Cab driver returns lost phone to passenger after making detour, refuses to accept any form of rewards

While the year 2020 has brought lots of bad news, the story of a cab driver who returned a lost phone to a passenger after making a detour rekindled hope that “there are angels amongst us” even in these “bleak times”.

The taxi passenger, Julius Ho, recounted the incident in his Facebook post on New Year’s Eve, giving his feedback to ComfortDelGro.

“I would like to openly give my candid feedback on the service of one of your drivers. I hope you read this and the appropriate actions are taken,” he wrote.

Mr Ho noted that he had booked a ComfortDelGro taxi with a friend at Kallang Wave Mall on 30 December 2020.

Upon arrival, the taxi driver, who goes by the name Lim Hong Herng, willingly came out of his taxi to offer help although both Mr Ho and his friend were able to cope with the groceries.

After they arrived at their destination and alighted from the taxi, Mr Ho said they realised that one of them had left behind their phone in the taxi.

He explained that they had tried calling the ComfortDelGro’s hotline but was put on hold for about five minutes.

Hence, they decided to head up to the apartment and tracked the phone via an online app, and subsequently made a call to the lost phone.

Mr Lim picked up the call within a few minutes, and agreed to drive back to return the phone, even though Mr Ho noted that Mr Lim was “quite a distance away” at that time.

“He arrived sooner than expected and we ran to him, $50 note in hand,” he added.

What’s more, after Mr Lim had returned the phone to them, he declined any form of payment, even when Mr Ho and his friend had offered him “a lower sum of money”.

“This went on for a few minutes and after a spirited back and forth, we conceded that he would not accept a cash reward for returning the phone that we had carelessly misplaced,” said Mr Ho.

Given the surge in private hire vehicles and the lack of business during the circuit breaker period have impacted many taxi drivers, he noted that Mr Lim must have suffered some loss of income and may have had anxiety.

He expressed his gratitude to Mr Lim for willing to spend his time and effort to return the lost phone, noting that Mr Lim’s time could have been used to do one or more trips.

“It is heartwarming to know that even in these sometimes bleak times that there are angels amongst us,” Mr Ho remarked.

He added, “Mr Lim if you see this, I want you to know that you are generous and a truly decent human being, and made this ending of 2020 more sweet than one could hope for. I wish you a blessed life!”

Two days after the post was published, Facebook user Lim Koh Phe, who turns out to be Mr Lim’s daughter, penned under the comment section of Mr Ho’s post, saying: “My papa says you’re welcome.”

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