2 days ago
'Come lah!': Taxi driver allegedly refuses passenger ride from zoo to Bukit Panjang, gets into heated exchange
A Transcab taxi driver allegedly refused to ferry a passenger from Mandai Zoo to Bukit Panjang last week, leading to a dispute that was caught on camera.
An altercation between the driver and another man ensued, which was filmed and later circulated online.
The one-minute and 34-second video of the incident, which took place on July 24, was uploaded to the SGRV Facebook page, according to Shin Min Daily News.
In the video, the person filming claims that the driver had refused to pick up a passenger, despite being the first taxi in the queue.
Shin Min reported that the individual behind the camera was not the passenger involved, but a bystander who witnessed the incident and decided to confront the driver. He can also be heard telling passers-by not to take the driver's cab: "Never mind, you can all go over there and take a Grab."
According to him, the driver had declined the trip to Bukit Panjang as he felt the distance was too short.
'Come lah!'
The footage shows the driver initially walking away in an attempt to avoid the confrontation. However, tensions escalate when the cameraman continues shouting, asking him to return.
The driver then turns around and approaches the man, leading to a heated verbal exchange.
They are heard yelling "come lah!" at each other, as the dispute intensifies.
The recording shows that the taxi is empty and displaying an "available" sign. There are also four other taxis seen waiting in line behind it.
The video has quickly gained traction online, drawing over 130 comments and sparking a heated debate among netizens.
While many slammed the taxi driver for allegedly cherry-picking passengers, others felt that the situation could have been handled more calmly. Some suggested the bystander should have simply filed a report to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) instead of confronting the driver publicly.
According to LTA regulations, it is an offense for taxi drivers to refuse to pick up and ferry passengers without a valid reason.
Drivers found guilty of such conduct may face a $300 fine, six demerit points, and a possible two-week suspension of the vocational license.
