"Overcharged After Following Taxi Navigation" 'Trick Fare' Controversy Sparks Passenger Outrage [Reporter Han Goes]

Some Passengers Unintentionally Follow Navigation to Destination
Arrive Later and Pay More, Frustration Ensues
Expert: "Unfair Charges Have Many Ambiguous Aspects, Data Must Be Reliable"

The photo is not related to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] # A man in his 30s, office worker A, recently had a frustrating experience while taking a taxi to work. The taxi driver operated the navigation system without his consent and ended up taking a longer route to the destination. A said, "I might have understood if I arrived at the destination earlier, but instead, the driver took a detour," expressing his frustration. He added, "I don't know why the shortest route wasn't taken," and raised his voice, saying, "From now on, I will explain the destination myself to make sure we go there."

Recently, among taxi passengers, there has been an increasing number of complaints about cases where passengers end up paying more after being taken to their destination via navigation systems.

In summary, taxi drivers listen to the passenger's destination and operate the navigation system. In the process, some drivers do not seek the passenger's consent. Then, instead of setting the navigation to the 'shortest route,' they set it to 'simple route guidance' or similar, and proceed with the drive.

Even if the 'shortest route' setting is used, the route may be shorter in distance but not the fastest way to the destination, so passengers inevitably end up paying more.

Passengers protest this, but drivers respond, "I just followed the route the navigation system showed." Ultimately, passengers have no choice but to pay the extra fare. This is why there are criticisms that this is a so-called 'trick fare.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

B, a man in his 30s who recently experienced such a situation, said, "I naturally assumed the taxi navigation system was set to 'shortest route,'" and expressed frustration, "If it's not the shortest route, I don't understand why we use navigation at all." He raised his voice, saying, "It's ridiculous not to know the way. Why would anyone pay a high fare to take a taxi?"

Another passenger in his late 20s, C, said, "Many people around me have had similar experiences," and emphasized, "I always advise acquaintances to verbally explain the destination or get off if the taxi driver doesn't know the way."

As the controversy spreads, it is not easy to get refunded for the extra fare incurred. According to experts, passengers ultimately have to file a complaint to dispute whether the fare was illegal. This requires time and effort, so most give up.

A representative from a taxi transportation business association said, "If a significantly higher fare than the standard taxi fare is charged, it can be disputed through unfair fare reports and related procedures, but if the extra fare is only 100 or 200 won, it is a gray area," adding, "Ultimately, if passengers think the fare is unfair, the only way to resolve it is to report it to the relevant authorities."

A taxi driver with 30 years of accident-free driving experience said, "I think this applies only to some drivers," and explained, "To dispute unfair fares, video evidence of conversations with the taxi driver about the fare or the destination is necessary." He added, "Not all drivers do this. It seems that only a very small number of drivers cause such situations. I hope such behavior does not occur."

Also, a representative from a civil complaint counseling center said, "Unfortunately, it is difficult to provide guidance on whether the issue is illegal," and explained, "It is possible to file a complaint through the traffic inconvenience report system. However, it is appropriate to contact the taxi company or the transportation business association to receive accurate guidance for resolving the issue."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.