The Benefits of Taxi Service on Travellers
Whenever you enter someone’s vehicle, you are allowing someone to control over you. More often than not, you do not really know the person, so it is important to think carefully about your personal safety while traveling in a taxi especially Schiphol where most people who grab a taxi are from other countries since Schiphol taxi are popular in their airport.
On the other hand, many taxi drivers are great sources of information about local customs, current events, best restaurants and entertainment, and more. Taxi drivers are often expert on safe and unsafe neighborhoods and what threats may lurk to your hotel and destination. On the bright side, there are a lot of taxi drivers that are insightful and great to talk with but you still have to be cautious with oversharing because they may pass the information on to someone else who does not have your best interest at heart.
We have listed below tips for travelers when they are riding a taxi:
1. Call for a taxi instead of hailing one
Some independent taxi drivers work in partnership with thieves. The scam goes like this: the driver spots something valuable on your person (jewelry, a camera, a mobile device) and they text the thief with the route. Because the thief knows the taxi and the route, they only have to wait at a stoplight to open the door and snatch what’s yours.
2. Never take a taxi alone if you’re drunk
If you’ve had too much to drink, it may seem like the right decision to get a cab – and it is, with someone else. If you’re drunk, the ride in the cab may put you to sleep. The drink may also put you into a semi-conscious state – not the best circumstance to defend yourself from the driver, a partner the driver called, or anyone else who wants to harm you. Riders have been raped, beaten, robbed, and even killed after getting into a taxi when they’re helplessly drunk.
3. Look for a meter, a radio, a badge, and a door handle
All genuine licensed taxi and minicab drivers’ vehicles are equipped with a meter (for determining the charge) and a radio (for taking calls from the dispatcher). In nearly all countries, the taxi driver is required to carry and display their ID badge in the vehicle. If you don’t see a badge or a radio, do not get into the vehicle.