16 Taxi Drivers Who Had the Craziest Moments While on the Road

Taxi rides are just another part of the day—until something unexpected happens. And the heroes of this article, cab drivers, share the moments that turned into something way more interesting—unexpected kindness, strange encounters, and stories that stick with them long after the ride is over.

• I’m a taxi driver, and earlier today I picked up an older guy who didn’t say much. He made no eye contact, but I could see he was sad. Halfway through, he started writing in a little book. When he stepped out of the car, I saw a note on the seat.
  I grabbed it, and I got tears in my eyes when I read: “You reminded me of my son. He passed last year. Thanks for the safe ride.” He’d also left a $100 bill under the mat. I just sat there for a minute. © Sona / Bright Side

• My uncle was a taxi driver for some time. One day, an Asian looking man walked in with a huge briefcase. After being silent for the whole ride, he got off at his stop. He left his briefcase.
  After it had not been claimed for a few days, the company eventually gave it to my uncle. Inside were fifty pairs of custom chopsticks. He gave them out to his family and kept about ten, I believe. They are truly beautiful. © jeltimab / Reddit

• Picked up two girls about 1:00 a.m. on a Monday morning. They looked young, so I asked the account holder for ID, and she showed me her ID, saying she was 24.
  On the ride, I noticed three cars following me. Asked the girls if they recognized the cars (they were very distinctive) and got “No, I don’t know who might be following us.” Did two U-turns, and they kept following us, so I called 911 and headed back to a gas station we had passed.
  By some miracle, there was actually a cop in the parking lot, so I pulled right up to him, and the cars following took off. I got out and was explaining what was going on to the cop when the account holder got out and told me it was her uncle and cousins.
  Apparently, her mom was mad at her and sent them to follow her. When I asked her why she hadn’t told me that when I asked about them, she admitted she was only 16 and was using her aunt’s ID and Uber account. 🙄 © Hippy_Lynne / Reddit

• I picked up a girl from Target. I greeted her and let her know her destination was only about 5 minutes away, and I put the music up. When I dropped her off, she handed me a LOT of cash, but I figured it was just a bunch of singles. I didn’t even glance at it, I just thanked her & she told me this was my blessing.
  I put it in my pocket, and as I was driving off, I saw her skipping away. I can’t make this up. It didn’t sink in what she said until I was driving for about 5 minutes, and so I pulled the money out of my pocket, and it was all 20s. Ended up being $1600 & this was right before Christmas. © Wlcmto**** / Reddit

• The second ride I ever gave. He got in the passenger seat, and I didn’t realize that was kind of odd because I was new. He was very talkative and friendly, and asked me where I worked.
  I told him the company that I was temping for, and he started laughing and said that he was the vice president of one of the departments. He told me that he would put in a good word for me to my boss, and they ended up hiring me, and that’s where I work still. © Living-Employment589 / Reddit

• A friend of mine is a taxi driver, and this has happened to him. An elderly man rushed inside his taxi and pointed out loud to follow a red Toyota. This man never explains why to follow, just tries to frantically call somewhere.
  My friend asked multiple times if they needed to call the police, but the man just waved no and pointed to follow the car. They circle around the town, finally ending up in front of a house where the car they followed parks. As the car stops, the man says, “Hold on a moment, I’ll pay!” and jumps out of the car.
  An elderly lady steps out of the red Toyota, and the man, apparently her husband, starts to scream, “Why did you leave me at the mall??!!” The woman is waving her hands, screaming back, “What are you screaming about, you are here??!!” and walks inside the house like nothing has happened.
  The man returns and pays the driver, being sorry about it all at the same time. My friend thought they were following a burglar or something, but it turned out the lady just forgot her husband at the mall. Funny situation in a way, but sad in a way too, as my friend said. Dementia... © HZM70S / Reddit

• A passenger brought in a whole bucket of fried chicken and began laughing hysterically to himself. I asked what was so amusing, and he explained to me that he had been a vegetarian for almost 15 years, and that this would be his last day. He told me to shut my mouth after I wished him congratulations. I was curious, but decided we’d just ignore one other for the rest of the ride.
  He asked if I wanted a piece of chicken. They smelled delicious, and I was hungry and hadn’t had lunch yet, so I said yes. He leaned in to hand me the bucket so I could grab a piece, but as I reached for it, he slapped my wrist with such force that he appeared like a straight gorilla with his eye contact.
  He went into a trance for a few moments before apologizing and wiping his tears away till we arrived at his destination. When he departed, he also left the bucket, and all that was left when I went to clean the car was a single piece of broccoli at the bottom. © foodpoisonings**** / Reddit

• My best friend’s dad is a taxi driver. He told me he once had a guy in his taxi who was wearing a trench coat. Turns out, the trench coat’s pockets were filled with snakes, and the guy started slowly taking them out one by one throughout the drive. © Unknown author / Reddit

• When he was in his 20s/30s, my dad was a mechanic and drove a taxi for his uncle. One night, he picks up this cute girl.
  Apparently, it gets a little flirty, which was not like my dad at all. He was a shy guy. He asks her out. She says yes.
  A few months later, he picks her up in the same cab. This time, she’s sitting in the front seat. So he asks her to grab something from the glove box. She opens it to find a ring, and he proposes. And, again, she says....YES! © rdt156 / Reddit

• A man attempted to pay me in tuna fish, I had to accept cause I had already driven him. © PezG** / Reddit

• I used to drive for Uber at Fort Myers Beach. I picked up 4 middle-aged people and crammed them into my tiny car.
  I was about to pull into their neighborhood (nice, gated, on the water), and the one guy was like, “I need you to follow that car!” And I’m like, “Whatever, let’s see how this plays out.”
  So we start following this random SUV, and I’m like, “Who is this guy?” And they’re like, “We don’t know, but we have 20 minutes of babysitter left, and we aren’t wasting it.” I reminded them they were on a triple-rate surcharge, and they literally didn’t care.
  Eventually the car pulled over and everyone shouted at me, “GO GO GO!!” And we sped off into the night. $100 ride, $20 tip, 5-star review. 100% worth it. © Superschutte / Reddit

• A 50-year-old man admitted to me that he doesn’t know how to cook and doesn’t have the time to do it, so he’ll sneak out late at night to get leftovers from his mother’s house. © foodpoisonings**** / Reddit

• I picked up a girl coming home from work. We started talking about my education and what I did before Uber, and it just turned out that her company was looking for my skills. She gave me her card, I shot her my resume, and 2 years later I’m still working for that company and have been promoted to a Jr executive level. I’ve never had to drive am Uber since. © UniverseBear / Reddit

• My mom was delivering Uber Eats last winter to some guy a little out of town. The location was a bit odd, but she went with it. Just outside our city, on one of the side roads by some train tracks, she parked her car and looked around for any houses. None.
  There was a train stopped nearby, and suddenly my mom noticed a guy waddling through the deep snow towards her. “Are you Bob?” He nodded, took the food, and waddled towards the train.
  Suddenly, it starts up and continues down the tracks. This guy ordered Uber Eats while conducting a train! © banana-damage / Reddit

• I carried two medical professionals once, and one of them talked to his colleague about that time he was taken out of the hospital by two guys who took him to a mansion outside the city and asked to examine the heart condition of a man who seemed to be a local mafia boss who was wanted by the law.
  They somehow provided him with all the tools and help and made him operate the boss. They finally let him go and paid him with a big sum of cash, saying they would contact him again for anything else. He said it was one of the scariest yet most interesting experiences in his life. © Jimmynaz97K / Reddit

• I picked up a couple who were barely talking. When we reached their stop, they quickly paid and left a note: “Text ‘YOU’ to one of these numbers.” I texted the first number: “YOU.” The reply came: “Thanks. I know I’m wrong, but I didn’t want to apologize first.”
  I decided they’d been fighting, each waiting for the other to admit they were wrong. It was odd that they decided to pull an ordinary Uber Driver into their play, so I decided to pay them off.
  I texted both of them, “YOU both need to say it first. You’re both wrong, so stop waiting.” Hope that helped them. © IAmLulu / Bright Side

And in these 14 touching stories, you’ll see just how deeply our grandparents’ love runs, no matter how much time passes.