Passenger says Grab driver locked doors and charged her $2 for wet tissue

A passenger was blindsided after her Grab driver allegedly locked the doors at the end of the ride and sprang an extra charge of $2 for wet tissue on her.

Local model and actress Fiona Fussi took issue with how the driver did not earlier communicate that the item is not free-of-charge in a TikTok video she posted on Friday (July 10).

Calling it "one of the worst Grab experiences ever", Fussi said the "stressful" encounter began when she asked the driver if he had any tissues in his car.

"He was really snappy and he said no," she said.

"I was like, 'Oh okay, never mind.'"

About five minutes later, the driver supposedly said he had wet tissue.

Fussi, who thought that the gesture was "nice", accepted it.

To her surprise, the driver requested payment for the piece of tissue upon reaching her destination and allegedly refused to let her exit the car until she paid.

"It's not about the $2, it's not expensive. But it's the principle that he never told me that he was charging me money, I thought he was just being nice," she said.

AsiaOne has reached out to Fussi and Grab for comment.

'Nothing is free'

The video, which has since been viewed over 116,000 times, ignited an online debate over whether passengers are "entitled" to such provisions.

"Nothing is free," remarked many netizens in the comments section.

"Restaurants also charge you for the wet tissue without telling you. What's wrong?" a TikTok user asked.

Another stated that the passenger had requested the "service" and should pay for it.

Fussi added in a comment that she would not have complained if the price was stated by the driver upfront.

Responding to a netizen who said the encounter is a "lesson" to ask if items are free beforehand, she said: "Sad world we live in if we have to ask someone if we have to pay for it when someone does something nice like offer us one single tissue."

Meanwhile, several commenters who identified themselves as private-hire drivers said they offer passengers free tissues.

Others also pointed out that the driver is in the wrong for locking the doors of the vehicle.

"Uncle out there trying to be a mobile minimart. That is 10,000 per cent not right. Providing tissues in the car is a normal feature in the service industry. Hope you are ok," one wrote.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com