A user on TikTok has sparked discussion after claiming that an Uber driver demanded she pay him $100 after spilling water on his seat.
In a video with over 10,000 views, TikToker Kitsu (@inari.god) shows her interaction with the Uber driver. The video appears to begin after the majority of the argument has taken place, as the driver seems to be nearly ready to resolve the issue, though he does threaten to report Kitsu and her friend at one point to Uber Support.
However, in the caption and in a follow-up video, Kitsu provides more insight into what happened.
“[I] started recording when he started demanding more money from my friend because I refused to Zelle him more money after giving him $52 in cash and max tip of $31 in the app. Was blocking the street and was threatening to report us if we didn’t pay him a bigger cash tip,” Kitsu writes. “Was I in the wrong here?”
@inari.god How my $13 ride became $100 – started recording when he started demanding more money from my friend because I refused to Zelle him more money after giving him $52 in cash and max tip of $31 in the app. Was blocking the street and was threatening to report us if we didn’t pay him a bigger cash tip. Was I in the wrong here? #uber #uberdriver ♬ original sound – Kitsu
In a follow-up video, Kitsu gives more context for what happened in the original clip.
According to Kitsu, she had entered an Uber with her friend with a water bottle sticking out of her bag. Unbeknownst to her, the cap for the bottle was not fully screwed on, leading to the bottle leaking water onto the seat.
Kitsu informed the driver of the accident, telling him that she accidentally spilled water on the seat but brushed it off.
This apparently set the driver off, as he began complaining about their mistake and insisting that Kitsu and her friend pay him for the error. He had not yet seen the spill at this point.
Still, once they reached the destination, Kitsu went inside and grabbed a towel to help dab up the remaining water.
The driver then allegedly again demanded that she pay for her mistake. Accepting fault, Kitsu says she paid the driver the remaining cash that she had, $52, in hopes that it would resolve the issue. The driver claimed that it wasn’t enough, instead asking for $100.
“I’m a pushover,” Kitsu admits. “I’m easily swayed to do things if people are being, like, aggressive or angry at me…I’m just like, ‘Take my money and go,’ like, ‘leave me alone.’”
Kitsu then paid the driver more money using the tip function on Uber, tipping him the maximum amount for the ride, $31.90. Prior to this, the driver had requested to be paid via Zelle; Kitsu did not do this as she wanted a better record of the transaction.
Hearing that this total was still less than $100, the driver allegedly then pointed to Kitsu’s friend and demanded that she pay as well, which inspired Kitsu to start recording.
In the comment section of the original video, Kitsu wrote that Uber refunded her for the trip. Furthermore, had they resolved the issue via Uber, the driver would have received significantly less money for the remedy.
“Found out from Uber it would have been $20 if he reported us,” she wrote. This is verified on Uber’s website. “Drivers are not allowed to demand cash from customers.”
While some insisted that Kitsu was at fault for what happened, others took a more sympathetic view.
“Please tell me you were able to get your money back an you reported this guy from scamming you,” offered one user. “Ppl like him are disgusting an shouldn’t be doing Uber.”
“$100 for a spilled drink that is outrageous,” stated another. “he is ridiculous.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Kitsu via Instagram direct message and Uber via email.
Update 11:05am CT, Dec. 23, 2022: In an Instagram direct message exchange with Daily Dot, Kitsu offered more insight into the situation.
“I don’t want to spread misinformation or get anyone in trouble,” she said of her video. “I posted it because I couldn’t believe what was happening and wanted proof that I was essentially being intimidated into giving more money. I’ve already gotten a lot of hate comments, and I’m not trying to direct any more hate to him, Uber, or myself.”
She also noted that she accepted blame for the initial accident that set off this ordeal, though she was concerned about the driver’s reaction.
“I should have had the cap on tighter and I recognized my mistake – but his aggressive attitude while we were trapped in the car made me offer cash to deescalate the situation. It escalated more when I didn’t have $100 in cash, so I was intimidated to give more – which was not enough for him and he started demanding my friend make up for it,” she recalled. “At that point, I started recording and he saw that and changed his tune. He kept all the money and Uber refunded the ride price and sent an apology and made it so I’ll never match with him again.”
Uber, she detailed, was helpful during the process.”Uber was very professional and the matter was resolved in the best way it could have been, but of course there is no refund for tips,” she explained. “This is a hard lesson and next time I will contact Uber first before giving anyone anything in the future.”
