'If TP fine me, I can't feed my family for 2 days': Ryde driver's handwritten note earns sympathy from netizens

The next time you choose not to buckle up on a ride, it may be good to spare some sympathy for your driver.

A handwritten note reminding passengers to put their seatbelts on aboard a Ryde booking has earned the sympathy of netizens, as seen in a Facebook post to the Professional PHV Drivers Singapore group by user RiOn Yeo on Sunday (July 28).

"Took Ryde and a taxi came, saw this from the backseat, hand written by himself," Yeo wrote on his post.

In photographs taken by Yeo, two notes written on duct tape were pasted on the headrest and rear of the passenger seat, telling passengers to fasten their seat belts.

"I earn $70 a day, if TP (traffic police) fine me, I can't feed my family for two days," the first note reads. "Understand my situation, put seat belt on or I cancel trip."

The second note stated: "Please put on seat belt and remain buckled till end [of trip], I can't afford $150 fine. TP conducts spot checks."

Many users expressed sympathy for the driver after reading his message.

"Imagine you earn $200 and $100 goes to rent. I am sure they have to pay their own fuel. So yeah... not crazy," a user said.

"Sad but it's quite true," another said.

A user also questioned: "TP should fine those passengers who refuse to belt up...not the drivers. What kind of justice is this?"

Another said: "It's unfair… why should drivers be penalised if riders don't want to comply? Should just fine the rider and deduct their own points."

According to the Road Traffic (Motor Vehicles, Wearing of Seat Belts) Rules 2011, not wearing a seat belt is an offence and may incur a fine of up to $1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.

'My eyes small but I'm not sleeping'

This isn't the first time a public hire vehicle driver's notes have created discussion among netizens.

In a Facebook post in May 2022, user Clara Fu shared images of the interior of her private hire driver's car and the many passive-aggressive notes on a plastic divider between the front and back seats.

"My eyes small but [I'm] not sleeping!" One sign on the plastic divider read, which many netizens found amusing.

The driver also had multiple signs up specifically telling passengers not to complain.

"Be grateful to have [the] driver pick you," a sign in the middle of the divider states. "Don't complain!"

"Want extra service? Please tell me, don't complain!" Another sign reads.

Fu told AsiaOne then that her experience with the driver was good and that while his tone was serious and firm, he wasn't rude at any point.

"We did make an effort not to talk too loudly too, so I guess his 'notices' worked," Fu said. 

"When we reached the destination [the driver] even said 'thank you'," Fu added. "It [kind of] goes to show there must be plenty of unpleasant passengers around."

ALSO READ: 'There's no such thing as child seat': PHV driver baffled at customer's response when told toddler needs child seat

khooyihang@asiaone.com