How can I report a taxi driver in Hong Kong with no plate and no driver name displayed in the car?
I got into a cab ride in Hong Kong, which ended with the driver adding some silly surcharge (145 HKD). I wanted to report the taxi driver but the car had no plate and the driver's name was not displayed in the car. How should have I reported them? (e.g. am I allowed to hold the taxi driver while waiting for the police to arrive? Does the taxi contain any other identifiable information? Is taking a video/photo of the driver enough? etc.)
The receipt didn't have any useful information either (and was given to me as shown in the image below, with the top being missing):
The official website to report issues with taxi drivers in Hong Kong asks for either the taxi driver's name or plate: https://www.tcu.gov.hk/taxi/index.htm
Best Answer
If a vehicle displays no license plate, the driver has offended multiple articles in the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations, Cap 374E of the Laws of Hong Kong. This is a criminal offence, and can be punished by a fine of HK$2,000 at the very least (and IIRC, loss of driving privileges).
So, in this case, you should gather whatever information you have and call the police at 999. At the same time, you should also lodge a complaint with the Transportation Complaints Unit and provide all available information, explaining that the driver doesn't have a license plate on display.
Then, you can only pray that the police catches the offender and punish them. The police do have a small chance of finding them, but you shouldn't plan on it.
If they can't help you get your money back even if the offender was found (unlikely case), you may be able to sue them in the Small Claims Tribunal if you really want your money back. No legal representation (i.e. barristers) are permitted in the Small Claims Tribunal, so no worries about legal charges.
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Do taxi drivers have to display ID?
Please remember that taxi drivers must wear their badge, and private hire drivers must wear their driver ID, at all times while working. This is a public safety issue as it is an important way for members of the public to identify you as a licensed driver.How do I report a taxi to LTO?
Just call 0917-550-1342 or 0998-550-1342 and send them your message. You can also email them at complaint.ltfrb.gov.ph@gmail.com. If you're more of a phone person, then you can just call them at (632)4592129 (they don't respond as fast as they do at Facebook, though).Is it a criminal Offence to not pay a taxi?
If a passenger refuses to pay the fare or runs off without paying, this is considered to be a criminal offence. The law also looks unfavourably on passengers who knowingly take a taxi journey without having the money to pay for it and does not inform the driver of this until the final destination is reached.How do you deal with a rude taxi driver?
Don't respond with rudeness. If you respond with rudeness, you will only fuel that anger and make matters even worse. Don't mind their rudeness; you can choose to stay quiet, or respond with kindness. The driver will realize later on that his attitude was completely uncalled for.A Taxi driver crashed into pedestrians in Hong Kong - road accident. Dash Cam video.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Tim Samuel, Tim Samuel, Jackson David, Tim Samuel