‘Don’t call me bhaiya’: Bengaluru cab driver’s ‘strict’ rulebook for passengers sparks debate online

A Reddit user shared a picture of the sheet, printed, laminated, and neatly taped behind the front passenger seat.

Bengaluru cab driver's rules for passengers

The list features six instructions, and reactions to them have been mixed

A cab driver’s unusually detailed rulebook for passengers has set social media buzzing, with people divided over whether he’s being reasonable or going overboard. A Reddit user shared a picture of the sheet, printed, laminated, and neatly taped behind the front passenger seat, with the caption, “This was stuck behind the front seat in my cab to work yesterday.”

The list features six instructions, and reactions to them have been mixed. Some users applauded the driver for drawing boundaries in a job where disrespect is common, while others felt the tone was unnecessarily stern.

The driver opens with a firm reminder: “You are not the owner of the cab. The person driving the cab is the owner of the cab.” He goes on to ask customers to “speak politely and take respect,” shut the door gently, and keep their attitude in check, adding pointedly, “please don’t show it to us because you are not giving more money to us.”

But one rule in particular has struck a nerve: a request that passengers avoid calling him bhaiya, a word most Indians use instinctively for cab and auto drivers.

Check out the post:

Screenshot of the Reddit post

His final instruction stresses safety above everything else: “Don’t ask us to drive fast, bee on time,” a line many interpreted as a pushback against customers who pressure drivers to overspeed.

One user commented, “Point 5 is concerning: If we pay more, they’ll tolerate bad attitude? Also point 3 contradicts with the whole set of instructions.”

Another user wrote, “Seems fair imo. Some people act so entitled just cos they booked the cab and are paying for it that they forget the cab driver is a human too. I always greet them before boarding, ask if they had their food etc and the whole ride i never face an issue. Yes there are some black sheep in any set of people but fortunately I’ve encountered very few of those.”

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A user also provided some of the customer’s rules, and wrote “Obey all traffic laws and regulations without exception. · Use your horn only when essential for safety. · Always ask the passenger for their AC preference. · Maintain a professional demeanor; refrain from chewing pan. · Avoid any confrontational language with other drivers. · Do not engage in long or loud personal phone calls. · Treat every passenger with the respect you expect for yourself.”