in Warsaw, a Ukrainian woman faced the aggression of a taxi driver

In Warsaw, a Ukrainian woman faced aggression from a taxi driver. He blocked the car door, called the girl and demanded 300 zlotys for the trip, instead of the announced 20.

About the incident of Khrystyna Petrochuk told in social networks.

The girl currently lives in the UAE, but periodically comes to Ukraine, the girl said in a comment for “UP. Life”. For her, Warsaw is an intermediate point where she gets on the plane.

On March 15, Khrystyna was carrying a lot of luggage with her: two suitcases – 35 and 15 kilograms each – and a heavy backpack.

“I arrived at the station and tried to drag my things. I already had my phone with the Uber app in my hands, because I know that I need to use only proven taxi services. I also provide myself with mobile internet in advance to stay connected.

I don’t know why, but this time I decided to make an exception and use a regular taxi. After leaving the station, I immediately saw taxi drivers, busy traffic and thought: “How will I find my taxi here?” – says Khrystyna.

One of the drivers turned to her. Although they spoke in English, the taxi driver immediately asked if the girl was from Kyiv. She answered yes. The next question was about where Khrystyna was flying to. So the man understood that the girl was in Warsaw for a short time.

“My trip was supposed to be short – up to 5 minutes. The hotel is located at a distance of about 2 kilometers from the station.

The taxi driver drove very dangerously – at a red light, cut cars, and did not let pedestrians pass. It really alarmed me.” – the girl remembers.

The taxi arrived at the door of the hotel. However, the announced 20 zlotys for the trip turned into 300. Khrystyna refused to pay, to which the driver began to be aggressive and swear.

“This is not Uber for you, this is a premium taxi” – answered the man.

Khrystyna began to threaten him with the police when she realized that the car door was locked.

“I started knocking on the window. People were constantly walking a meter away from the car. I noticed that people saw and heard me, but no one responded. The taxi driver realized that I was drawing attention to myself and said: “You want the police – you will get the police now “. And took me in an unknown direction,” – shares the girl.

Khrystyna continued to knock, because of which the taxi driver waved his hand at her several times.

When the car stopped, two boys noticed the knock and approached. However, the driver “stepped on the gas.”

“I was in a state of shock, with tears in my eyes, I began to beg him to let me go. I said that I would pay everything and offered to transfer 300 zlotys to the card, but the taxi driver did not agree. He began to ask for cash, which I almost did not have with me . Told her to give everything she had. I continued to explain that I didn’t have any.

We reached the hotel, stopped. The driver rudely threw me and my things out of the car.” – says Khrystyna.

The girl told about the situation at the hotel at the reception. They called the police. The law enforcement officers allegedly replied that they do not come to such cases. And if a girl wants to submit an application, she should come to the branch and, perhaps, in a few hours, she will be accepted.

“Then it turned out that in fact the police should leave in such cases. But hotels often provide information differently. This is not the only such situation.” – says Khrystyna.

The next day, while driving past the station, she noticed a sad taxi driver in the same place where he had been standing yesterday. The girl shared her story with the Uber driver.

“He was not surprised and said that this is an old story. Everyone knows about it, even the police. Such taxi drivers even work legally. In their salon, the price may be written in small print – you think that the price is per hour, or per meter or kilometer”, – says Khrystyna.

After the publicity, the girl received many messages from Ukrainian women who were in similar situations in Warsaw.

In particular, the driver took 2,500 hryvnias for 2 kilometers from one woman who took a taxi to the hotel with her child and nanny.

Another Ukrainian woman paid $110 for a 10-minute ride after yelling and threats. She asked the airport security to check the cameras to identify the taxi driver, but nothing happened.

“When a Ukrainian woman is traveling in transit and is unlikely to have the opportunity to file a report with the police, so that this entails consequences, it is a jackpot for such taxi drivers. Although I have seen that tourists and the Poles themselves also fall for it.” – concluded Khrystyna.

Currently, the girl wants to try to turn her situation with the taxi driver into a legal channel and try to prove his guilt.