An Uber driver in New Taipei City found himself in a terrifying situation early this morning (Oct 27) after a drunk passenger suddenly punched him in the face during a heated argument.
According to reports, the incident happened around midnight on Yongye Road in Xindian District, when a driver surnamed Yeh picked up a heavily intoxicated man surnamed Chen. During the ride, Chen complained that the car was “shaking too much” and accused Yeh of poor driving skills. When the driver shook his head in frustration, Chen snapped, shouting, “What? You got a problem with me?”
Yeh calmly explained that he was tired and that the road was uneven, but Chen refused to listen. He began yelling insults, saying, “I’m the one who ordered the ride! You think I’ll shortchange you? I’ll even tip you more!” before cursing repeatedly. At one point, he threatened to get out of the car to confront the driver but eventually got back in and continued arguing.
As tensions escalated, Chen suddenly punched Yeh in the face and wrapped his arm around the driver’s neck in a chokehold. Yeh, stunned and injured, immediately decided to drive straight to the nearest police station. Upon realizing this, the drunk passenger’s attitude shifted — he offered to pay NT$1,000 (about RM150) in compensation. Yeh refused and continued to the station.
At the police station, after both parties gave their statements, a group of Chen’s friends reportedly arrived, attempting to settle the matter privately by increasing the offer to NT$20,000. Yeh still refused and chose to proceed with legal action.
Police have since confirmed that the case is being investigated as an assault and has been referred to the district prosecutor’s office for further action.
The driver later shared dashcam footage of the attack online to protect himself and raise awareness among other drivers about the risks of dealing with aggressive passengers.
