Safe Taxi Travel Tips

I have taken taxicabs in many cities around the world before and have had various experiences in each country. In Beijing, China taxi cabs are often cars that are not of a high calibre and do not have much of an aesthetic quality. One of the biggest risks in taking a taxi around Beijing was not knowing where you were going and if you said the name wrong,or the driver is not sure where you want to go, you can end up kilometres away from where you wanted to go!

Since living in Melbourne, Australia I have found that taxis are for the most part are reliable cars (and certainly more impressive looking than most Beijing taxis), but the taxi drivers in Melbourne have actually made me more nervous than Beijing drivers. I have had a couple of instances riding in taxicabs in Melbourne that have made me really nervous, which was due to taxi drivers' inappropriate conduct, that is, they were flirting with me and asking me questions, which I felt were quite invasive.

For example, one of these cab drivers asked me if I was married and also what was I doing after I had finished at the destination I was going to. This same taxi driver asked me a series of 'seemingly friendly' questions, but I felt quite uncomfortable with them. He asked me where I was from and how long I had been living in Melbourne. He wanted to know the area I lived in and what I did for a living and wanted to know all about where I was going. I responded with as little information as I could and tried to ignore him so he wouldn't ask me anything else. The worst part was when he dropped me off at my destination. He asked me if I wanted him to wait and he would take me home. I said no thank you and left.

I think about other young women travelling on their own around Melbourne and Australia and I have thought of some advice that may be helpful to them:

• If you are going home, but the driver is behaving inappropriately or you feel uncomfortable for any reason, then perhaps ask him to drop you near to where you live, but not directly in front of your home.
• If you feel really unsafe, perhaps ask the driver to drop you at a very busy shopping centre or other public place and then catch another cab (or other form of transport) or get someone to come and pick you up.
• If you can see the driver's ID clearly, write it down at the beginning of any journey. If there is no visible ID you may not want to continue in that taxi as it is illegal for taxi drivers not to display this information.
• Travel with other people if you can. When I was in high school I used to prefer staying either at a friend's place or having him/her stay at mine after a night out so that we could share a taxi home.
• If you are not feeling safe, but you are unable to get another taxi, call a family member, friend or even the police to come and collect you if you have had to exit the taxi somewhere.

I have always felt that if I had to suddenly exit the taxi, that I would ask the driver to pull over in a safe area (if he does not this is very serious and if you have a mobile you could contact the police or find a safe place to exit, perhaps if safe to do so at a red light). I would explain that I would like to end my journey here and if it was something that I needed to report I would record the cab driver's ID and license plate number. Being in a public place is important because witnesses are available as well as shops and restaurants that you can seek assistance from if the taxi driver is upset about your actions.

For the most part, even though I have had a couple of inappropriate and uncomfortable experiences in taxis, I have had no trouble with taking taxis. This said, I will still usually avoid taking them alone late at night for my own sense of security. Public transport has its own risks, but I feel safer knowing that there are other people around and major stations have staff on duty. The best thing is to go with your own instincts and if you ever feel uncomfortable in a situation with a taxicab then it is best to remove yourself from it.

Website Information on Taxis in Victoria: http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/taxis