Tips for Safe Travel in a Taxi

Several people were no doubt able to relate to the Inquirer story about a young co-ed’s terrifying experience in a taxi.

Many Filipino drivers not only need training but psychiatric care, too, so it is always wise to be vigilant when you have to take a cab.

Many taxis are being operated as single entities, usually private vehicles that owners have found too expensive to maintain and so are converted into public utility vehicles to pay for their own maintenance, making it more difficult to trace them. And you get all kinds of names, many of them hard to remember.

Although there are no measures that can totally ensure safety, it will help to take certain precautions. Some of these things were mentioned by the co-ed’s father:

If you are a parent, a relative or a friend seeing off somebody who is taking a cab, make sure to note the taxi’s name, plate number and telephone numbers, if listed.

As a passenger, also take note of this information. If you do not get them before boarding a cab, many taxis have their names, and plate and contact numbers listed inside the doors so as you travel to your destination, write them down or save them in your mobile phone.

Better yet, send the information to family or friends every time you take a taxi. That way, even if you lose your cell phone, somebody already has the crucial information that may be needed to track down the cab and its driver should anything untoward happen.

Of course, you have to inform the recipient that sending them the information is just a precautionary measure and does not necessarily mean you are in trouble. Otherwise, they may panic and call for help before it is actually needed.

Sending a message also provides more critical information—the time and date when you are in a cab.

Fully loaded

If you have a prepaid cell phone, make sure you have sufficient airtime load and your battery has enough power for an emergency text message or phone call. Store in speed dial all the important numbers you want to call in an emergency and keep your phone in your hand during the trip so you do not waste time looking for it when needed, especially if you are a woman who normally keeps it in your purse.

Take a taxi from the office, other places where there are people likely to see you get into one, and at terminals in shopping malls, hotels or wherever they can be found.

Almost every major mall chain has a taxi terminal now. The queues may be long but at least there is usually a security guard (in Makati, traffic enforcers even man some of the stations) making sure that everything goes smoothly. They will even give you a piece of paper containing the plate number of the vehicle.

Call a taxi company when you need a cab at a specific time from a specific place. There are now several firms you can call and ask to have a taxi pick you up and bring you to where you want to go. These include R&E, Basic, MGE, Munich (which I think is some kind of a consortium as some cabs do not actually bear the name Munich. The dispatcher will give you the name and plate number of the taxi that will fetch you: Xavierville, Tai, Dollar, Avis).

Pay with small bills. Always try to have small bills when you plan to take a taxi. Even if you do not meet this driver from hell who traumatized the co-ed, you will still find that many drivers will come up with all kinds of excuses to force you to let them have your change—“kalalabas lang po,” “binayad sa gasolina,” “naubos nang magsukli sa huling pasahero” or “kulang ang barya.”

Take note of the route you are taking. Make sure you know where you are going before you set off. Familiarize yourself with the routes that may be used to get to and from your usual destinations— home, office, church, mall, etc.

If you are going to a place you have not been to before, ask for specific instructions on how to get there, landmarks to help you know you are going in the right direction. Call somebody at your destination while you are in a taxi to help you find your way.

Although you may sometimes leave it to the taxi driver to choose the route where traffic is lighter and travel will be faster, it is always best to know where you are going.

Danger from outside

Lock the doors as soon as you get inside a cab. Your driver may be reliable but danger may come from outside. People have lost life and property when caught in traffic in certain parts of the metropolis. That smiling ambulant vendor may suddenly open your door, if it is unlocked, and grab your purse or cell phone.

source: http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20081203-175758/Tips-for-safe-travel-in-a-taxi