What Not To Do: Your next taxi ride can be safe or wild - It all depends on you

Taking good precaution before requesting for a taxi can be a saving grace in case you run into a potential kidnapper posing to be a cabbie.

It is important to make plans for your safety when travelling in a taxi.

It offers an option of ease and comfort when compared to a ‘danfo’ but the experiences of some passengers in the hands of cabbies especially in Lagos have indicated that moving around in taxis can be classy but dangerous.

 

Consider these when hailing your next cab.

1. Don’t board a taxi if driver shows up in wrong vehicle: It was a little over 1am in April when I ordered a cab. On the app it showed that I should expect to be picked up by a driver who rides in a 2007 Honda Accord car.

ALSO READ: Woman reportedly escapes from Taxify driver who tried to kidnap her

Unfortunately, he showed up in a different vehicle. After questioning him, I identified him as a threat and called another taxi. He tried to explain to me why he showed up in a different ride but it didn’t make sense. Similar experiences  have been captured on Twitter.

 

2. Watch out for taxis that don’t look like one: Maybe all cabbies should hang a signage on the roof of their vehicles to help with screening dangerous drivers.

In Port Harcourt, a lady risked her life to escape from suspected kidnappers. She decided to jump out of a speeding car when it had dawned on her that she has entered a one-chance vehicle.

She observed that the taxi didn’t really have an appearance suggesting that it is used for commercial purposes. She had ignored the signs.

ALSO READ: Taxify driver reportedly absconds with rider's money

 

3. It is safer not to ride alone: The cab-hailing market has seen competitiveness that has captured the economic class of people living in Nigeria. Some platforms offer an opportunity to share a ride with other riders. That’s not a bad thing to explore in your quest for safety.