A brief cab ride in south Mumbai turned into an unexpectedly memorable lesson for a commuter, after a taxi driver openly admitted to charging more than
the actual fare, only to then explain how she could avoid being taken for a ride in the future. Sharing the experience on X, user Mudrika recounted how she hired a taxi from Crawford Market to Churchgate, a journey that typically takes just a few minutes. “I was at Crawford Market in Mumbai and needed a taxi to Churchgate, which was barely 7 minutes away. The driver quoted ₹200, I negotiated it down to ₹150, and he agreed without hesitation,” she wrote. What followed at the end of the ride caught her completely off guard. “When we reached and I paid him, he suddenly said, ‘maine aapse ₹30-40 extra he charge kiya hai’ and showed me the meter too, saying ki ‘ye dekho meter pe 110 he aaya hai. Agli baar kahin bhi jaao toh meter se jaana. Aap naye ho yahan isliye bata raha hun. Take care of yourself’.” While the driver kept the extra money, his candid confession and unsolicited advice left the passenger both surprised and amused. The incident, she said, felt like a crash course in navigating Mumbai’s transport system without getting scammed.
Reflecting on the moment, Mudrika described it as a mix of street smarts and sincerity. “The honesty mixed with the hustle was the most Mumbai thing ever. But walked away somehow feeling like I’d just learned something valuable about this city and its people,” she noted.
The post quickly struck a chord online, with users sharing similar reactions. One person commented, “Mumbai teaches you about life in weird ways!” Another wrote, “Every day something new to learn.” A third added, “That's a classic Mumbai moment—honest yet hustling! It really shows the city’s unique character and spirit. Glad you got some local wisdom along the way.” A fourth summed it up by saying, “That story perfectly captures the spirit of Mumbai—honest hustle mixed with practical advice. It’s great that the driver cared enough to share a tip for next time, even while doing his own business.''
