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The Indian man shared that he was not carrying cash and only had his credit card with him, so he thought of getting a lift from someone to collect a parcel near the airport
He said that the cab driver did not discuss fare before he got into the cab (Image: X/@diol2n)
An ordinary cab ride in Vietnam sparked debate online after an Indian man was caught on a dashcam stepping out of the car, telling the driver, “Thank you,” instead of paying. The awkward encounter between the driver and the passenger quickly went viral on social media, with most people criticising the passenger for his actions.
The dashcam footage, posted on social media, showed the tourist sitting beside the driver. The incident unfolded on August 3. As he arrived at his destination, he prepared to leave by grabbing his belongings. That is when the driver gestured to him, seemingly asking for the fare for the cab ride.
Instead of making a payment, the tourist replied, “Thank you, I don’t have money. Only have a 10. Thank you,” before getting out of the cab with a smile on his face and walking away. The driver did not argue or chase after the passenger. He remained seated, appearing shocked and unsure how to react as the tourist left without paying.
Once the clip garnered widespread attention on social media, people began criticising the Indian man. Following the backlash, the man named Gaurav Aggarwal posted a video explaining his side of the story.
In the clip, he shared that he was rushing to catch a flight but first needed to collect a parcel from a logistics centre because it had not reached his hotel in time. Since he was short on time, he approached drivers waiting outside the airport instead of booking a ride through an app.
He said he usually paid for everything in Vietnam using a credit card and was not carrying cash. He claimed several drivers refused to help after telling him the ride would cost money. However, when he approached that driver, seen in the clip, he never discussed the fare. As no payment was ever mentioned before the journey, he said he assumed the driver was offering him a lift as a favour.
After the video went viral, the tourist said someone claiming to be the driver contacted him through social media. He apologised for the misunderstanding and claimed he repeatedly offered to pay the fare through a bank transfer or by asking a friend in Vietnam to pay on his behalf.
However, the driver declined his offers and did not share any bank account or payment details. To support his claims, the man even shared screenshots of their conversations, his boarding pass and records of digital payments.
Internet Has Mixed Reactions To The Incident
The incident has continued to generate mixed reactions online. While some users criticised the tourist for leaving the cab without paying or asking for the fare beforehand, others said that it was purely a misunderstanding.
“Indian tourists or any tourists need to understand that people like this taxi driver are working to earn a living, not providing a charity service. If you use the service, you must pay for it,” wrote a user.
Another said, “This looks more like a driver asking for a tip and not a fare. The taxi cabs globally accept credit card payments or other auto payments. So the can far maybe already paid.”
Meanwhile, an individual commented, “He offered to pay the vn driver 200k VND, and the driver refused. What else is the Indian bloke supposed to do?”
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A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what’s creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
August 07, 2026, 15:03 IST
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