Two American tourists thought they could outsmart a Dublin carriage driver by skipping out on their fare during the bustling St. Patrickโs Day weekend.
But what happened next left the internet in shock, sparking a firestorm of reactions online.
A pair of American tourists learned a harsh lesson in Dublin after attempting to skip out on paying for a horse and carriage ride overย St. Patrickโs Dayย weekend.
But instead of getting away scot-free, they found themselves on the receiving end of a furious carriage driver โ armed with a whip.
Caught in the act
The tourists, visiting Irelandโs capital for the world-famous St. Patrickโs Day celebrations, allegedly bolted from the carriage without settling their bill.
However, their getaway was short-lived. In a now-viral video shared onย X, the enraged carriage driver can be seen chasing them down in the streets of Dublin, whipping at them as they cower in an alleyway.
Two American tourists thought it would be a great idea to try and do a runner from paying for a horse and carriage ride in Dublin over #StPatricksDay weekend
They were taught a swift lesson and even said โthank youโ ๐ณ
Share and follow for more pic.twitter.com/c6UG9ye4WSโ TheLiberal.ie (@TheLiberal_ie) March 18, 2025
โPay Now!โ
As the driver, a man in a black puffer coat and blue jeans, confronts the terrified tourists, he shouts, โPay now, pay into my f**** bank account!โ** while swinging his whip toward them.
One of the men quickly scrambles to explain, stammering, โI have money.โ
He then pulls out what appears to be cash, nervously offering, โItโs 100 US, itโs extra,โ as he hands it over. But the furious driver isnโt done yet, cursing at them, โF**** b*******.โ**
Realizing they had no other option, the shaken tourists quickly apologize and attempt to de-escalate the situation. โIโm sorry, weโve learned our lesson, thank you!โ one of them says.
It remains unclear whether they had actually paid in full before the incident.
Internet Reacts: โServed them right!โ
The video quickly exploded online, with users weighing in on the dramatic confrontation. Many sided with the driver, with one commenting, โServed them right!โ while another added, โBrilliant, well deserved. He wasnโt holding back anyway.โ
One user even called it, โBest video of the day.โ
Surprisingly, even some fellow Americans backed the driverโs reaction. โIโm an American, and I approve of this,โ one user posted.
Others, however, questioned the touristsโ response. โWhy are they just standing there taking it?โ one person wondered. Another found the politeness at the end strange, asking, โDid he just say โthank youโ after getting whipped?โ
Carriage scams in Dublin?
Not everyone was on the driverโs side, though. Some suggested that Dublinโs carriage drivers often overcharge unsuspecting tourists.
โProbably being ripped off and overcharged,โ one person speculated, while another added, โCon artists, those carriage drivers. Tell ya itโs โฌ50, then at the end of the ride, itโs โฌ50 each.โ
Another user didnโt hold back their feelings, siding with the tourists simply because of the animals involved: โGlad they did a runner. No sympathy for him. Poor horses.โ
โSend him after the wombat snatcher!โ
The incident even led some users to call for the whip-wielding carriage driverโs skills to be put to use elsewhere. One person referenced a separate scandal involving American tourist Samantha Strable, a so-called โhunting influencerโ who sparked outrage after illegally snatching a baby wombat in Australia.
Strable, who faced global backlash for the disturbing act, fled to Thailand, where she reportedly continued to send threatening messages to people calling her out.
Taking a dig at her, one user joked, โCould he come over here and sort out the wombat snatchers?โ
If thereโs one takeaway from this chaotic Dublin encounter, itโs that trying to skip out on a bill โ especially from a fiery Irish carriage driver โ might not be the best idea. And judging by their terrified faces, these two American tourists wonโt be pulling a stunt like this again anytime soon.
