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A ride-hailing driver in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, has been suspended from the platform for 21 days after a female passenger accused him of making inappropriate comments during a ride.
The incident occurred on June 8 and was later reported by Zhejiang TV. The driver, identified only by his surname Zhao, repeatedly asked the passenger whether she was wearing perfume. After she said no, Zhao responded, “The smell from your body is so good,” which made the woman feel uncomfortable.
She clarified that the scent came from her laundry detergent. Zhao then asked for the brand name, and she cut her ride short, choosing to get out before reaching her destination. The woman filed a complaint with the unnamed ride-hailing company, which reviewed the vehicle’s audio recording and suspended Zhao shortly after.
Zhao defended his actions, saying he was only trying to identify a scent he thought could be used to freshen up his car. He insisted the conversation was polite and denied any ill intent. “If she hadn’t replied, I wouldn’t have kept asking,” he said. “I really don’t think I said anything wrong.”
However, the passenger said she was startled and felt disgusted by the driver's remarks. She explained that she initially didn’t realize Zhao was addressing her and only understood when he looked at her through the rear-view mirror while repeating the question. She said she chose to remain calm and polite during the ride out of concern for her safety.
“I was shocked when he said I smelled good,” she said in an interview. “Who wants to hear that from a stranger? My polite tone was misinterpreted as approval. Anyone would feel uncomfortable in that situation.”
Zhao has expressed his hope to return to work and said he is willing to apologise to the passenger.
The incident has sparked heated discussion on Chinese social media. While many users condemned Zhao’s behavior as inappropriate and disrespectful of boundaries, others called for the release of the audio recording to let the public judge the context themselves.
*The opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author.*
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