Uber driver and passenger exchanged blows after man refused to pay $6 cancellation fees for earlier trip

An Uber driver and his passenger came to blows when the latter refused to pay a $6 cancellation fee incurred from terminating an earlier trip.

The incident happened last Saturday (Aug 12) at around 5pm.

The 42-year-old passenger spoke to Lianhe Wanbao at Tan Tock Seng Hospital where he was receiving treatment, recounting how he had bought a new phone for his wife on the day of the incident and called for an Uber ride to Balestier. 

Said the passenger:

“Although the app told me that the driver had already reached, I waited for over 20 minutes and he (the driver) still didn’t show up.

“I cancelled the trip.”

As he did not register a credit card to his Uber account, the passenger was unaware that he had incurred a $6 cancellation fee.

He promptly booked another Uber ride and got on.

Upon reaching his destination, he planned to pay his fare in cash, but was told by the Uber driver that he had to clear his outstanding cancellation fees as well. 

He felt that it was unreasonable, and refused to pay.

The two got into a heated argument, alighted the vehicle and started shoving each other. 

During the ensuing scuffle, the passenger sustained a punch to his head, which left him dizzy.

He added:

“I couldn't even sit up straight after that, and had to be conveyed to a hospital in an ambulance for a check-up.”

The incident has been confirmed by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). 

A police spokesman said that the case is currently under investigation.