A taxi driver was fined HK$8,000 on Monday for overcharging an undercover police officer by HK$100 on a trip from Hong Kong Disneyland to Sha Tin, with the magistrate saying such misconduct damaged Hong Kong’s image and visitors’ confidence in the city.
The 44-year-old driver pleaded guilty at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to charging more than the prescribed taxi fare under the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations and failing to use the taximeter to calculate the fare.
The court heard that police were carrying out an operation against taxi irregularities at Disneyland at about 9pm on May 1 when the driver approached an undercover officer.
Communicating in Putonghua, the driver offered to take the officer to Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin, for HK$350. He failed to start the taximeter after the officer boarded the vehicle.
Upon arrival, the officer paid HK$400 and received HK$50 in change. The officer then identified himself and arrested the driver for overcharging. The normal fare for the route was understood to be about HK$250.
In sentencing, Magistrate Amy Chan Wai-mun said such offenses were becoming increasingly common and would affect Hong Kong’s image and undermine tourists’ confidence in the city. Taking into account the amount overcharged, she fined the driver HK$8,000 for the two offenses.
