Traveling can be very fun when you know your way around a particular location. That said, finding ground transportation can mean everything to your trip and your enjoyment. Every time that you step into a taxi cab you often surrender a little bit of control to someone else. Most times these people are complete strangers. While on vacation its good to take precautions and always think of your safety when getting into taxi cabs. Here’s some things to consider when traveling and maintaining your own taxi safety habits.
Call ahead
Call your hotel staff and ask them what the typical tipping or price range is for local taxis. Most will be able to give you an exact or an appropriate amount when leaving a tip. You should also have a good idea of what you should pay when going from destination to destination. If possible, get the price locked down before hopping into the cab. You should be able to explain to them where your going and they should be able to give you a decent fair. If you call directly into the company, a dispatcher can also give you a quote.
Call instead of haling a ride
When traveling you have to be very cautious because some taxi drivers could be working with thieves. The scam typically is when a driver spots a valuable piece of jewelry on your body and they text a thief to meet you that you’re ending route. They will either snatch your item while in traffic in route to your destination or when you arrive there. If you call ahead directly to the taxi company, you can avoid them working in cahoots with scammers.
Intoxication
One thing you should never do is take a taxi car ride alone if you are drunk or have been drinking way too much. At the time it may seem like the right thing to do, but unfortunately this can be a bad decision. You could find yourself falling asleep in the taxi cab opening yourself up to danger. Your alcohol may put you in a semi-conscious state where you are not making the best decisions. Always find family or friends to ride with you or don’t get in the taxi at all if you are drunk. It’s not uncommon to hear in the news of riders being robbed, or even rapped because they’ve been intoxicated. If you’re going to drink and plan to get drunk, then bring along a non-drinking friend that can be with you at all times especially in the taxi cab. It is easy to get a taxi cab lakewood co.
Pay attention
Most taxi cab drivers have professional radios and meters in their vehicle. You should pay attention to make sure a driver has the appropriate professional equipment in their car to operate their business. If you do not see a radio or badge, then it is wise to not get into the vehicle. It also doesn’t hurt to ask the driver to display their badge to you prior to getting into the car. In most countries a taxi driver has to carry some type of identification.