Observation and critical thinking, skills to have.

Mostly just common sense. Well, you probably made that driver's day.

Also communication is key!

those cabbies are always sneaky! fyl op :(

I know right? Those damn cabbies always looking for free handouts...

Don't tell me you wouldn't do the same thing if you were a cab driver!

Well if someone is handing me money, I'll gladly take it. In this case well the driver's wrong in taking op's cash but op should really be more observant next time. As for the driver, karma is gonna bite him in the ass.

Why did this person get thumbed down so many times?
What that driver did was low... Is there some inner unspoken secret that everyone except me is aware of that says we should take advantage of someone elses costly money mistake?
If I were a cab driver I would have been honest and not taken the money.

I guess that makes me weird?

Maybe because 2 said "those cabbies" not "that cabby"? That was my reason anyway.

I wouldn't let that ruin your night. Either you had fun hanging with your friends or are going to so focus on that.

That was very generous of you to tip him so well.

If everyone pitches in on the cab ride and gives the money to one person, these things are easily avoided. Also easily avoiding something like this us taking 5 seconds to find out who is paying if everyone isn't pitching in.

How did you not notice that your friend had paid? Hope it wasn't an expensive ride....

I can't help but picture that it's a black and white movie, and him sleazily grinning with his fedora hat tipped down, with a shadow across half his face, and he zooms off in his Model T down the city.

Taxis are not very big... I don't understand how you missed the cab driver getting paid.

Maybe he was looking for his own money and not at his friend.

So your not supposed to awkwardly stare at your friends when you hang out? Whoa. Maybe that's why nobody returns my calls

I could think of a few reasons, the problem was more that OP and the friend didn't figure out who was going to pay.

That's fucked up. I'm a cab driver, maybe I'm just honest, but I would never pull that shit. Don't worry though, what goes around comes around, he'll get his soon enough.

Leave it to karma my friend.