News
Telehitch driver allegedly drove at 170km/h on S'pore road
The driver was also purportedly vaping and incoherent.
October 04, 2025, 12:46 PM
A man in Singapore wanted a cheaper ride to Clarke Quay for a night out with his friends.
He turned to one of the Telegram chat groups offering carpooling services for a fee and secured a driver willing to fetch him for S$15.
The passenger later got more than what he bargained for.
In a 10-minute TikTok, he revealed what had happened and acknowledged his foolishness post-ride.
"So, the reason I'm doing this video is because, yesterday, I kind of did something stupid, and it almost cost me my life, essentially," he said regarding his ride in late-August.
Revealing that he stayed on campus in a university on the west side of Singapore, he said it was expensive to book a private hire vehicle ride.
He would opt for a "telehitch", which typically cost 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than a private-hire vehicle booking.
He has since left all carpooling Telegram groups.
What happened
Upon getting into the car, the TikToker noticed that the driver was vaping.
But he chose to ignore it.
When they got onto the expressway, the driver apparently floored it.
The TikToker said the driver was "the most unsafe driver he has met in his life".
According to the Life360 app, which is a location-sharing social networking app, the TikToker saw that he was moving at 170km/h at one point.
The driver was allegedly also weaving in and out of traffic, cutting across multiple lanes without checking the blind spot or signalling.
The passenger also realised that there were no seat belts in the car and began fearing for his life.
In his TikTok video, the man included a clip shot from his perspective as a passenger.
The car's engine could be heard revving, while the air freshener, hanging from the rearview mirror, swung about.
Driver kept vaping
The passenger said he attempted to communicate his unease to the driver, but was met with no response.
He later allegedly noticed that the driver's hands were shaking and his eyes were rolling backwards.
He got more scared and texted his friends.
Since the car at the time was on the expressway, he could not ask the driver to pull over or get out.
He also could not call the police, as he was illegally carpooling and was worried that he might implicate himself.
The TikToker said he prayed for his own safety and warned his friends to call the police if they did not hear from him at regular intervals or if his location stopped being updated on Life360.
Stopped
Then, it all came to a halt.
The driver stopped in the middle of Lornie Viaduct.
When the TikToker asked the driver what was going on, the driver again failed to respond.
Out of the blue, the driver exclaimed that he had forgotten to refuel.
The low fuel light in the car was on.
The TikToker got out of the car, but said he felt that it was not right to leave the driver alone in the middle of the road.
The driver kept taking puffs, he recalled.
Eventually, a tow truck showed up with fuel for the driver to top up his car.
The tow truck assistant struggled to cut a beverage bottle to fashion it into a funnel to transfer the fuel.
The driver then suggested using a katana he had with him instead.
The TikToker said this was his final straw.
A taxi happened to stop and he managed to leave unscathed.
He eventually did what he felt was right and made a police report.
Some commenters shared similar horror stories based on their own telehitch experiences, while others applauded the TikToker's maturity to reflect and speak out.
Illegal carpooling
In response to Mothership's queries, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it takes a serious view of such unlawful practices and will not hesitate to take enforcement action against those providing illegal carpooling and motorcycle-pooling services.
LTA said those who provide illegal carpooling matching services in the course of business can be fined up to S$10,000 or jailed up to six months, or both.
Individuals who provide illegal carpooling services using an unlicensed vehicle, or causes or permits an unlicensed vehicle to do so, may be fined up to S$3,000, or jailed up to six months, or both.
Motorcycle-pooling services are also illegal, and those caught providing such services or allow their motorcycles to be used for such services can be fined up to S$3,000 or jailed up to six months, or both.
Members of the public who come across individuals providing illegal car-pooling services may notify LTA through its online form.
Responding to queries from Mothership, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) referred to its reporting platform for e-vaporiser offences.
Members of the public who have information on e-vaporiser related offences can contact HSA via its online form or call the Tobacco Regulation Branch at 6684 2036 or 6684 2037.
The hotline operates daily from 9am to 9pm, including on weekends and public holidays.
Background
Earlier in September 2025, a 20-year-old man was charged for the death of 21-year-old Michael Ong Wee Siong in a 2023 accident along the Pan-Island Expressway.
Ong is believed to have booked a ride-hailing service via Telegram, which is illegal in Singapore.
That same month, five Singaporean drivers were caught for soliciting bookings via Telegram and providing illegal carpooling services using private cars or goods vehicles.
LTA explained that carpooling is only permitted through licensed platforms, permitted licence-exempt business platforms, or among friends and colleagues to protect passengers in the event of an accident.
Informal arrangements where vehicles and drivers lack proper licensing and insurance leave passengers without recourse, LTA said.
Related story
Top image via TikTok user
