27.06.2026 12:25
The driver who refused to open the wheelchair ramp for Salih Kara, an 80% disabled person trying to board a bus in Hatay, has been dismissed. It was also learned that necessary procedures have been initiated to prevent the driver from working on public transport vehicles again. Speaking after the incident, Kara stated that his little daughter cried saying "They beat my father" after watching the footage, and he vowed to follow up on the legal process.
Salih Kara, who is 80% disabled and lives in the Reyhanlı district of Hatay, wanted to board a private public bus after leaving the hospital. Kara, who wanted to go home with his wheelchair, asked the driver to open the wheelchair ramp. A dispute occurred between Kara and the bus driver after the driver said he could not board the bus alone with a wheelchair.
DRIVER SAID TO DISABLED PERSON "AM I YOUR SERVANT"
In the argument, which involved other drivers in the area, the bus driver was captured on camera saying, "Why are you acting so arrogant? Am I your servant? Why are you pulling? What phone recording? It's forbidden to board without anyone else. Write wherever you want." Kara, who was not allowed on the bus and recorded the incident with his mobile phone, said, "Right now, you're not opening the ramp for a disabled person, you're saying you won't open it. You're talking down to me, I'm taking your license plate. You have to open the ramp. I'm recording. We will discuss this."
DRIVER WAS DISMISSED
After the incident trended on social media, Hatay Metropolitan Municipality inspection teams launched an investigation. The investigation found that the wheelchair ramp was not opened, the citizen was treated rudely, and public transport rules were violated. Driver S.H. was fined administratively on three counts and was also dismissed by the cooperative he was affiliated with. Additionally, it was learned that the necessary process would be initiated to prevent the driver from working in public transport vehicles again, in line with a decision to be made by the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality and UKOME.
"MY DAUGHTER CRIED SAYING 'THEY BEAT UP MY DAD' WHEN SHE SAW THE VIDEO"
Salih Kara, the disabled person who could not board the bus because the wheelchair ramp was not opened, described his experience as follows: "I have an 80% severe disability report, I don't work. We try to get by on disability and caregiver benefits. On the day of the incident, I went to the hospital for an X-ray, and the day before I had an appointment with my urologist. Since the X-ray machine was broken that day, I had to go to the hospital on the day of the incident. After finishing my procedures at the hospital, I went to the public bus stop next to the hospital. I said, 'Captain, could you open the ramp?' There is a wheelchair ramp, and you have to open it. This is not a favor. He said, 'You don't have an escort.' This happened before I started recording. He said, 'If you don't have an escort, we can't take you,' and an argument broke out between us. During the argument, a female fellow citizen opened the ramp herself, but the captain said, 'It's forbidden, I won't take you.' He said I didn't have an escort. I said, 'Are Reyhanlı's rules different from the rules of the Republic of Turkey?' He started speaking in a threatening manner. Two other drivers also became involved in the incident. At that point, I took out my phone. Because various scenarios came to mind. I thought I might be assaulted. If I hadn't taken out my phone, I would have been assaulted. In fact, while I was recording, the captain tried to forcibly take my phone. After the bus filled up, he recorded a video saying, 'See, is there space? Where should I put this?' to justify himself. Later, I boarded the next bus in line. I called the White Desk and talked for about 17 minutes. I will do everything I can to defend my rights. I came home and got even angrier. My little daughter cried when she saw the video, saying, 'They beat up my dad.' I heard about the penalty for the driver as hearsay. I will follow up on the legal process. I will do whatever is legally necessary. I don't know the man, and he doesn't know me. What problem did he have with me?"