When you need to travel for a business trip or spend your vacations exploring the city or the world, you always try to find cheap flights to anywhere or a safe cab ride because nothing ruins an adventure like getting sick, being scammed, or being robbed while traveling. You should always do your homework before traveling, whether for a taxi, a hotel reservation, or a cheap international flights booking.
When you are booking a taxi, here are some travel safety guidelines to help minimize your chances of something bad happening to you.
Booking of taxi
Make a reservation for a taxi in advance. Rather than getting a taxi on the street, you’ll be safer if you plan your trips and call and timeframe a taxi to pick you up at a specific time.
Registered taxi services have dispatch numbers that you can call beforehand to schedule your cab. Request the title or license number of the vehicle scheduled to pick you up from the operator. This is particularly important at airports, where unlicensed taxis frequently wait outside to pick up passengers.
You can also give the operator your destination and inquire about fares and traditional tips. Make a reservation for a taxi in advance. You’ll be safer if you plan your trips ahead of time and call and schedule a cab to pick you up at a specific time rather than getting a taxi on the street.
Licensed taxi services have dispatch numbers that you can call ahead of time to schedule your cab. Request the name or car number of the car scheduled to pick you up from the operator. This is especially important at airports, where unlicensed cabs frequently wait to pick up desperate passengers. Check to see if the taxi is the one you demanded when it arrives.
Check the driver’s badge
Taxi drivers are required by law in most countries to have a badge or identification card in their vehicle, which you can inspect. Examine it thoroughly and, if there is a photo, compare it to the driver to ensure they are the same person. If the badge appears to be damaged or tampered with, exit the cab immediately and call a taxi service. Even if there isn’t a problem, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Keep your belongings close by
You’re flashing a target for potential thieves if you’re operating on a smartphone while waiting for a taxi or at a stoplight. Zip up your bags to keep your mobile devices and cameras safe. Maintain proximity to your purse, backpack, or other bags – preferably on the floor.
Take a seat in the back row’s middle
Sit in the middle of the backseat if you’re looking for a taxi. This makes you less vulnerable to robbers while also keeping your valuables safe. Even if the taxi is uptight or overheated, keep the windows rolled up.
Keep your everything ready before you get out of the cab
You don’t need to search for your keys or anything else at your desired location when you get out of the taxi. You are less exposed to street crime if you have everything prepared. If you are attacked or in an unsettling manner, keys in your hands can also be used for self-defense.
