crime

18-year-old girl arrested for not paying ¥160,000 Tokyo-Shiga taxi fare

34 Comments

Police in Kusatsu, Shiga Prefecture, have arrested an 18-year-old girl on suspicion of fraud after she refused to pay the 160,000 yen taxi fare from Tokyo to Shiga Prefecture.

According to local media, the girl, who is from Sagae in Yamagata Prefecture, got into the taxi at Tokyo Station at around 8 p.m. on Sunday. She told the taxi driver to take her to Kusatsu Station in Shiga. 

The trip took about 5 1/2 hours and the taxi arrived at Kusatsu Station at around 1:30 a.m. The girl then told the driver she couldn’t pay the fare because she only had 1,000 yen on her.

The driver contacted police who took the girl into custody.

The driver told police the girl hardly spoke at all during the journey.

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34 Comments
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Why would the driver not query why the girl wanted to take an expensive taxi ride?

Greediness...

2 ( +11 / -9 )

While the girl should be held accountable, the driver should have used better judgement. A 5 1/2 hour journey by taxi is not normal and would have added up to an absurd final bill.

11 ( +16 / -5 )

How was she able to be arrested for fraud? I ask this because we were involved in something similar (unfortunately) where a customer didn't pay, and it was never classified as a criminal case but instead just a civil suit. Police were never involved.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

I doubt anyone is ever going to see that money, but good on him for telling the police, she at least has a record now

1 ( +6 / -5 )

She asked him to take her across the country and he never asked her if she had the money?

14 ( +17 / -3 )

The question should be asked , is why an 18 year old girl needed to travel from Tokyo to Shiga in the first place.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

You really have to wonder. A quick look on Hyperdia shows that most evenings you can get a Shink leaving Tokyo and get there in 2.5 hours for under a man.

I'd be asking either to see the cash first, or get a CC deposit.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The driver told police the girl hardly spoke at all during the journey.

Well, I'm sure that definitely made a difference in her ability to pay.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Didn't find it strange that she wanted to travel all that way in a smelly, uncomfortable cab when she could have taken the Shink for less than a tenth of the price?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Hmm, maybe there is just the part missing where he said "sorry, no credit card"? ;)

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The shinkansen would have taken 3 hours less for a fraction of the cost. So why didn’t she take it?

Simple..She only had ¥1,000....

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Exactly martin.s. johnson. Why did she need to travel that far? I wonder if she was having trouble and needed to get away.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

He no doubt expected payment in kind.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

My take on this is she was probably trying to get away from something and didn’t want to be spotted. Lots of cameras in stations and trains and she may have just wanted to disappear. Maybe she was hoping the driver would take pity on her.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

In the UK there is a specific offence covering this called Bilking. One of the various jobs I have done in years gone by was as a taxi driver so I have a great deal of sympathy for him. It is not for the driver to give the customer the third degree as to whether they can pay, they tend understandably to become aggressive. Do not know if the option was available to a Japanese taxi driver but I would have given her a quoted fare (usually a bit less than the meter would run to) and taken the money up front. At which point it would become apparent she couldn’t pay and the problem would go away. She has taken the service, she still owes the money. The guy may have a family to feed and surely has bills to pay.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I don't know the particular circumstances, but getting arrested may be the only option to obtain safety when someone is 18 or 19.

People aged 18-19 is in a particular tough situation when experience abuse. The parents have full control over them as they are not yet legally adults, however, they lose access to shelters and other abuse services.

Also many girls, including some of my friends, have a fear of trains due to previous traumatic experiences.

I wouldn't be so quick to judge before looking deeper into the circumstances.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

His own fault. I'm going to be asking for cash upfront. The cops should have more serious crimes to investigate. If the driver had any sense he would be asking himself why she would pay Y160,000 for a Y12,000 shinkansen journey.

Years ago, after an 'incident' in the middle of the countryside, we called a local cab for an approximate 3 or 4 hour journey back to the city. The driver made sure we paid him upfront and he even left the cash with a neighbour he knew. Thats called common sense.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It is not for the driver to give the customer the third degree as to whether they can pay, they tend understandably to become aggressive.

Normally yes, but we are talking about an 18 year old girl who could’ve taken the much cheaper and faster train. Only 8 p.m. in the evening. Seems quite odd if you ask me.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I ask this because we were involved in something similar (unfortunately) where a customer didn't pay, and it was never classified as a criminal case but instead just a civil suit. Police were never involved.

It is a criminal case. There have been similar stories on here a few times about passengers skipping the fare then getting arrested.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It is a criminal case. There have been similar stories on here a few times about passengers skipping the fare then getting arrested.

Cheers for the reply. How is it a criminal case though? Buying a service from a private entity, in this case, a taxi company, should have some logic to it. Otherwise our case which is very similar to this one could have been a criminal case to which it wasn't.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

How is it a criminal case though?

She took services with no intent to pay for it. That's fraud mate.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Otherwise our case which is very similar to this one could have been a criminal case to which it wasn't.

Unless you post specific details about your case, and find specific details about this case, there is no way anyone here could point out the differences in your case and this one.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Artistat large:

Exactly martin.s. johnson. Why did she need to travel that far?

Because she lives there?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Isthiezak

I thought Bilking was not paying for petrol, and involved fleeing the petrol station as opposed to just refusing to pay.

The law itself is quite straightforward, if a passenger refuses to pay the fare or runs off without paying, this is considered to be a criminal offence.

 

If a passenger makes off without paying then this is considered an act of theft under Section 3 of the Theft Act 1978 – Making off without payment. 

 

If a passenger knowingly takes a journey in a taxi without having the money to pay and does not inform the driver of this until the final destination is reached then this is an offence under Section 11 of the Fraud Act 2006 – Obtaining services dishonestly. 

 

Finally if the passenger refuses to pay at the final destination, this would also considered an offence under Section 11 of the Fraud Act.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Let me guess, the taxi was a 30 feet long Lemo. with free drinks bar, a foot massage, world wide TV network, a sea food 5 star chef. and a nail salon.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I only used the Taxi service in Japan once, and I learned my lesson.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I only used the Taxi service in Japan once, and I learned my lesson.

That it's a great taxi system?

I take it 3-4 times a week when I'm in the country. I also use taxis regularly in many countries - Japan is one of the best by far. Clean taxis, drivers who know the roads, and are almost always very polite.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Drove taxi one summer as a student. That's one way to learn about life.

But even as a rookie driver, if anyone had said take me 5 hours away it would have been cash up front. And especially if the fare is a kid.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

ABE has left many people confused anxious and destitute,She is one of them, poor kid,

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

This is very one sided judgement. How could a teenager be accepted by the driver to travel such a long distance without quering if she could really afford to do that? eg Asked her to show some form of evidence like a creditcard or monies before the driver accepted this ride? And now, when things gone bad, all blames are pointed at her? What a joke!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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