Grab passenger fined $6,000 for slapping taxi driver, swearing at him
A Grab user was so infuriated by a cabby who got a booking request from him but picked up two passengers from a taxi stand instead that he called the taxi driver and spewed expletives at him, a district court heard.
When the cabby returned to explain the situation to the rider, the latter slapped him.
At the State Courts on Monday (5 November), Gregory David Blackwood-Lee, 47, a Singaporean, was fined the maximum $5,000 for causing hurt to taxi driver Francis Lim Joo Heng, 50. He was also fined $1,000 for using insulting words on a public service worker. He pleaded guilty to both charges.
The court heard that Lim had not picked up Blackwood-Lee, who had identified himself as “David Lee” in his Grab app, as he thought the requester was supposed to be Asian-looking instead of Caucasian.
Pick-up request at Turf Club Road
Lim had got a pick-up request from Blackwood-Lee at 5.49pm on 12 January. He drove to the pick-up point provided, which was the taxi stand of The Grandstand at 200 Turf Club Road.
When Lim was nearby at about 5.53pm, Blackwood-Lee – who was standing near the road kerb – gestured with his hands to signal to the cabby to drive towards him. The Grab rider also gestured to indicate that it was him who made the booking.
However, Lim drove towards the taxi stand. Two people who were waiting for a taxi to head to their workplace approached Lim’s taxi and took the ride instead.
Cabby made U-turn
After Lim had driven off for a short distance, an angry Blackwood-Lee called him at 5.54pm. He told the cabby, “I stand in front of you, you don’t pick me. F*** you, f***ing a**hole.” To which the cabby replied, “Sir, don’t f*** me.”
Lim then told the two passengers that he would not be able to ferry them and asked them to alight.
At 5.58pm, Lim drove back to the taxi stand. Upon seeing Lim, Blackwood-Lee told him, “Do you wanna bring it on bruh… you wanna bring it on?” The audio interaction was captured on the taxi’s in-car camera.
Lim then alighted and went to explain the situation to the Grab rider. But Blackwood-Lee asked, “You want to fight?” Lim replied, “I don’t want to fight… I just want to let you know”.
Suddenly, Blackwood-Lee slapped Lim, causing his Bluetooth earpiece to dislodge from his ear. The assailant then said, “You want to fight?”
Blackwood-Lee then walked away. Lim called the police at 6.03pm and again at 6.46pm.
Atypical case
In sentencing Blackwood-Lee, District Judge Marvin Bay agreed with the prosecution that the maximum fine of $5,000 was appropriate, given that the case was atypical of those involving assault against public transport workers.
In his sentencing remarks, the judge said that the event “appears to have been triggered by a miscommunication when Mr Lim failed to pick Mr Blackwood-Lee up despite him standing conspicuously by the side of the road”.
He added, “Mr Gregory Blackwood-Lee had simply identified himself as ‘David Lee’ in his grab request, which had apparently miscued the driver to look out for a passenger with an Asian rather than a Caucasoid appearance. The event had occured when Mr Lim, realising his mistake, had subsequently driven back to the taxi stand, and stepped out of his taxi to approach Mr Blackwood-Lee.”
The maximum punishment for causing hurt is two years’ jail and a $5,000 fine. The maximum penalty for using insulting words on a public service worker is a $5,000 fine and one year’ jail.
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