By knowing things such as safety tips and tips on how not to be ripped off, you will be able to make the most of your taxi ride.
Safety Tips
One of the most important things is to make sure that you are only getting into taxicabs that are clearly marked with a company name and telephone number. Also, your cab driver should have his or her ID clearly visible and you should have access to their driver number.
If the cab driver insists on giving you a free ride or that you “shouldn’t worry” about it, take the next cab. Cab drivers that are out to make money the honest way will have no problem telling you the exact amount of the fare up front.
Some extra things you can do in order to stay safe would include:
- Call ahead for your own taxi so you are in control of what company you are using
- Keep your luggage out of the trunk so you can exit fast if you need to
- Sit behind the driver instead of beside him so that you are out of his reach
- Never ride in a taxi where the interior door handle is broken
- Do not share a taxi in order to help prevent kidnappings
Avoiding Rip Offs
You can lose a lot of money in cab fare if you are not careful. There is nothing worse than finding yourself stuck in a cab after failing to agree upon a price beforehand. Before you enter that cab, agree on the fare.
Another thing that you might want to do is to always keep exact change on you. Too many cab drivers will automatically assume that you do not want your change and it can make for a terribly awkward situation.
Make sure that you are also considering the following:
- Make sure that the meter has been set back to “0” so that you are not paying more than you should be paying
- Taking a receipt and writing the cab ID number and driver name on it
- Don’t accept the claim of “extra fee for high traffic”, as this is a common scam
Do Your Research
If you are unfamiliar with traveling by taxicab, then do as much research as possible before you venture out.
The more knowledgeable you are about traveling by taxi cabs, the easier the experience will be for you. These taxi travel tips come from Seattle’s StitaTaxi.com.