'You are racist': Female Tada driver files police report against 'aggressive' male passengers
A female Tada driver who says that two male passengers became hostile towards her during a pick-up and accused her of racism has lodged a police report.
Facebook user Sarah Lim uploaded a video of the alleged confrontation in the TADA Drivers Club Facebook group, which she said took place at Studio M Hotel at around 2.58am on Nov 30.
In the clip lasting almost three and a half minutes, a male passenger can be heard asking Ms Lim repeatedly whether Tada has regulations on passengers taking the front seat. He accuses Ms Lim of having a "problem" and that she is "racist".
In the caption, Ms Lim she had asked one of the passengers, who wanted to sit in the front, to take a seat in the back instead as it was her personal preference.
When the passenger questions whether the platform prohibits front-seat passengers, she replies that it is simply her preference when there are ample seats.
According to Ms Lim, the passenger then turned aggressive and accused her of being racist, a claim she strongly denied.
Driver felt intimidated
The situation escalated when the passengers opened her door and refused to close it, preventing her from parking properly, said Ms Lim.
Being confronted by "6-foot-tall male adults" made her feel intimidated and that she had little choice but to park with the door open.
After parking, said Ms Lim, the passengers again opened her door. She got out and informed them that she was recording for her safety, but the two men approached her aggressively, tried to snatch her phone, and slapped it onto the ground.
At the end of the video, a bespectacled man with a beard and long hair tied up in a bun appears to strike the camera, causing it to fall.
Ms Lim added that the men used vulgarities and called her names, which was recorded in the video. She also claimed that Studio M Hotel's main entrance cameras would have captured the incident.
She had offered to cancel the trip from her end, but the passengers refused.
Follow up actions taken
In a comment on Nov 30, Ms Lim wrote that she had emailed relevant authorities, including the Land Transport Authority and Tada, and would file a Magistrate's Complaint - an application to a magistrate to inquire into an alleged offence and give directions for further action - the following day.
Ms Lim also claimed to have made a police report, which she shared with Tada, and added that the ride-hailing platform would reimburse the $10.50 parking fee incurred at Studio M Hotel.
In response to Stomp's queries, a spokesperson from Tada confirmed that the company is aware of the incident and has been in contact with the driver.
The spokesperson also added that Tada has reached out to the passenger for clarification and is awaiting his response.
Riders dispute driver's account
The riders involved in the incident have come forward with a different account of what happened, saying the viral clip captured only the final moments of a longer dispute.
In an email to Stomp, one of the riders in Sarah Lim's video, who declined to be named, said the clip showed only the "culmination of a dispute", and alleged that earlier interactions between both parties had contributed to the escalation.
He said he had asked to sit in the front seat as he experiences motion sickness, which he described as a "standard and reasonable request" for ride-hailing rides. According to him, Ms Lim declined immediately.
He further alleged that the driver expressed concerns about him being "big-sized" and the situation became tense after that. He also claimed she called him and his friend names during the disagreement.
He said they felt uncomfortable with how the interaction unfolded and decided to call the police for assistance, which led to the confrontation seen in the video.
He also confirmed that the riders are cooperating with the police, and the case is undergoing investigation.
