A viral video on social media captured a taxi driver refusing service to passengers after one of them lit a cigarette without permission in the backseat. The driver boldly told the passengers, “I am a taxi driver, not your servant.”
The user named Lakshay Mehta shared the footage on social platform X on July 8, and it has since garnered over 4.3 million views and received 74,000 likes.
The video shows two men sitting in the backseat of the taxi, with one of them lighting a cigarette and starting to smoke.
The taxi driver addressed the situation, saying, “Sir, did you ask me before lighting up? Smoking is not allowed in my car.”
The passenger retorted, “Why should I ask you? This is not your car, it’s a taxi. You can’t dictate whether I can smoke or not.”
The driver responded firmly, “I’m canceling this trip. I don’t want your money. Please get out. I am a taxi driver, not your servant.”
In the video’s conclusion, the driver can be seen exiting the car, opening the back door and asking the passengers to disembark. He preferred to forgo the fare rather than allow smoking in the vehicle.
The authenticity of this video could not be independently verified by Epoch Times. Many netizens expressed their views through comments.
Some praised the driver’s prioritization of respect and personal boundaries over monetary gain. Others pointed out that paying for a service does not entitle passengers to disregard the driver’s rules or mistreat the vehicle. Some criticized individuals who smoke in public places without consideration for others.
User αиѕнυℓ commented, “Taxi driver is 100% correct… Just renting a car does not mean passengers own the vehicle or the driver… I fully support him… Well done, brother.”
User Dele Fayemi suggested, “The phrase ‘I am a taxi driver, not your servant’ should be printed on a T-shirt.”
User Narasimha Phalgun commended the driver, stating, “Well done, such passengers need to be kicked out.”
User Pramod Kumar Singh saluted the driver, noting, “Civic awareness is non-existent in our society. People think just booking a ride gives them ownership of the taxi.”
User Nitya Roast Yogi criticized the passenger for being rude, likening the situation to entering someone’s home and lighting up without asking, a behavior most would consider disrespectful.
User Bluelighter8 stated, “The driver has 100% right to kick them out.”
User Simply Shashi highlighted the health hazards of smoking and the strict no-smoking policies in many public places. Refusing passengers to smoke in the car is the right approach. Despite clear warnings on cigarette packages about the cancer-causing effects of tobacco, many still ignore them. The government should enforce anti-smoking regulations more strictly to protect everyone.
Comment from R.GPT, a self-proclaimed smoker, noted, “Whenever I consider smoking in a taxi, I always ask the driver’s permission first. Not to mention, you shouldn’t smoke in any enclosed space with others present, as the smoke might make others uncomfortable.”