22nd March 2023 – (Hong Kong) A recent social media post by a mainland Chinese tourist has sparked outrage after he alleged that he was overcharged by a dishonest taxi driver in Hong Kong. The incident has raised concerns over the conduct of taxi drivers in the city, with many netizens calling for action to be taken against such unscrupulous practices.
According to the post on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, the tourist was travelling from Shenzhen Bay to a hotel in Tsuen Wan when he was asked to pay HK$517 by the taxi driver. Shocked by the exorbitant fare, the tourist reluctantly paid up. However, upon closer inspection of the receipt, he discovered that the time of boarding and alighting was exactly the same, indicating that the driver had not used the meter and had charged a flat rate instead.
The receipt also showed a charge of HK$490 for additional fees, despite the fact that the total distance travelled was listed as zero. This has led to accusations that the driver had manipulated the fare to overcharge the tourist.
The incident has sparked anger among netizens, with many expressing their support for the victim and calling for stricter regulation of the taxi industry in Hong Kong. Some have also pointed out that the fare charged was far higher than the usual rate for such a journey, with one user claiming that a trip from Shenzhen Bay to Tsuen Wan should cost no more than HK$300.
