If you’re traveling in a foreign country, you may end up needing to use a taxi cab to get from place to place. To stay safe when traveling by taxi, you must secure and keep an eye on all of your belongings and maintain a high level of alertness. Choose your cab with care, and don’t be afraid to end the ride if you feel uncomfortable — especially if you are traveling alone. if you are disabled or are a woman, be extremely cautious.
Book your cab in advance. Generally speaking, you’ll be safer if you plan your trips ahead of time and call and schedule a cab to pick you up at a set time rather than hailing a cab on the street. This is particularly important if you are a woman or if you are young.
Use caution when calling in public. If you’re out in public and need to call a cab to come and pick you up, try to make your call from a relatively private place to avoid being overheard. Someone might overhear you and take advantage of the situation.
Confirm prices in advance. When you call ahead to order your taxi, make sure you understand how much the trip will cost, whether you’ll pay a metered fare or a flat rate, and what tip is customary in the area where you’re traveling.
Check for a badge. In most countries, taxi cab drivers must have a badge or identification card in their car and available for your inspection. Look at it carefully and, if there’s a photo, compare that photo to the driver to make sure it is the same person.
Visually inspect the car. Most countries, particularly in North America and Europe, require licensed cab drivers to keep their cars in good condition with routine maintenance up to date. If the cab looks beat-up or doesn’t run properly, it may not be legitimate.
Refuse to share a cab with a stranger. Ride-sharing can save you some money, but to stay safe when traveling by taxi you need to make sure no one that you don’t know gets into the cab with you. A stranger could put your safety and security at risk.
Keep your things close by. When you’re riding in a taxi, the further away from you your belongings are, the more likely they are to get lost or stolen. If you have a large suitcase it might not be possible to keep it with you, but try to place it somewhere in the cab where you can keep an eye on it.
Hide electronics and expensive items. If you are carrying items such as your mobile phone, a tablet, or a laptop computer, make sure they are well hidden before you get into the cab, and keep them out of sight the entire trip.
If you are traveling in Walton on the Thames to Heathrow, execute these strategies.
