ExplainerWhy are Hong Kong taxi drivers going ‘undercover’ to target Uber and what’s behind their latest clash?
- Operation to try to bust illegal ride-hailing services has purportedly been run by Hong Kong Taxi Council ‘agents’ who lead Uber drivers to police
- Drivers say they are being unfairly targeted by government crackdowns, but Hongkongers may not be on their side amid complaints over service quality
A new wave of tension between Hong Kong taxi and Uber drivers has erupted in the past week, with cabbies mounting their own “undercover” operations to report illegal ride-hailing services to police.
The Post unpacks the latest developments, as well as the history of troubles between Uber and the city’s taxi industry.
1. What’s the latest conflict about?
Taxi drivers launched an “undercover operation” this month by posing as Uber passengers and asking their drivers to stop at places where they had called police.
Purportedly led by the Hong Kong Taxi Council, the “agents” filmed their car rides to places such as the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and posted them on social media. Seven cases had been reported on Thursday alone and six more on Saturday, according to industry representatives.
In return, calls by internet users to take retaliatory action gained momentum ahead of the weekend on forums such as Facebook and the Reddit-like LIHKG.
Suggestions included reporting every illegally parked taxi seen on the street, or deploying tactics to inconvenience taxi drivers such as asking for exact change for fares.