The service allows people to offset costs by sharing rides.
Liu said the journey began at 6pm on May 22 and ended at 7am the following day.
The “hitchhiker” spent most of the drive sleeping in the back seat of the car. Photo: Weixin
The total fare, as shown on the app, was 2,800 RMB (US$390), including a 600 RMB toll.
However, Liu forgot to check the app to confirm that the hitchhiker had picked up, meaning the unknown passenger was able to cancel the order after arriving.
“I didn't use the app much, so I wasn't familiar with its functions,” Liu said, adding, “When I arrived at my destination, I realized my order had been canceled.”
The passengers promised to transfer their share via electronic payment after the company's financial department opens.
Liu, who trusted the passenger with whom he had been having pleasant conversations throughout the journey, agreed and even treated him to breakfast.
“The man worked for a major karaoke company and had been out with a client the night before, so he slept most of the way. I knew life was tough, so I bought him some bread and water on the highway,” Liu told Houlan Video.
However, after finishing his meal, the passenger excused himself to go to the bathroom and disappeared, then blocked Liu on WeChat, forcing him to call the police.
“The weirdest thing is that he fled using another ride-hailing service and didn't pay for it. That driver also reported him to the police,” Liu said.
With the help of police, Liu was able to get in touch with the man, who denied owing any money.
According to WeChat records provided by Liu, the man had been making various excuses to bid time.
After the incident became a hot topic online, the passenger responded by saying, “I am willing to apologise and I will transfer the money immediately.”
However, as of August 12, Liu still had not received the money.
HelloBike told Beijing News that it had suspended passengers' accounts and prevented them from booking rides until their outstanding fares were paid.
The ride-hailing company suspended the accounts of customers who did not pay their fares. Photo: Hello-inc
The company said it would help drivers recover their money and warned users to avoid transacting outside the platform.
This is not the first time something like this has happened with such a service in China.
In July, a woman set out on a 50-kilometer journey to convince a driver to cancel her order on the platform, agreeing to pay 150 yuan (US$20) personally instead.
However, upon arriving at her destination, she demanded 200 yuan from the driver as “hush money” and threatened to report him for engaging in prohibited offline transactions.
