The last time someone refused to pay the taxi fare...i called
999 and LTA
The police asked me to go to LTA, LTA asked me to go to the
police.
Ended up police come to the spot and say they can do nothing
except maintain peace in singapore.
LTA called me and told me they have no enforcement officers.
LTA also told me to talk to my taxi company for claims.
Taxi company asked me to go to LTA as there is nothing they can
do.
This is a assault case with multiple witnesses. Has nothing to
do with taxi drivers.
I think you are wrong. Let's review the learned judge's
considerations in sentencing the accused:
1. I did not believe the Accused’s account of Leow’s conduct
in the taxi. It is public knowledge that service quality is an
essential aspect of public transport providers’ duties. As Leow
said, taxi companies investigate every complaint made against taxi
drivers. It is difficult to believe that Leow would respond to the
Accused’s very polite request in such a shockingly rude and crass
manner and drive as dangerously as described by the Accused. Also,
it did not make sense that Leow would work (driving taxi) from late
at the night to the next morning, drive the Accused almost to his
destination, then tell the Accused to get off his taxi and forego
his fare.
2. Leow was a taxi driver and his taxi was parked at the
road junction, it would be sheer foolishness for him to rob the
Accused when Leow could be easily traced. And this incident took
place at the brightly lit road junction with Leow screaming loudly.
It was unimaginable that Leow would commit a crime at a brightly
lit road junction and at the same time, screamed to attract
attention.
3. When a person takes a ride in a taxi and gets off without
paying his fare, and the taxi driver chases after him and stops him
from walking away, that person must know or at the very least,
sense, that the taxi driver wants his fare.
4. The Accused did not intend to pay the taxi fare and in
the process of trying to get away, assaulted Leow.
5. Leow was a public transport worker.
As he said, he was merely trying to earn a living, he did not
deserve to be beaten. I fully agree with this. Violence against public transport workers cannot
be condoned. They should be able to work in a safe environment and
be protected from devious and violent passengers.
6. The need to take a serious view of assaults on public
transport providers was highlighted in Wong Hoi Len v PP [2009] 1
SLR(R) 115 where Justice VK Rajah set the sentencing benchmark of
around 4 weeks’ jail for a simple assault against a public
transport worker where the offender had no antecedents and pleaded
guilty.
7. I had no doubt at all in deciding that a custodial
sentence was warranted.
In fact, it had everything to do with TD, being a public
service/transport provider and must be protected from unprovoked
assaults under the law.
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