Robbed in Hanoi (Day 1 - Part 3), Hanoi, Vietnam
Even though I was aware of taxi scams in Vietnam, I would have never imagine myself being a victim until I did become one.
As stated in my earlier post, we got robbed. The crook of a cab driver was in his mid 20s, wearing a dark T-shirt and a baseball cap. He is around 155cm and is lanky. He speaks smattering of English and chooses to conveniently forget English when it suits him.
Note: Beware of taxi drivers outside Quoc An Ngon!!
Note: Beware of taxi drivers outside Quoc An Ngon!!
The cab we got into looks very similar to the Mai Linh Group's logo. In the dark, we couldn't really make it out. But the make of the car and logo on it is very similar to the picture below.
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| How Mai Linh logo looks like. Photo credits to http://www.comeandgovietnam.com/ |
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| Scam taxi. Picture credits to http://guideofvietnam.blogspot.sg |
It was a metered cab and the driver knew where we wanted to go. We were prepared to give VND100,000 for the ride (a little high but we were tired and wanted to return to the hotel). When we neared the hotel, the driver actually took a turn and parked across the street. He then demanded us to pay him VND200,000. We told him that we will pay him according to the meter which showed VND80,000. We gave him VND100,000 expecting change. Instead, he locked us in and drove down the street. I was very worried and started kicking the side door, hoping the damage of his car will make him slow down until I can figure how to get out. HY in the meanwhile was trying to talk sense to the crook and told him that he was prepared to give VND200,000 if he stopped the car. The crook then stopped us at the curb.
I hammered at the window and a few local Vietnamese guys stopped to stare at me. Not doing anything... at that moment, I really hated the Vietnamese in Hanoi. These Vietnamese were well dressed, with their designer glasses. What would you do when you see someone screaming and trying to break the glass window in a backseat of a car? Help them, duh... Yet they stared... what a load of bull.
I hammered at the window and a few local Vietnamese guys stopped to stare at me. Not doing anything... at that moment, I really hated the Vietnamese in Hanoi. These Vietnamese were well dressed, with their designer glasses. What would you do when you see someone screaming and trying to break the glass window in a backseat of a car? Help them, duh... Yet they stared... what a load of bull.
Don't get me wrong, I do have a few Vietnamese friends in Singapore and used to know some in the States. They are the sweetest bunch of people I know. But those who stared at me, trying to get their attention for help deserves to be eunuchs. If you see a girl screaming and hitting the window of a car, what would you do? May karma bite them on their crown jewels.
As HY was taking the money out, the crook grabbed HY's wallet and riffled through it. Then almost as sudden, he unlocked the doors and gave HY back his wallet. HY discovered USD 50 was missing from his wallet. HY asked the driver back for the money and the driver suddenly feigned ignorance of the English language. We looked in the car and could not find the USD50 bill. I was shaken by that time and was very very tempted to throw a punch at the driver but HY held me back. In the confusion of events, we forgot to take down the number of the taxi.
We walked back to the hotel which was a road away and informed the receptionist. They are not able to do much because we did not manage to get the license plate number. Nevertheless, the hotel staff were genuinely concerned about our well-being and that was sweet of them.
Sorry Mai Linh Group, I can't take your taxi anymore because I do not know if I will get robbed again, whether or not your cabbies was involved in my robbing. The logos are too similar. Maybe when Hanoi taxi scams are gone, then we will talk.
Comments welcome on Vietnam taxi scams... Maybe that would be enough to build a blog.
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