Refusing to Tip Cab Driver for Extra Charge: AITA?

A 28-year-old woman in Canada thought her routine cab rides were pretty straightforward, until one driver decided to add a whole new fee for her laundry bag. Same route, same company, same “I always tip” habit, and somehow the math changed on the way home from the laundromat.

Here’s the twist: she started putting the big laundry bag in the trunk after a few drivers asked for it. Usually, the meter stops at around $6, she pays the fare, and adds a $2 tip like clockwork. But this week, the driver quietly took her to her house, then announced the fare was $6.

Now she’s wondering if she was wrong to call him out for nickel-and-diming her.

Original Post

I live in Canada, where the norm is to always tip service workers (waiters, cab drivers ect.) I use this one cab company quite often, and always make sure to tip the driver. Every two weeks, I cab to and from the laundromat with one big laundry bag.

I used to put the big bag in the backseat of the cab with me, but as a few drivers requested putting it in the trunk instead, I started doing that for all rides. All is well, the meter stops, and I pay the fare read( usually $6 ish) plus a $2 tip.

This week, when cabbing home from the laundromat, I put my bag in the trunk as usual and enter the cab- the cab driver says nothing and we make our way to my house. We get to my lot and he stops the meter and announces that the fare is $6.50.

I ask why, as the meter read the usual $6, and he told me he was charging me an extra .50 c for using the trunk! I have never, ever had that happen, and he kept saying that was the policy.

So I gave him the $6.50. As I was leaving the cab, I told him "it's a shame you decided to nickel and dime me, as I always tip $2" So Reddit, AITA?

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This is also like a person fighting for their partner’s cultural practices while parents refuse approval.

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She’s been tipping the cab drivers $2 for ages, so the sudden $0.50 “trunk policy” feels personal, not procedural.

The whole situation snowballs because the driver never mentioned the trunk charge until they arrived, after she already paid the usual amount in her head.

And when she points out that she “always tips $2,” it turns a small fare dispute into a public judgment call about his character.

Reddit’s about to weigh in on whether the $0.50 fee is legit policy or just another way to squeeze extra money out of someone hauling laundry.

We're curious to hear your perspective. Share your thoughts in the comments.

He might be wondering if charging her for the trunk was worth the side-eye she left with.

For more turkey-day blowups, see the family feud that derailed Thanksgiving dinner hosting.