'Is the Sun bigger than the Moon?' Drivers ask bizarre questions to dodge low-fare rides

Which is bigger, the sun or the moon? How many bullets did Wu Jing fire in the movie Wolf Warrior?

Passengers on budget ride-hailing services are being asked strange questions like these before their trips even begin. Drivers claim the questions are company policy and must be answered.

But no matter how passengers respond, the answer is always deemed wrong – followed by the driver canceling the order and claiming "mutual agreement to cancel" to avoid penalties for refusing a ride.

Netizens have noticed this practice is especially common with ultra-low fare rides where drivers earn as little as 2.6 yuan (36 US cents) for a 2-kilometer trip.

According to lawyer You Yunting, passengers have the right to file complaints. "Booking a ride forms a contract between the passenger, the platform, and the driver. If a driver refuses to honor it, the platform may be held accountable and must also discipline the driver," he told Kankan News.

However, some media analysts point out that the root cause is the pricing model itself. With fares this low, drivers are often forced to find creative ways to avoid taking loss-making orders.

Refusing orders outright can result in lower ratings, fewer future ride assignments, or even direct fines – pushing drivers to work around the system instead, Kankan News reported.

As one online comment put it: "If there's no money to be made, why even offer this feature?"