A Glasgow private hire driver says he abandoned the rest of his shift after a young passenger fled without paying about £16.
Saim Ali, 30, told Glasgow Live he collected the passenger in Bridgeton and drove about 25 minutes to Mosspark on Bank Holiday Monday, 31 August 2026. The job had been booked as a cash fare.
What happened
Ali said the passenger claimed to have cash, then said he needed to collect money from a friend on arrival. Ali asked him to leave his phone in the car as a guarantee.
After a friend offered a bank transfer while Ali held the phone, the youth later snatched it back and ran. Dashcam footage Ali posted on TikTok has been viewed more than a million times.
Ali, who moved from Lahore in 2023 and has driven for under a year, said the issue was disrespect rather than the £16. He also described earlier incidents, including a knife threat from a passenger’s partner, while saying most jobs are still positive.