International Women’s Day I’ve never felt sadder.”

Originally published as Taxi driver sacked after Aussie radio star Ali Clarke called him out for ‘vile’ comment during cab ride