Premium

‘I charged you extra’: Why a Mumbai taxi driver’s confession to a passenger is winning the internet

X user Mudrika shared an incident from a quick taxi trip between Crawford Market and Churchgate that she said left her stunned.

Mumbai taxi driverWhen the X user asked the driver for the fare, he quoted Rs 200. After some bargaining, they settled on Rs 150

A Mumbai woman’s short cab ride turned into an unexpected life lesson, and the internet can’t decide whether to laugh, applaud, or stay confused.

X user Mudrika shared an incident from a quick taxi trip between Crawford Market and Churchgate, a distance she said should take barely seven minutes. When she asked the driver for the fare, he quoted Rs 200. After some bargaining, they settled on Rs 150 and set off, with nothing seeming out of the ordinary.

The surprise came at the destination. After she paid, the driver casually admitted he had overcharged her. Mudrika recalled him saying, “maine aapse 30–40 extra he charge kiya hai” (I have taken Rs 30–40 extra from you), before pointing to the meter and adding, “ye dekho meter pe 110 he aaya hai” (look, the meter shows Rs 110).

What left her stunned wasn’t just the confession; it was what followed. Instead of brushing it off, the driver offered advice, telling her, “Next time, only check the price on the meter. I’m giving you this advice since you are new here. Take care of yourself.”

“I just stood there completely stunned,” Mudrika wrote, adding that the mix of honesty and hustle felt uniquely Mumbai. “The honesty mixed with the hustle was the most Mumbai thing ever.” Despite losing a few extra rupees, she said she walked away feeling wiser.

Check out the post:

 

The post quickly gained traction, with users chiming in with their own takes on Mumbai’s brand of street-smart truthfulness. A user wrote, “Peak Mumbai. In any other city, they scam you and speed away. In Mumbai, they scam you, then give you a receipt, a tutorial on how to avoid the scam next time, and a blessing for your future. The most honest dishonesty I’ve ever heard of.”

Mumbai Traffic Police commented, “Please send the taxi number.” Another individual wrote, “30-40 rupees was the price he made you pay for the lesson you didn’t even know you needed.”

Story continues below this ad

Another person said, “To be honest Mumbai taxi walas are the best in the world!!”

 

Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
Advertisement
Loading Taboola...
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement