I once caught a taxi from Tanguu to Tianjin. The taxi driver should have refused the fare becaused he would certainly have known that taxis in Tianjin have a system to cut down traffic congestion. Taxis with odd numbered licence plates are allowed in the city centre on odd days; even numbered plates on even days.
I hadn't noticed but his plate ended with 3 and it was the 12th. All went well until we crossed the Imperial canal and stopped at a junction where a policeman was on point duty, (remember that?) He pointed at our taxi and firmly directed it to the base on his podium.
He then stopped ALL the traffic, strode down to road level and gave the driver the most horrendous ballocking that I have ever received or witnessed in my life. Even though it was nothing to do with me I was cowering against the passenger door.
He then turned to me. With a searing look and a wave he motioned me out of the vehicle. Realising that I wasn't going to be in it any more I reached into my pocket to pay the fare as it was quite a distance. "MAYO" (no-nothing) he shouted and pointed at the pavement.
In China you do what policemen say, the carry a shooter on their belt. I stood and watched whilst my taxi driver got another couple of minutes of vitriol and then he pointed him back to Tanguu and a relieved driver floored the throttle.
There was no shortage of taxis. Whlst this had been going on the traffic had backed up about four blocks in every direction so I had a convoy of them come my way.
The taxi driver used to be outside the hotel where I stayed so next time i saw him I gave him the 60 yuan for the trip. He hadn't had any action taken against him. Being Tanguu based being chased from Tianjin was far too difficult.