Pedicab driver charges man £500 for 10-minute ride from Mayfair to Soho
By Hannah Neary, Local Democracy Reporter
A dodgy London pedicab driver charged a man £500 for a 10-minute journey from Mayfair to Soho.
The tourist was scammed after a short trip while on a night out with friends in the West End on Friday, July 29.
The man, who wants to remain anonymous, said he was “distracted” by the pedicab driver, then paid for the journey by card without realising how much the man was charging.
A receipt shows £500 was instantly taken out of the man’s account on the same day.
He said: “He completely distracted me. I’d had a few drinks, and I should have realised but I blindly put my card in the machine.
“He was good at what he did. I wouldn’t get in one again.”
The man said he suspects the scammer is a repeat offender. He claims that during the journey, he ranted about being recently fined for playing loud music from his vehicle.
He said: “The guy was complaining that he’d been fined for noise pollution.”
The man has reported the incident to Westminster City Council and said he wants the driver to be caught and ordered to give his money back.
He added: “It’s £500. I’m not going to let that go. He should be fined £5,000 and have his pedicab taken off him. They’re not safe.
“They obviously need to be regulated like taxis and they need to be licensed. At the end of the day, these guys could be anyone.”
Pictured top: Pedicabs in the West End (Picture: Westminster City council)
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
