SINGAPORE: Where most taxi drivers would compound the offence and readily pay a fine, a limousine cabbie accused of over-charging his customer is instead claiming trial to his charges in the Subordinate Courts.
Mr Lee Ngiap Han, 54, is charged by the Land Transport Authority
(LTA) with obtaining a S$20 fare from a passenger last September, which
would have otherwise cost S$9.40.
But Mr Lee, a taxi driver for more than 10 years, is contesting the
charge as he claimed to have entered into an agreement with the pick-up
location on the price.
MediaCorp understands that he may not be alone, as a number of
drivers have also entered into an agreement with the hotel in Marine
Parade.
Such private agreements are not unheard of in the industry, but the
Courts will now have to rule on whether such agreements are in
contravention of the Road Traffic Rules, and an offence under the Road
Traffic Act.
Mr Lee, who drives a Comfort Mercedes, is said to have charged
S$11.60 more during the trip from Marine Parade to Changi Airport.
Besides the over-charging charge, Mr Lee also faces a charge of failing
to set the meter in motion during the same trip on September 5.
Mr Lee, defence lawyer Tan Hee Joek and the LTA attended a pre-trial conference on Thursday.
The trial is scheduled to be heard next Friday. If convicted, Mr Lee could be jailed up to three months or fined S$1,000.
If convicted on both charges, he could also risk losing his vocational licence.
If like that... those cabs at airport terminal also should be charged...
erm he employ a lawyer will have cost him a few thousand dollars lor. isn't it better that he pay the fine instead?
the lawyer fees will have cost more than the fine lor..
Hum i think those that has spare cash to engaged a lawyer should do so as to test the system. Government agency is not always right. Think if can voice out ,voice out cas sometime scare of little thing , end up we always at the losing end. If the diver is telling the truth and has been play out by the pax , it is really unfair to him. Firstly , he is a limo driver , so charging limo per trip pick up price , pax already has been given a discount , but of course if agreement was not make b4 pick up , than it should be meter fair .
MediaCorp understands that he may not be alone, as a number of drivers have also entered into an agreement with the hotel in Marine Parade.So looking at it , i think high chance the pax playing punk , need a cab but not happy with the fare , so just take , pay and complain later. So if this is the case , than who is safe guarding taxi driver.
F*ck la ...... he unlucky .
All Mercedes did that at Hotel to Airport .
Originally posted by QX179R:Rules, and an offence under the Road Traffic Act.
The trial is scheduled to be heard next Friday. If convicted, Mr Lee could be jailed up to three months or fined S$1,000.
If convicted on both charges, he could also risk losing his vocational licence.
This bastard authorities only bully taxi drivers , for a farking $11.60 , they wanna fine $1,000 and jail 3 mths. There are bigger crooks out there like black shops in sim lim , time share companies and they cheat more than $11.60!!! and what they get? nothing! just a black list from CASE.
pls vote wisely my taxi friends. i support u mr lee!
Yeah , pls vote wisely , pls vote for Mah Bow Tan !!!
If the guy win the case, I think the government have to compensate him for his legal fees too right?
Originally posted by Poolman:Yeah , pls vote wisely , pls vote for Mah Bow Tan !!!
vote for horse !!! i better go kranji turf and place my bet on any horses.....at least got some winning or losing and challenging....seeing those shortie guys sitting on the horseback and whipping their horse ass as they race....
LTA to loss the case??? Can u imagine if they loss then more taxi driver will follow,
so his chance of wining i think is very very low...
Must admit he set an example for other taxi driver to follow, nv die without fighting back.
Eveytime LTA treat drink kopi we LL. Now got pple bite back, win or loss atleast he bite back.
Originally posted by RotaryEngine:vote for horse !!! i better go kranji turf and place my bet on any horses.....at least got some winning or losing and challenging....seeing those shortie guys sitting on the horseback and whipping their horse ass as they race....
Hahaha...very f***king exciting hor..especially left 200m>all start to push 100m> all lai liao cheong liao...50m 2 horses fight...PHOTO finish...
Originally posted by Poolman:Yeah , pls vote wisely , pls vote for Mah Bow Tan !!!
Qian pei y don't u come out to elect?? u got so many supporter here, your ko hao i also think for u liao
VOTE FOR ME AH POOL FREE TAXI RIDE AND YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
Actually i don't bet, don't gamble, no mahjong, no football game, no 4D, no toto, and no horse-racing betting.
Somehow i like to watch horse racing - very cikek, exciting seeing their ass get whipped and the glorious moment they win and lose.
the horse jockey get some $, the horse get a pat and eat more grass..
In the end, the horse owner come out and claim credit pulling their noses.
Wow, so there are many private agreement type if bite back by pax and can be potentially charge...
those who agree on $35 or $45 per hour, those who fetch pax to and fro work based on monthly, and those private on-call offering $10 for current booking on top of fares etc..............
Originally posted by FT:LTA to loss the case??? Can u imagine if they loss then more taxi driver will follow,
so his chance of wining i think is very very low...
Must admit he set an example for other taxi driver to follow, nv die without fighting back.
Eveytime LTA treat drink kopi we LL. Now got pple bite back, win or loss atleast he bite back.
sometimes the govt do lose the case too..
recently there was a couple who sued SAF because their son get into a accident during ns and he is still in a coma..
they sued SAF for medical fees because now that their son has pasted the ord date, SAF no longer pays for his medical bills and they won the case..