Fare cheat bites, beats and kicks cabby who asked him to pay
Photo from Lianhe Wanbao
A man not only walked off from a taxi without paying the $16 fare, but also allegedly punched, bit and kicked the cabby who asked him to pay. He boarded the cab with his friend outside nightspot St James Power Station at about 3am on Thursday, reported The New Paper. They got into Mr Tan Hang Meng’s taxi. The 45-year-old CityCab driver first dropped one man off at Bukit Purmei, before driving the other man to Strathmore Avenue in Queenstown.
However, upon reaching his destination, the young man quickly alighted without paying. Mr Tan, got out of his taxi to confront him and the young man told him to get the fare from his friend who had alighted earlier, adding, “So what if I don’t pay?” When Mr Tan threatened to call the police, the man allegedly pushed the cabby to the ground and started raining blows on him. When Mr Tan finally managed to pin the man down and tell him not to be rash, the man bit his hand.
The taxi driver said the young man hit his head and kicked him in the back twice before walking away “without showing any sign of fear”. Two cabbies had seen the attack but did not do much to help. Mr Tan had to struggle back to his taxi to call the police, who arrived two minutes later. Mr Tan was taken to Alexandra Hospital and treated for minor injuries to his head, left eye, both arms, chest and back. His legs were also scratched during the attack.
The New Paper contacted Ms Tammy Tan, group corporate communications officer of ComfortDelGro Corporation, who said: “We are already in touch with cabby Tan and are relieved that he has been discharged. Our priority is his well-being and we will assist him the best we can. We will also render our assistance to the police.”
A police spokesperson said that a dispute between two parties had occurred at Strathmore Avenue and that investigations are ongoing.
