A mainland tourist has claimed a taxi driver used “mind games” to prepare her for a hefty fare after a ride from The Peak that was initially estimated to cost less than HK$90.
According to a social media post, the tourist said she booked a taxi through ride-hailing platform DiDi after visiting The Peak at around 8pm, as the Peak Tram queue was too long.
The app showed an estimated fare of between HK$70 and HK$87 after discounts, but the final bill came to HK$583.74 for a 6.5-kilometre journey that lasted about 14 minutes.
The driver allegedly repeatedly told her that taxis were difficult to find at The Peak and that unlicensed cars could charge between HK$800 and HK$1,000 to travel down the hill.
When she asked how much the taxi ride would actually cost, the driver allegedly told her that the fare could not be seen in the car and would only be calculated by the platform after the trip.
The tourist said she was shocked to see the final fare of HK$583.74 after arriving in Central.
She said there was no typhoon that night and that she had no luggage or pets, questioning why the fare was so high.
“The driver kept saying it was expensive, not because it really was expensive, but to psychologically prepare me for being overcharged,” she wrote.
The tourist subsequently complained to DiDi, which she said confirmed that the fare was abnormal and that the driver had manually entered a higher amount.
The platform refunded the difference, but the tourist said she remained dissatisfied and contacted the Transport Complaints Unit and police.
She claimed that information about the driver and vehicle registration number was hidden after the trip ended on the platform, making it difficult to provide evidence. She also said DiDi initially refused to provide the driver’s information, citing privacy concerns.
The post later gained more than 100,000 views on social media, prompting DiDi to contact the tourist and apologize.
According to the tourist, the platform has since suspended the driver from taking bookings, launched an investigation into the driver’s previous orders and provided the vehicle registration number.
The tourist said she plans to report the case to Hong Kong police.
DiDi told Sing Tao Headline, a sister publication of The Standard, that it takes the matter seriously and confirmed after an investigation that the driver had engaged in “irregular fare charging.”
The platform said drivers are not allowed to impose additional charges and that it has a 24-hour customer service team to handle fare-related enquiries.
The incident has sparked discussion among mainland internet users, with some claiming they had experienced similar situations and accusing drivers of using similar tactics to overcharge tourists at The Peak.
Some users also shared ways to protect themselves, including calling Hong Kong police while still in the taxi if they suspect they are being overcharged.
Under Hong Kong law, taxi drivers who overcharge passengers may face up to six months in prison and a fine of HK$10,000 upon conviction.
