'You just get out': PHV driver goes on racist tirade after passenger shows up late

[UPDATE: Oct 12, 10am]

Grab told AsiaOne that the driver has since been suspended from their app.

"Our driver-partners are expected to treat passengers fairly and not discriminate against them in any way," a spokesperson said.

"This is in line with our code of conduct. We take a strong stance against discriminatory behaviour and language on our platform and have since suspended the driver-partner."

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We've all been late before - but few have encountered such ire just for being late to their cab.

A man was attacked with racially charged comments by his private hire driver in a video posted to subreddit Singapore Happenings on Tuesday (Oct 10).

"Such a rubbish Indian that I have to wait so long!" The driver exclaimed. "Then you tell me what route to take?" 

Defending himself, the passenger explained that the ride-hailing app would charge him extra for being late, so it "doesn't matter".

He was also evidently confused as to why the driver had brought race into the argument to begin with, accusing the latter of "being racial".

However, the driver didn't budge from his stance and said: "I'm not being racial, this is a fact!"

He then further added that according to his knowledge, all Indians tend to be late.

"You can complain to Grab, you can complain to anything, anyway I only drive one day a week," he said. "There's so many apps I can use to drive."

The passenger also expressed that his experience with the driver was "very, very disappointing".

Immediately, the driver retorted: "Disappointing to have you here."

"Have me where?" The passenger questioned in response. "Disappointing to have me where?"

Fed up, the driver threatened to bring them both to the police station if the passenger didn't leave in "three seconds".

Moments later, the driver then insisted that the passenger leave his vehicle, shouting: "You just get out!"

'Once you pull out the race card, you lose'

Netizens were shocked by the blatant racism that this PHV driver directed towards his passenger, with many believing that the driver was in the wrong.

"I got second-hand embarrassment just watching this… Once you pull out the race card, you lose. At least the passenger kept his cool," a comment wrote.

Another said: "This racist fool needs to be reported. There's literally no need to bring race into it."

A Reddit user also felt "sickened" by this driver's racism, stating: "Deal with lateness and whatever fees that need to be charged. But don't bring in race because it's immaterial to the situation."

However, some netizens also felt that the passenger was partially at fault in the matter and that it is considered bad mannered to be late just because he could pay for it.

"The whole point of imposing late charges is not for you to be late as long as you can pay the charges and customers shouldn't be dictating the route taken by drivers," the Redditor wrote.

AsiaOne has reached out to Grab for more information.

ALSO READ: 'You are Indian, I am Chinese, you are the very worst': Private-hire driver caught in racist tirade against passenger

khooyihang@asiaone.com