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Osaka police are holding a man on fraud charges for allegedly skipping out on a 180,000 yen taxi fare. According to TV reports, the 67-year old man, who is homeless and unemployed, flagged down a taxi at a major Tokyo train station at 8 p.m. on June 23 and rode it all the way to Osaka’s Shin-Osaka train station before revealing to the driver that he had only 6,000 yen.
At the time the man entered the taxi, a number of cheaper, much faster shinkansen bullet trains were still running from Tokyo to Osaka. When police pointed this out to the suspect, he was quoted as saying, “Living on the street is tough. I wanted to get arrested.” The taxi driver told police the man had assured him he could pay for the ride.
Police questioned the taxi driver as well, wondering why he accepted such a fare. “A sale is a sale,” the driver said. A taxi driver in the Tokyo area will normally bring in around 400,000 – 500,000 yen a month, so the promise of a single 180,000 yen fair would certainly be difficult for some to pass up.
Because of the risks involved, drivers are encouraged to make a judgment call based on the customer’s behavior and attitude before taking on a long-distance passenger, and are generally required to get permission from the dispatcher. Reports are unclear if the driver followed this procedure.
© Japan Today
32 Comments
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nath
That's quite a large fare.
some14some
sounds like 'poverty sharing' between tax driver and homeless passenger.
whiskeysour
First I would ask, ARE YOU SURE ?
Taking an airplane is much faster ?! Would you like me to drive you to the airport ?
The taxi driver is guilty of stupidity !!
mitoguitarman
Ridiculous. Just ask for a deposit before leaving Tokyo. I think life will be tougher in the can than it was on the street.
bass4funk
Now how many Japanese would do that? Most Japanese don't they would be cheated like that. If that happened in most other countries, common sense would tell you to do so, I think so, but traditionally, historically Japanese never had to deal with that kind of dishonesty, but sadly, times are changing, so now people are going to be more cautious and skeptical when being put in that kind of situation.
kurisupisu
Greed doesn't pay!
ihavegreatlegs
He should have drove him all the way back and kicked him out to the curb.
Speed
Tell the customer from the start that after every 10,000 yen worth of driving, he's going to stop and have him pay before continuing on. Come on, the dude is homeless. He can't look like he's got 180,000 yen on him.
MrDog
Well, at least he didn't just stab someone.
No. It will be far better. Roof over his head, food, clothing, showers, etc etc. Japanese jails are nothing like in the UK/US. Prison rape doesn't even exist here apparently. He'll just have to sit in his cell. That's it.
jonobugs
I would certainly think that the taxi driver is way too gullible in this situation given the fact that few homeless men will look like they have enough money to pay for that kind of fare. I'm thinking that this wasn't the first taxi driver the man tried to con.
If the man wanted to be arrested, maybe he should have tried shoplifting at a really expensive store or something. That would be an 'almost' victim-less crime as the property would normally be returned and it seems that crimes like that are viewed more serious than other crimes.
Foxie
When we take the bus, plane, train, ship we always pay the fare before boarding. They should come up with a similar system for taxis. This is not the first time this has happened. I feel sorry for taxi drivers here.
Joselito Asi
takai desu ne
cactusJack
The homeless dude probably stunk to high heaven, and yet the driver takes the risk? Give me a break! I am sure the taxi driver expected the cops to pay.
naruhodo1
Dunb taxi driver
Greapper1
Seems the taxi driver should be held at fault as well.
Taking on a 180,000 yen fare on "faith" that the customer will pay....
I mean the guy could have taken a train or a plane and gotten there a hell of a lot faster and cheaper.
Gurukun
Nice way to say the JCops thought the driver was stupid too.
Laguna
The vernacular press is saying the real reason he didn't pay is that the driver left an AKB48 eight-track playing the entire ride.
smithinjapan
And the bi-monthly story of the idiot cabby who thought he would get paid for a big ride. The customer should almost get off with a slap in the wrist, but the driver arrested for idiocy. How many times do you hear of this happening? And yet they are not allowed to ask for the money upfront or see some proof.
SquidBert
I must be in the wrong line of work. These guys don't even know how to get from point A to B without directions.
Okinawamike
Dunb taxi driver
What is a Dunb Taxi Driver? Is that like a stooped taxi driver?
DentShop
That actually sounds like decent cash.
I guess you have to take into account gas, insurance, fees, white gloves etc., probably have to put up with drunks like me and work 16 hour days, long slabs of doing nothing, Friday and Saturday nights - actually I will stick to being a fake English teacher.
No wonder he chased after 180000 Yen - the story of a lifetime while hanging around at the cab rank on a Tuesday afternoon.
Fadamor
Why would it be hard to pass up? I haven't been to a county fair in decades and CERTAINLY wouldn't go to one that cost ¥180,000! Fairs are so "20th Century"! ;-)
To be fair, though, non-native speakers of English DO have a lot of trouble with homonyms. I wish the fare-deprived taxi driver well, even though he does appear to be a bit gullible.
Speed
It looks like everybody got a the thumbs down on their comments.
calm down
Surely the dispatcher takes the rap for this one.
Asagao
More proof of the greed of taxi drivers. Not only do they drive like 80 year olds, oh thats right they are over 80, but they dump their rubbish on the streets. I am shocked that they earn nearly 4 times as much as me, at least I have all that money to look forward to when I I retire and get given a taxi.
lucabrasi
All of them? You've obviously had a very bad experience somewhere in your past....
the_sheriff
If you're pulling taxi driver hours and only making 100,000 to 125,000 yen a month, you need to hop in a taxi and get your ass to Hello Work pronto!
TrentonGaijin
Someday taxi drivers will learn that guys that look like they might not be able to pay probably can't pay. Then they'll either ask for a deposit or stop every hour to "clear the meter." This isn't the first time I've read a story like this....
Elbuda Mexicano
This taxi driver sounds like an idiot, he could not tell this guy was a homeless?? IDIOT!
Badge213
500,000 a month! I should become a taxi driver.
Kevin Lee Brooke
cactusJackJul. 26, 2011 - 11:37AM JST
The homeless dude probably stunk to high heaven, and yet the driver takes the risk? Give me a break! I am sure the taxi driver expected the cops to pay.
That made me laugh so hard I cried.
Kevin Lee Brooke
SpeedJul. 27, 2011 - 04:50AM JST
It looks like everybody got a the thumbs down on their comments.Maybe the taxi driver is reading this. Or better yet, maybe the bum is now that he has all that time in jail.