S'pore private-hire driver locks passenger in car for 1 hour after rejecting PayNow payment, police called

A customer on car-sharing platform Ryde was locked in a car for an hour after her driver refused her payment via PayNow, insisting on cash instead.

The 52-year-old woman, surnamed Wang, recounted the unpleasant experience to Shin Min Daily News, detailing multiple dissatisfactory instances during her evening ride on Mar. 28.

Series of unfortunate events

According to Wang, she had booked the private hire car on the platform from Fajar Shopping Centre in Bukit Panjang to Chinatown, where she worked.

She opted for cash payment on the booking page, she said.

Wang told the media that the driver was 15 minutes late in picking her up, resulting in her being almost late for work.

He also failed to reply when she tried to contact him, then drove very slowly on the way to the destination.

It took Wang an hour to reach her workplace, instead of the usual 30 minutes, she claimed.

She further alleged that the driver, who was in his sixties, drove with one hand the whole way.

He also allegedly dropped her off at the wrong location, stopping at Amoy Street instead of Club Street as she had indicated.

Payment dispute

Wang then attempted to pay the S$24 fare digitally via PayNow as she did not have sufficient cash on hand.

However, the driver claimed that he could not remember the phone number used to receive PayNow payments and insisted on cash.

He also locked the car doors and prevented her from getting out.

"I told him I wasn’t refusing to pay, I just didn’t have any cash on me. But he said that he wanted to leave me with a record of fare evasion, and lock me in the car," Wang said.

Both parties contacted the police, whom Wang said found that the driver had a functioning PayNow account.

"I don't understand why he refused to accept money this way in the first place," she said.

The ordeal allegedly lasted about an hour.

Wang's workday as a part-time waitress was cancelled by the time she arrived at work.

She said that while she typically paid private hire drivers via PayNow despite indicating cash payment, this was the first time she had run into trouble.

According to Shin Min, private hire drivers generally accept both cash and PayNow payments, as long as both parties are on the same page.

"It's all about money. As long as everyone agrees beforehand, the fare will be transferred smoothly," one driver said.

Top images via Shin Min