Viral videos show Uber drivers get heckling by cabbies

KOTA KINABALU - Two men believed to be Uber drivers were seen getting heckled by taxi drivers here in a video originally shared among cab drivers.

The two videos were uploaded on Facebook on Friday by an Uber driver and became an instant hit among Uber supporters who hit back the meter-less taxi drivers.

Facebook user Miguelmutien claimed based on the angle of the videos it was taken by the taxi drivers themselves.

"They were probably sharing the videos among the taxi drivers before an Uber driver got his hands on them.

"In a way they were helping us to promote our service," said the Uber driver, adding, however, "one of the Uber drivers in the video had to lodge a police report about the heckling."

This was not the first time taxi drivers had acted aggressively towards Uber drivers, he said, but the taunting of the two men was the worst to date.

The two videos, which lasted for about four minutes, garnered over 1,000 likes and over 4,221 shares in just the first seven hours after it was posted by Miguelmutien.

They have triggered widespread support among Netizens who complimented the role of Uber drivers in providing cheaper transport and well-documented fares.

The video details how the two Uber drivers were stopped by the taxi drivers who warned them against picking up passengers in an unidentified area in the city, with the cab drivers, demanding the Uber drivers produce their 'licence' believed to be the Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence.

An unhappy Facebook user, Jason Jack, made a follow-up survey among friends over the way taxi drivers had been charging passengers without the use of meters.

Below is the response he collected on the list of taxi charges without meters. The information was gathered from customers who had been charged previously.

- Karamunsing to Bandaran – RM15 - Cybercity to airport – RM30 - Centre Point to Suria Sabah – RM30 - Kota Kinabalu to Menggatal – RM60 - Kota Kinabalu to Beverly Hills – RM45 - Kota Kinabalu to UMS – RM80 - Kota Kinabalu to KKIA – RM60 - Taman Sri Kepayan to KKIA – RM40 - Taman Sri Kepayan to Asia City – RM35 - Queen Elizabeth Hospital 2 to Kota Kinabalu – RM40 - Kota Kinabalu to Kobusak- RM30 - KK – Kobusak – RM30 - Kota Kinabalu to Nexus – RM90 - Kota KInabalu to Putatan – RM90 - UA1 to Alam Mesra – RM30 - Centre Point to Peak Point – RM25 - Karamunsing to Foh Sang – RM20 - Putatan to Bandaran – RM50 - Wawasan Plaza to Suria Sabah – RM20 - Kota Kinabalu to Beverly Hills (without air-cond) – RM30 - Sabah Oriental Hotel to Karamunsing – RM10 - Bandaran to UMS – RM40 - Bundusan Hotel to Hongkod Koisaan – RM30 - QEH to Kampung Air – RM32

Meanwhile, a bench fee mechanism for the Uber service has been set at around 95 sen per kilometer and 25 sen per minute (waiting period) and passengers will get their bills.