How to use taxis and minicabs safely?

What is the difference between a minicab and a taxi?

Minicabs: Pre-booked. Taxis: Street hails, ranks. That’s the core difference. Simple.

• Pre-booking: Minicabs require advance reservations. Think scheduling. Efficiency.
• Street availability: Taxis are readily available. Immediate transport. Spontaneous.

One needs planning. The other, impulse. Life’s choices, reflected in transport. My last minicab ride? 2023, Heathrow. Cost: £75. Expensive. But efficient. Taxis? More often, less predictable pricing. Negotiation sometimes involved. A gamble, but convenient.

How can a taxi driver be safe?

Dark out there. Streetlights blur. Another fare. Always a risk. Should have stayed home tonight. Mom worried. Told her not to.

Head on a swivel. Check the mirror. Backseat. Can’t be too careful. Remember Carlos. Never came home.

Lock the doors. Good habit. Peace of mind, maybe. Doesn’t always help.

• GPS tracker: Always on. Dispatch knows where I am. Every minute.
• Dashcam: Front and back. Silent witness. Catches everything. Got mine after the incident on Elm Street. Shaky footage. Still helped.
• Refuse fares: Gut feeling. Bad vibes. Don’t care about the money. Better safe. Lost a tooth once. Not worth it.
• Limited cash: Small bills. Hidden. Less tempting. Less to lose. Remember that guy. Asked for all of it. Gave him what I had. Walked away. Lucky.
• Partitions: Thinking about getting one. Expensive. Barrier. Worth it? Maybe. Seen too much. Heard too much. Tired.

Long night. Want to go home. See my daughter. She drew me a picture. Taxi with a smiley face. Makes it all… almost worth it. Almost.

How to travel safely in a taxi?

Dark out. Streetlights blur. Thinking about taxis. Always makes me… uneasy.

Used to take them all the time. Back when I lived in that tiny apartment on Bleecker. 2023. Felt safer then. Maybe I was just younger. More naive.

Always sit behind the driver. Always. Remember one time… guy kept looking at me in the mirror. Creepy. Got out a block early. Walked fast.

Bleecker Street. Miss that place sometimes. Rent was too high though. Had to move. Now I’m in Queens. Don’t take taxis much anymore. Subway mostly.

Pre-booking is smart. Definitely. Use an app. I like Curb. See the driver’s info. License plate. Everything. Feels… better.

• Check the license plate. Matches the app? Good. Get in.
• Back seat. Always. Driver’s side if alone. More space between you and them.
• Share your ride details. Send it to someone. Friend. Family. Whoever. Just in case.
• Route. Look it up beforehand. Know where you’re going. Drivers sometimes… take the long way. Especially at night. Happened to me once. Chicago. Never again.
• Phone charged. Important. Very important.
• Don’t talk too much. Keep to yourself. Don’t give out personal info. Name. Address. Anything.
• Trust your gut. Something feels off? Get out. Doesn’t matter where you are. Just get out. Safety first. Always.

Bleecker Street… Used to get coffee at that little place on the corner. What was it called…? Can’t remember. Funny the things you forget. Important things… safety… those you remember. Night.

How do you know if a taxi is safe?

Okay, so last year, July, I was in Bangkok. Crazy hot, humid as hell. I needed a taxi to get to the airport, flight at 6 am, stressed. I used Grab, that app. The car arrived, a Toyota Camry, looked okay. But the driver… his face didn’t match the photo on the app. Ugh, seriously? I felt a knot in my stomach. I was already late. But I’m stubborn. I refused to get in. I told him straight up, “Your picture, app, doesn’t match”. He mumbled something. I canceled the ride on the app. Then I called Grab support. They apologized profusely. Got a new car in five minutes. Much better. That first guy? I’m sure something was off. I don’t mess around with these things, my gut feeling is usually right.

• Check the app’s driver photo against the actual driver. This is crucial. A mismatch is a red flag.
• Verify the license plate. It should match the car shown on the app. Don’t be shy about checking.
• If anything seems off, don’t hesitate. Cancel the ride and report it to the taxi service immediately. Safety first. Seriously.
• Use reputable taxi services or apps. Stick to known ones; avoid random street hailing, especially late at night.

Next time, maybe I’ll book in advance, even earlier. That 6 am flight was killer. I hate rushing. I’m usually a calm person, but that morning… I learned my lesson. Trust your gut and don’t be afraid to be assertive.

How do you know if a taxi is scamming you?

Ugh, taxis. So, I was in Rome, summer 2024. Rushing to the Colosseum, right? Hop in a cab near Termini station.

The meter? Started, like, way too high! Should’ve been around €10 but showed €15 immediately! I knew something was up. Argued a bit, but I was late.

Then, the route! Instead of straight down Via Cavour? This dude took me through, like, every backstreet. I swear, we passed the same gelato shop three times. Felt like forever!

Ended up paying almost €40 for a 15-minute ride. Robbery, I tell you!

Worst part? When I got out, tried to help me with my tiny carry-on bag (I always travel light, thank you very much). Classic distraction technique!

Lucky for me, I always keep my bag practically strapped to me. So yeah, no free luggage handling, pal!

How to spot taxi scammers, based on my Roman nightmare:

• Suspiciously high meter starting fare: Anything above the usual starting rate? Instant red flag.
• Circuitous routes: Question any deviation from the obvious path. Use your phone’s GPS, even if it’s just for show, to make them think you know the right way.
• Unsolicited help with luggage: Be extra cautious; it might be a distraction for theft.

Oh, and always, always use a taxi app where possible. Way more transparent and usually cheaper. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need some gelato to soothe my memories.