Tour bus driver allegedly ditches 20 passengers after souvenir snub
A group of Chinese tourists got more than they bargained for during their vacation to Singapore after a heated argument with the tour bus driver.
The incident on Aug 16 saw 20 tourists abandoned on Race Course Road following a dispute over the purchase of souvenirs.
Video footage of the incident shows a group of unhappy tourists arguing with a bus driver.
One woman can be heard accusing the driver of kicking them off the bus for not spending enough money.
“The driver left us stranded in a foreign country for four hours, in nearly 40-degree heat,” one of the tourists wrote in a now-deleted social media post.
“We wanted to call the police, but our tour leader threatened us.”
@garygaryocp Hmmm... tour price so cheap... if tourists don't buy from driver and "allocated" shopping destinations... then... (Location, 357 Race Course Road, the coconut trees and temple can be seen clearly)
♬ original sound - Gary
The tourist, who identified herself online as Wei Da Piaoliang, alleged that the bus driver had tried to sell them souvenirs earlier in the day, but their purchases failed to meet his expectations.
She claims the situation escalated after lunch when a female tourist, suffering from high blood pressure, attempted to retrieve medication from the bus but was denied access.
Adding fuel to the fire, the driver allegedly hit another tourist with the bus door while departing.
When contacted by Shin Min Daily News, an eyewitness who works at a nearby restaurant confirmed seeing a group of agitated tourists arguing loudly with a bus driver.
“My worker and I heard shouting from outside and rushed out to see what was going on,” said the 37-year-old restaurant owner, who declined to be named.
“We didn’t know what the fight was about, but it seemed like things were getting out of hand.”
The restaurant owner, whose establishment regularly serves tour groups, said that his workers offered drinks and ice cream to the stranded tourists while they waited for alternative transport.
Another tour bus driver, who recognised his colleague in the video, claimed that it was common practice for drivers to sell souvenirs to tourists for extra cash.
“We’ve been doing this for years. It's not a secret, the companies know,” said the 70-year-old driver, who asked not to be named.
“We usually sell small things like keychains and perfume. Nothing expensive.”
He added that drivers were not obliged to carry luggage for their passengers and sometimes resorted to selling souvenirs to supplement their income.
"We do a lot of heavy lifting. Some of those bags can weigh up to 40-50 kg,” he said.
“It would be nice if customers were a bit more understanding."
The affected tourists have since filed a formal complaint with the Chinese Embassy in Singapore.
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