A cab driver’s list of six passenger rules has ignited an online debate, with some Reddit users calling his guidelines justified while others deemed them excessive. The list, prominently displayed inside the cab, included requests for passengers to be polite, avoid showing attitude, and refrain from addressing the driver as “bhaiya.”
The driver’s printed list, hung from the front passenger seat, sought to establish firm boundaries for a more respectful interaction. Among the key demands, passengers were urged to be courteous, close the door gently, and avoid calling him “bhaiya”—a term commonly used to address drivers in India.
I have booked a cab and the cab driver mentioned some guidelines on the cab! What do you about these guidelines?
byu/Your_Friendly_Panda inCarsIndia
One of the highlighted rules advised passengers to remember that the driver is the owner of the vehicle. “The person driving the cab is the owner of the cab,” read the sign. The driver’s other major request was for passengers to refrain from giving him attitude, with a blunt rule stating, “Put your attitude in your pocket. Please don’t show it to us because you are not giving us more money.”
The list, posted on Reddit by a user who had booked the cab, quickly went viral, dividing opinions on the CarsIndia subreddit. While many agreed that setting boundaries was reasonable, the cab driver’s insistence on not being called “bhaiya” sparked confusion.
“Most points are fair but what’s with – don’t call us bhaiya?” one user commented. Others, particularly from South India, mentioned that addressing drivers respectfully using local terms like “Anna” was common practice.
Many felt the guidelines were largely about mutual respect. One Redditor observed, “Things like closing the door softly and not disturbing the driver are basic manners.” However, not everyone was impressed, with one user criticizing the driver’s tone as overly authoritarian, stating, “The beginning made sense, but at the end, it was just topped with a hypothetical ego & totalitarian attitude!”
Despite the mixed reactions, the driver’s stand against rudeness and his plea for respect from passengers resonated with many, reigniting conversations about the treatment of service workers.
