London rickshaw driver charges £90 for 2-minute ride: ‘Cheaper to hire a Rolls Royce’

A short cycle rickshaw ride in the West end of London has sparked outrage online after a video showed the driver charging £90 for a journey lasting just two minutes.

The viral TikTok video was filmed near Oxford Street, one of the city’s busiest shopping areas. In the clip, a tourist is seen questioning the high fare after a ride covering only 2 minutes. The steep charge quickly caught the attention of viewers, many of whom called it ‘London scams’.

TikTok user @leccyboy shared the clip, which soon got viral.

In the video, tourists are seen questioning the fare after being told the ride cost £90. One of them can be heard asking ‘£90 for a 2-minute journey?”

Here’s how people reacted to the viral video: 

Social media users didn’t hold back. Some joked, “It’s cheaper to hire a Rolls Royce,” while others warned tourists to avoid unregulated rickshaws – a common mode of short-distance transport in many parts of India and other South Asian countries –  in the area. Several people also shared their own stories of being overcharged in similar situations.

One of the users, @its_not_doz, commented, “Happened to me and my mate recently. He drove us 10 mins. Me an my pal just ran off and got on a boat.”

A second user, @r4r1robot, commented, “Could go to Heathrow in an E class for £90”

Another user, @sabri_osman87, commented, “You need to get undercover police to take rides and catch them out on fare prices and see who is legally working.”

After the video went viral, several people demanded better regulation of rickshaws. Many stressed the need for fixed pricing and official licenses to protect visitors.

Source

Press Room June 30, 2025