Cabby plays game on phone while driving, ends up missing passenger's destination

While passengers expect taxi drivers to keep their eyes on the road, not all of them do so.

On Wednesday (June 23), Facebook group, SG Road Vigilante - SGRV posted a one-minute clip showing a ComfortDelGro cabby playing a game on his mobile phone while driving.

In the caption, it stated that the passenger felt the driver stepping on the brakes relatively often.

"Then I realised he [was] actually playing games while driving and even overshot my destination, sending me to Siberia until I have to stop him [sic]," the passenger said.

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Even after the misroute, the cabby continued playing the mobile game.

Throughout the clip, it was clear that he was tapping on the phone with his right hand while his left hand remained on the steering wheel. 

Pinging noises could also be heard throughout.

Upon alighting, the passenger told the cabby that he should not be playing games while driving, but the latter disagreed and said it was fine to do so.

The passenger also had to pay extra cab fare, due to the cabby missing their intended destination.

Tammy Tan, the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer of ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited told AsiaOne on Friday: "We are investigating this matter and will take appropriate disciplinary action if cabby has been found to have committed this act of unsafe driving."

This was not the first time someone was caught playing mobile games while driving.

In April, a shuttle bus driver was suspended after he was filmed performing a similar act while ferrying passengers to Orchid Country Club.

Under the Road Traffic Act, it is an offence for a driver of a vehicle to operate a mobile communication device while a vehicle is in motion on a road or in a public place.

If found guilty, an offender would be liable to a fine of up to $1,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both. 

amierul@asiaone.com