June 06, 2020, 04:32 PM
A taxi driver reportedly had his vehicle barged into by two men after he refused to pick them up.
Zhang, a 64-year-old taxi driver told Shin Min Daily News that he was driving past 182B Rivervale Crescent in the evening of June 3 when he spotted two men flagging his taxi.
Upon closer inspection, one of them was not wearing a mask, so Zhang declined to pick them up. However, when Zhang stopped at a pedestrian crossing, one of the men opened a back door and climbed into the taxi.
Zhang told SMDN that two men smelling strongly of alcohol tried to barge into his taxi. Via SMDN.
Zhang told SMDN that both men smelled strongly of alcohol.
"One man opened the door and pushed his drunk friend into the car before he climbed in," he said, adding that the drunk man had a mask but it was pulled below his chin. His counterpart had no mask.
Zhang advised the men that they cannot board the taxi without wearing masks. He also told them that he will not ferry passengers without masks.
One of the men then started cursing Zhang, he told SMDN.
He went over the front passenger seat and started throwing the driver's water bottle, bag and sun visor around. Seeing as the passenger was not stable, Zhang called the police.
According to Zhang, the man continued to berate the driver and flip the middle finger at him.
All this while, the drunk friend was in the back seat exhorting his friend not to cause trouble, said Zhang.
"After we argued for almost 20 minutes, the other party then helped his drunk friend to leave. I have been a taxi driver for 20 years. I have met many unreasonable people. I try my best to endure it, but this is the first time I have encountered such a barbaric, rude customer."
The man in the back seat of the car was drunk, said Zhang. Image via SMDN.
Zhang also told SMDN that he insists on not picking up passengers without masks for his own safety. It is also within taxi drivers' rights to refuse such passengers.
"We are on the road daily. We don't know the state of our passengers' health. Plus, we are now in extraordinary times. I have to protect myself, my family, and other passengers."
According to SMDN, the police is currently investigating the case.
H/T to Shin Min Daily News. Photos courtesy of SMDN.
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