Taxi driver suspended after chaotic altercation with passenger in Sydney

A simple $12 trip across town turned into a wild stand-off between a driver and a passenger in Sydney.

A simple $12 trip across town turned into a wild stand-off between a taxi driver and a passenger in Sydney.

Fabian Webb claims that he tried to pay for the ride with his card, but the driver demanded cash instead. A heated argument then sparked a series of dramatic events.

As the driver sped off along Oxford Street in Darlinghurst, Mr Webb was left screaming for help and begging for the ride to be stopped.

Mr Webb flung both back doors of the taxi wide open, despite the car reportedly racing at speeds of up to 50km/h.

“Help! Help! Call the police! Call the police!” Webb can be heard saying in the footage.

But the drama didn’t end there. The driver still demanded the $12 fare in cash, while Mr Webb insisted that he could pay with his card using the machine.

A simple $12 trip across town turned into a wild stand-off between a driver and a passenger in Sydney.

Fabian Webb claims that he tried to pay for the ride with his card, but the driver demanded cash instead.

“I wasn‘t sure what was going to happen” Mr Webb told Channel Nine, adding that he was “scared”.

“Can you just get the cash, I just want you to get the cash,” the driver said.

“If you give me the machine I‘ll put my pin in and give you my money,” Mr Webb replied.

A passing police officer stepped in to diffuse the situation, issuing the driver with a warning and putting an end to the chaos.

While the driver managed to avoid any charges or fines, his employer, 13cabs, suspended him for his unprofessional behaviour, according to Nine.

Nick Abrahim from NSW Taxi Council stated that drivers should never get involved in payment methods.

“Drivers shouldn‘t get involved in what type of method the passenger uses to pay,” he said.

An argument over payment for a $12 cab fare has escalated into a dangerous stand-off between a taxi driver and a customer. #[e-mail]/9koTGpvLnT

— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) March 28, 2023