Taxi driver fined $1,000 for rude conduct after passenger dispute

A 61-year-old taxi driver, Lam Ching-fung, was fined HK$1,000 on Tuesday (Feb 3) after being convicted of behaving in a rude and disorderly manner during a trip from Hong Kong International Airport to Hung Hom.

The West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts heard that the incident occurred on December 7, 2024, when a female passenger asked the driver to slow down. He allegedly responded by telling her not to take the taxi if she was unhappy, adding that he was “making a living”.

The court was also told that after arriving at the destination, Lam threw a HK$20 banknote in change out of the vehicle.

Magistrate Winnie Lau Yee-wan said the complainant’s testimony was credible and coherent. Although there was no evidence to verify the accuracy of the speed information shown on the navigation app used by the passenger, this did not affect the reliability of her evidence.

The magistrate rejected the defendant’s account, noting that he repeatedly avoided questions while testifying. The court also found it unlikely that the passenger would have overpaid the fare without requesting change.

In mitigation, Lam said the court had chosen to believe the complainant and that he had no choice but to accept the decision. He added that he had been a taxi driver for more than 30 years and had never spoken to passengers in such a manner.