From Spraying Hydrochloric Acid on Vehicles... Taxi vs Uber Escalates in Mexico

Continued Driver Assaults and Passenger Hijacking
Amendment Bill Passed but Dissatisfaction Remains

In Cancun, Mexico, a world-renowned resort destination, a taxi driver sprayed hydrochloric acid on an Uber vehicle out of frustration with ride-sharing services.

The photo is not directly related to the content of the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Mexican daily newspapers Milenio and El Financiero on the 6th (local time), a taxi driver and an Uber driver had an argument near a hotel around Malec?n Tajamar in Cancun, Quintana Roo, the previous afternoon. During the dispute, the taxi driver sprayed hydrochloric acid on the Uber vehicle, damaging part of the door and the side mirror.

Fortunately, there were no casualties.

The taxi driver was immediately arrested by the police who responded to the report. The taxi driver promised to pay the victim 2,000 pesos (approximately 152,000 KRW) for repair costs and a settlement.

In Cancun, which welcomes around 30 million tourists annually, taxi drivers' attempts to curb and attack Uber drivers have continued for years, becoming a social issue.

Taxi drivers have collectively threatened Uber drivers to prevent them from parking for long periods near hotels or popular tourist spots, and have shared photos of Uber vehicle license plates among themselves to obstruct their operations.

Last month, two taxi drivers on Yaxchilan Street in Cancun mistook a black van carrying foreigners for an Uber and threatened it.

Passenger poaching, driver assaults, and vehicle damage are common occurrences.

Earlier in January, a Mexican court ruled that there was no problem with the operations of ride-sharing companies like Uber and Didi, rejecting the taxi industry's claim that their livelihoods were threatened by unfair competition.

In April, the state legislature even passed an amendment officially allowing ride-sharing companies to operate. However, taxi drivers' dissatisfaction has not subsided.

Agueda Esperia Soto, spokesperson for Cancun Uber drivers, stated, "The related crimes continue because there have been no appropriate punishments for those attacking Uber drivers," and called for strict penalties against offenders.

Withdrawal of Korean Taxi Industry's Claim that "Uber is an Illegal Call Taxi"

Meanwhile, Uber entered the Korean market in August 2013 but suspended its service due to opposition from the taxi industry and others. The claim was that under the 'Passenger Transport Service Act,' it is illegal to use private passenger cars instead of taxis to carry passengers for money.

The 'Tada Basic' service, which allowed users to book 11-passenger vans with drivers via a mobile app, was launched in December 2018 but faced fierce attacks from the taxi industry as an "illegal call taxi." Consequently, in October 2019, prosecutors indicted it as an "unlicensed multi-passenger call taxi."

As a result, the Passenger Transport Service Act, which banned such services, passed the National Assembly in March 2020, and the service was suspended in April of the same year. Although Tada was ultimately acquitted by the court, the regulation made it impossible to resume the existing service.

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